Correspondent photos / Sean Barron ... Janice DiRusso takes a slight break from serving the business’s sausage sandwiches, a decades-long tradition at the annual Lowellville Festival. The fest wraps up tonight with the traditional Baby Doll Dance and fireworks. Next to her is Donald Lloyd.

LOWELLVILLE — Ask Janice DiRusso about the history of a business closely linked with the village, and be prepared to receive a detailed backstory to add to your sausage sandwich.

“He was the first person to sell sausage sandwiches with peppers, onions and sauce to the public,” DiRusso said, referring to Augie DiRusso, who, with his father, Achille DiRusso, were the heartbeats of DiRusso’s Sausage Inc., the headquarters of which is in downtown Youngstown. “In the early 1960s, nobody even knew what it was. It took off and everybody loved it.”

Janice DiRusso and several others are busy this week selling their namesake sausage sandwiches as part of the 128th annual Lowellville Festival, which wraps up tonight in and next to the Mount Carmel Society.

The family-friendly gathering, which debuted in 1895, began Wednesday with a plentiful number of attendees. Even Thursday evening’s crowd was large, despite severe thunderstorms.

DiRusso recalled that the sandwiches were prepared and sold in a building across the street from her concession stand at the festival. Customers would order their meals through one door, then pay and leave through a second door, she remembered.

Also instrumental in the business’s early days and success was Augie DiRusso’s mother, Adeline, who had a major influence on the sausage company and was “a good cook with good ideas,” Janice DiRusso said.

The current owner is Robert DiRusso, Augie DiRusso’s nephew.

BOCCE COMPETITIONS

Perhaps just as ubiquitous as sausage sandwiches at the fest are the continual bocce competitions.

“I’ve been playing since I was 18 or 19 years old, and I’ll be 36 next month,” Sean New of Koppel, Pa., a semi professional player, said.

He also is a fixture at Cassese’s MVR Restaurant in Youngstown, which opened in 1927 in the Smoky Hollow neighborhood near Youngstown State University and features nightly bocce competitions.

New doesn’t restrict his bocce-related travels merely to the Mahoning Valley, however. He also plays in many tournaments across Ohio and Pennsylvania; he recently returned from a competition in Rome, N.Y., said New, who plays about 10 months of the year.

“Wherever the fun goes, we go, or maybe wherever we go, the fun goes,” Patrick Rishel, of Boardman, said with laughter.

Rishel is among those who work for a business called Wok on the Wild Side, a new addition to the fest, which caters to weddings and other special occasions, but is a regular at the Canfield Fair.

Shortly before Thursday evening’s storm rolled through, Rishel was busy mixing in a wok soba noodle stir fry with fresh vegetables with teriyaki sauce – the recipe of which he said is secret.

Other festival vendors include Lariccia’s Tastes of Italia, Paisano’s Pizza Connection, Hoover’s Fudge and Bogey’s Bar & Grill. Also part of the festivities are various rides, games and other attractions.

ABOUT FAMILY

Despite all of the fun-filled treats and eats, covered bocce courts and competitions and gambling tents, the festival’s underlying theme is about unifying people in a safe and secure environment, Mike Romeo, a Mount Carmel Society trustee, noted.

“It’s all about family. The biggest thing is just to bring the families together,” he said.

Romeo also expressed gratitude for the work of the Lowellville, Struthers, Campbell, Poland and Coitsville police departments for providing added security.

The 128th festival will wrap up tonight with the longtime traditional Baby Doll dance around 10 or 10:30 p.m., followed by a fireworks display.

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