Plans for Verona's 150th anniversary celebration nearly complete - TribLIVE

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Verona’s 150th anniversary is such a huge deal it will be celebrated with at least four separate events throughout the year, organizers announced.

“I think people are excited about it,” said Jessica Varone, founder and chair of Verona Community Group. “It’s been hard for us to make plans due to covid. We all have great ideas and everything is expensive. We want this to be a really special for our borough. We have a great committee. We welcome people to reach out and give comments.”

VCG is organizing its celebration.

People who want to make suggestions of activities can do so via email at neighbors@veronacommunity.org.

The first event will be virtual at noon on May 8.

It will feature speeches from Verona Historical Society member Frank Santucci and Oakmont Historical Society President Gary Rogers, as well as Mayor David Ricupero.

Western Pennsylvania Center for the Arts is expected to supply the music.

WPCA cofounder Ralph Toward said he is pleased they were asked to join the festivities.

“We’re truly happy about that and looking forward to it, that’s for sure,” Toward said.

He and his wife, Bonnie, have let the music play in Verona for at least eight years.

Ricupero, who was a part of the 125th festivities, believes there will be huge support for the upcoming celebration.

“I think it’ll be a good morale booster come summertime for everyone to come out and enjoy themselves,” the mayor said. “I do remember the one in 1971, very big celebration. That’s when we started our car cruise for the 125th.”

The car cruise was canceled last year due to the pandemic. Plans are in the works to bring it back this year.

Community celebrations

In-person celebrations are in the works for Sept. 18 and 19 at Railroad Park and Cribbs Field, respectfully.

A parade is planned for 10 a.m. on Sept. 18 along Allegheny River Boulevard.

It kicks off a community day celebration with food trucks, games, live entertainment and booths from local organizations.

VCG vice chair and Councilwoman Trish Hredzak-Showalter said they also plan to add circus activities such as jugglers, fire dancers and acrobats in lieu of fireworks due to environmental and financial concerns.

“We thought it would be a fun whimsical compliment,” she said. “With costs and covid and other stuff going on we don’t have a huge budget for the event.”

A community picnic is planned for the following day in the field near Second Street and South Avenue.

It is tentatively scheduled to start around 1 p.m. and feature live entertainment, games, food and refreshments at the new concession stand.

Time capsule item collection

People can still donate items for the 150th time capsule, which is slated to be dedicated on Nov. 20.

Items may include a personal journal or diary entries, photographs, notices, signs or posters from private businesses, letters, postcards, games, and small artwork.

People can also provide lists of favorite pandemic movie or TV show binges, bread recipes, house projects, shopping trip disasters, homeschooling triumphs, future predictions and more.

Organizers originally hoped to have a dedication in May, closer to the borough’s official incorporation, but decided to postpone it so more materials could be collected.

People can drop off items for the time capsule at the borough building, 736 E. Railroad Ave.

“I’m very grateful for all the people and the community working on this,” Varone said. “There’s a lot to take on. There’s a lot of people who love Verona and want to make this special.”

A brief look at Verona’s history

The town originally was part of a 460-acre section of Mechanicsburg along the Allegheny River purchased by James Verner. Verner Elementary School along South Avenue was named after the family.

In 1837, Pennsylvania granted a charter to the Pittsburgh, Kittanning & Warren Railroad Co. to build a railroad line from Pittsburgh to Warren. The proposed route crossed through Verner’s property.

Verner and William Phillips formed a company to lay out a village adjacent to the new rail yards, and Verona Borough was incorporated May 10, 1871. It was divided into two wards.

Members of its second ward petitioned the court in 1886 to break away from Verona and form a new community.

In 1889, the court issued a decree incorporating the new borough of Oakmont.

Michael DiVittorio is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 412-871-2367, mdivittorio@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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