Rosedale Beach Club's Fall Festival tradition continues with familiar feel, new leadership

An autumn tradition at a Penn Hills pool took place this year under new management but with the same community spirit.

Thousands of people joined in the fun Sept. 12-14 at Rosedale Beach Club’s Fall Festival.

It was organized by committee with about a dozen core members and many more volunteers helping to make it successful.

Dani Scott, the club’s president, said everyone chipped in after longtime event chairman Daryl Saltzman stepped down last year.

“The turnout from the community is absolutely amazing,” Scott said. “Our food sales are skyrocketing. Lots of kids, lots of families coming together. It makes us happy.

“We have designated committees throughout our board. It kind of helped us in regards to (organization). All the board and volunteers came down. We got this pool up and running this year in a matter of two days. All the booths were up and stuff like that. We kept the same layout (and) the same premise. We’re all participating.”

Saltzman served in an advisory role to ensure all the fan favorites returned. He and his wife, Mame, were unable to attend the festival this month because of health reasons.

“This was an all-year-round event for him, so we had some big shoes to fill,” volunteer coordinator Bella Veneziano said. “This is one of our biggest events ever. This keeps us open all year-round. It gets us through emergencies. We’re almost a 100-year-old pool. We have things that break, stuff that goes wrong. We need to make sure we can stay open.”

The festival raises between $15,000 to $20,000 for the club.

Scott said those funds are kept separate from memberships and daily operations.

Veneziano recently finished her fourth year on the club’s board of directors. She said a lot of former board members helped out with infrastructure, setting up tents and other responsibilities.

“Everyone comes down and helps out,” said Veneziano, 27. “I’ve been coming to this pool since I was 4 (years old).”

Club volunteers and their families made food for sale including pierogies, fresh-cut fries, haluski, hot and sweet sausage and more. Rose Provenza and her son, Giuseppe, made 550 Sicilian meatballs and homemade sauce using the matriarch’s secret recipe.

The Provenza family owns the Plum pizza shop Conca D’oro Pizzeria, one of the festival’s sponsors. They served funnel cakes all three days.

The layout was similar to previous festivals with Elizabeth Township-based LAM Enterprises providing the carnival atmosphere. There were a variety of games and rides geared toward children and youths of all ages.

Carmella Whelan, 5, of Penn Hills waved to her parents, Jimmy and Gina, while she spun by on one of the rides.

She said her favorite part of the festival was “everything.”

It was the family’s first time at the event. They heard about it through Carmella’s school at Holy Family Parish.

“We figured we’d come check out the neighborhood fair,” Jimmy Whelan said. “It’s been fun. She’s having a blast. Good food, good music.”

Gina Whelan said she was surprised by all the activities.

“It’s very nice. It’s very cute,” she said. “It’s a lot to do. Lots of kids around. I like that.”

There was a kids’ corner not very far from the music stage. It had a lot of smaller games compared to the carnival contests.

Club member Dolly Kust of Oakmont watched her grandchildren, Adalyn, 3, and Grant Wainwright, 6, both of Allison Park, play a game where they rolled a ball into holes for points.

Kust said she brings the little ones to the pool often during the summer.

“It is the best thing that happens in this area and for our pool,” Kust said about the festival. “I’m a member here, and I really think they do such a good job. There are hard workers here. Today, I’m off. It’s a good place to come and join with a family. I have seven grandkids and I bring them. They swim and they have such a good time.”

Various nonprofits and community groups had informational tents, including the Penn Hills Democratic and Republican committees.

State Rep. Joe McAndrew, D-Penn Hills, mingled with attendees and also helped to sponsor the event.

“It’s a great opportunity for the community to get together and celebrate a really good asset people should utilize all year long,” McAndrew said. “We sponsor this, and we’re going to continue to support this pool. We feel this is such a community asset. Daryl did such a great job for a long time. We miss him, but I think that it’s a festival that people remember and want to come to.

“It’s good to see the leadership continue the success of it.”

Other activities included gift basket raffles, a 50-50 and performances by several local artists.

Other sponsors included the Hula Bar, Della Sala’s Pizza, Don Kuhn Auto Body, Nesbit’s Lanes, Fiori’s Auto, Pittsburgh Pickle and the Burket-Truby Funeral Home.