Latrobe Italian Festival Gala – Prima La Comunita

Please join us for a fun-filled fundraiser supporting 512 Coffee & Ice Cream, Latrobe Italian Festival, and the Saint Vincent Summer Institute in Rome.

The Latrobe Italian Spring Gala brought to you by Prima La Comunita’ through a partnership of 512 Coffee and Ice Cream and the St. Vincent College Summer Institute in Rome.

Scroll down to Sponsor the Gala or to Purchase Tickets

Become a Sponsor

Select your sponsorship level from the options below.

All sponsors will receive recognition in the event program and on signage placed in the event venue in addition to the Prima La Comunita’ website and facebook pages.

Dante Level

Includes 10 tickets with two reserved tables.

$5,000

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Frank Sinatra Level

Includes 6 tickets with one reserved table.

$2,500

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Joe DiMaggio Level

Includes 4 tickets

$1,500

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Ed Abbaticchio Level

Includes 2 tickets

$500

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Friend of Italy

Donation (Any amount)

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Register for the Gala

Please join us for a fun filled fundraiser supporting 512 Coffee and Ice Cream’s Latrobe Italian Festival along with the Saint Vincent College Summer Institute in Rome Student Scholarship program. Indulge in this delightful casual affair at DiSalvo’s Station Restaurant and let accordion players, opera singers, and dancing transport you to the heart of Italy.

The Gala will follow a Cocktail Party format with food stations located throughout the restaurant with an amazing variety of heavy hors d’oeuvres along with a tempting cookie bar staged within the indoor passenger train car. An educational wine station featuring Joseph DiSalvo’s Good Life Wines imported from select vineyards of Italy will be present for sampling and sale. Wine will be sold by the glass, bottle or take home at the station while other adult beverages will be available at the cash bar. You may also purchase cigars from the largest selection of premium cigars in the area.

Join us on Friday, April 11, 2025 for this exquisite gala and make unforgettable memories in the spirit of Italian Tradition. Attend the Gala and Support the Latrobe Italian Festival and the Saint Vincent College Summer Institute in Rome with a sponsorship.

Gala Menu

5 FOOD STATIONS & BREAD STATION

BREAD STUFFED BANANA PEPPERS

SAUSAGE STUFFED MUSHROOMS

SWEDISH MEATBALLS

WARM SPINACH & ARTICHOKE DIP

ASSORTED MEATS, CHEESES, MARINATED ITEMS & FOCACCIO BREAD

BREAD STATION

Plus, a cookie bar and coffee in the train car!

About the Festival

The September air carried the warm scent of freshly baked goods and simmering tomato sauce throughout Latrobe. Italian and American flags flapped playfully against the backdrop of the Laurel Highlands. It was the annual Latrobe Italian Festival, and the entire town was buzzing with excitement.

You could feel the festival pulsating along Thompson Street in the First Ward. Michael Ciotti, owner of 512 Coffee and Ice Cream, beamed as he watched families flood the street. It wasn’t just about the food, the music, or the parade.

It was about celebrating the rich tapestry of Latrobe’s history, the love for family and tradition, and the enduring spirit of a community bound by its roots. And Michael knew, with a certainty, this was his dream come true, a celebration of his roots and a way to revitalize the community he loves.

We look forward to you joining us on September 6-7, 2025 for the third annual Latrobe Italian Festival.

Partnering with Saint Vincent College's Summer Institute in Rome

About:

Open to students from any college or university, Saint Vincent College’s Summer Institute in Rome (SIIR) is housed at Sant’Anselmo, a Benedictine monastery and pontifical university on the tranquil Aventine Hill. Students live, learn, and dine with the international community of monks in an interpersonal experience of Saint Vincent’s shared Benedictine charism. Explore Rome and Beyond: Outside of class, excursions throughout the city of Rome and Northern Italy are incorporated into the program. Trips beyond Rome follow in the footsteps of Saint Benedict as students visit his original monasteries of Subiaco and Monte Cassino and explore medieval and Renaissance Assisi and Florence.

Key Courses:

Theological Origins of the Early Church: Taught by Saint Vincent faculty in theology, this course examines the theological debates of the first Church councils through the lens of early Christian Rome.
Images and Evangelization: Christian Art in the City of Rome: Art historian Dr. Elizabeth Lev explores the city of Rome as the cradle of the Christian tradition in the visual arts.
Roman Political Thought: A cornerstone course of the SIIR, taught by Saint Vincent faculty in politics, history, or philosophy, this course seeks to understand the Roman conceptions of statesmanship and virtue.
Ancient Practical Wisdom: Taught by Saint Vincent faculty in philosophy, this course is dedicated to rediscovering valuable ethical insights from ancient Roman philosophers and their Greek inspirations.
Galileo and the Rise of
Modern Science: Taught by Saint Vincent faculty in physics or mathematics, this course traces the life and numerous scientific discoveries of Galileo Galilei, the father of modern science.