A day of Dino

STEUBENVILLE - The Dean Martin Festival continued Saturday at noon with the Dean Martin Parade, and both local and countrywide fans couldn't get enough.

"The parade was wonderful. I wish it would have lasted longer," said Mary Ann Tock of Ashland.

"This is the first time we've been to the Dean Martin Festival, and everyone has been extremely friendly. We love Dean Martin and this community," Tock said.

"We came down from Cleveland just for this festival," added enthusiastic paradegoer, Sally Winans. "The parade is the first thing we saw. It was a lot of fun."

"This is a beautiful area. We'll definitely come back," said Diane Underwood, Winans' travel partner.

Many area residents and business owners lined up along Fourth Street to see Deana Martin and her husband John Griffeth, along with Grand Marshal Mindy Costanzo of Steubenville, lead the parade Saturday. Costanzo has been a Dean Martin friend since childhood.

Participants were able to mingle with members of the community while stopping along the sidewalks to purchase goods from bake sales and other food vendors.

"I thought the parade was nice. It was a little short, and I wish there were more people involved," said Shelli Ocheltree, owner of Sojo's Hot Dog House on Market Street, who set up a hot dog booth for the event.

"I think it's going to be bigger next year because of the revitalization plan going on in Steubenville," Joey Ocheltree added. "We plan to be a part of the parade again next year."

First-time festival goer Tomasina Elausky of Akron noted that she also enjoyed the parade but wished it had lasted longer.

"It was too short, but I liked the (Steubenville Big Red) band," Elausky said, adding that she and her friends had arrived in the city just moments before the parade began.

"We're eager to see the rest of the festival and to see the area. It's such a beautiful city, with the murals on the walls," Elausky said.

"It's very nice," Ann Spagnola of Cuyahoga Falls added.

"We still have lots to see. We'll be back again."

Entertainment continued at the Spot Bar Saturday with the announcement of the winner of the Dean Martin impersonation contest and other festivities, including a special appearance by Deana Martin.

Deana Martin will be appearing at the Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort in Chester today, while the Dean Martin Memorial Horse Race begins at 7 p.m.

All proceeds benefit the Dean Martin Scholarship Fund, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Tony Teramana Cancer Center, according to Rose Angelica, festival chairman.

(Lauttamus may be contacted at bsadler@heraldstaronline.com.)