Yinzercon brings a celebration of all things Pittsburgh to Belle Vernon
Just some of the lineup of celebrities, businesses and characters that will make up the inaugural Yinzercon, April 15, in Belle Vernon.
Associated Press
Pitt’s Blake Hinson, who helped the Panthers to their best season since 2016, was a recent addition to the Yinzercon lineup. Hinson was Pitt’s leading scorer, averaging 15.3 points. The Panthers won 24 games, including two in the NCAA Tournament.
Associated Press
Former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman and Washington & Jefferson head football coach John Banaszak will appear at Yinzercon from 4-6 p.m. April 15.
A celebration of all things Pittsburgh – from traditional foods to local celebrities – is coming to Belle Vernon during the inaugural Yinzercon.
Last year, Don Spagnolo, owner of Remixxd by Steel City Galleries and Yinzercon organizer, thought it would be fun to assemble some local celebrities for a meet and greet, photo-ops and autographs at his Westmoreland County business. He envisioned it in December, something like a Pittsburgh Christmas, but those plans didn’t quite work out.
“I talked to some local celebrities, and they were up for it, but December is a hectic time, and it was really difficult to get everyone on the same page,” he said. “So I pondered some ideas for a while, and I thought it would be really fun to bring in some of the area’s favorite brands and attractions and make a little convention.”
With local celebs on board, he set up Yinzercon for Saturday, April 15. Then word started to spread, and the guest list grew as did the scope of his “little convention.”
“It’s kind of taken on a life of its own,” Spagnolo said. “My phone never stopped ringing.”
At one point, the administrators of the Belle Vernon building where Remixxd is located told Spagnolo they were concerned the location at the Amcel Center wouldn’t be able to handle the number of people who wanted to attend. He looked at venues in the Mon Valley, but couldn’t find a good fit.
He nixed the idea of moving it to Monroeville or Pittsburgh. That, he said, went against the hometown spirit he wanted for the event.
“The purpose (of Yinzercon) was to bring some cool stuff out to Belle Vernon,” he said. “Belle Vernon always seems to get lost in the shuffle.”
To assuage his landlords’ concerns, he instead decided to limit ticket sales and create a special events room to accommodate meet-and-greets and other features of Yinzercon.
While a number of well-known locals will grace Remixxd on April 15 (including former Pittsburgh Steeler John Banaszak, co-host of the 93.7 “The Fan Morning Show” Dorin Dickerson and KDKA’s Mary Ours), one guest is particularly special to Spagnolo.
His father, Angelo Spagnolo, who officially “won” the title of America’s Worst Avid Golfer in 1985.
The designation spawned a head-to-head golf match with the late Myron Cope at Linden Hall in Dawson, a series of books and a Nike commercial. The elder Spagnolo’s “honor” also was the subject of two “Dateline NBC” features.
“He really did so much back in the day,” Spagnolo said of his father. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
Tickets for Yinzercon are on sale with three different packages that include a gift card for Remixxd by Steel City Galleries, commemorative tickets, autographs from the celebrities and more.
Spagnolo said for any other convention, someone would have to pay up to $50 to get through the door and would also have to pay for autographs or celebrity photo opportunities.
“You can drop hundreds or thousands of dollars and not get much stuff,” he said.
Packages to Yinzercon start at $25.
“This is a family-friendly event and affordable,” he said.
Spagnolo said he wants to see how this year’s ‘con goes before deciding on plans for next year. In the meantime, he’s just working on getting last-minute celebrities into the mix to celebrate all things Pittsburgh.
“It’s exciting and nerve wracking,” he said. “All in all, to have some of these people together in the same room, that’s really cool.”
Guests for Yinzercon include:
n 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. StreatEats, Ekernally Yours
n Noon to 2 p.m. Kathy Svilar, Pitt basketball player Blake Hinson
n Noon to 3 p.m. Erica Mokay
n Noon to 4 p.m. Mary Ours, Yinza
n Noon to 4:45 p.m. Broom
n Noon to 6 p.m. Robert Michelucci, Dee Michelucci, Mike Ancas, Brenda Ancas, Joe Wos, Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Douglas School, VC2 Art, Steel City Ghostbusters, Burgh Bus, Hunting Nostalgia, Wholey’s, Pittsburgh Thor, Pittsburgh Iron Man, Claudio Reilsono, Angelo Spagnolo, Mancini’s, Terror Night Theatre
n 1 to 6 p.m. Comicsburgh
n 4 to 6 p.m. John Banaszak, Dorin Dickerson, Donny Football
Yinzercon will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 15 at the Amcel Center at 236 Finley Road, 2nd Floor, Suite 28, Belle Vernon.
For tickets and information on Yinzercon, visit https://steelcitygalleries.com.