Fans enjoy Latrobe's Steelers Fest before storms call off Friday Night Lights

Kimberly Bennett might live in Cleveland, but make no mistake: She’s a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

“Some people hide it; I don’t care,” Bennett said. “We’ve been told to go back to Pittsburgh because we like (the Steelers) so much.”

Bennett was one of hundreds of Steelers fans who attended Steelers Fest on Friday in Latrobe. The daylong event was meant to be a precursor to the team’s Friday Night Lights practice, which was canceled because of heavy storms.

Before it began to rain, however, fans enjoyed a sunny and humid day filled with autographs, games and food from local vendors outside of Latrobe Memorial Stadium.

Shane Craig of Lancaster attended Steelers Fest with his mother. Craig said he’s rooted for the Black and Gold since he was a kid.

“I just love seeing them practice,” said Craig, who has attended training camp three other years. “I love seeing the new draft picks. I love being part of Steelers Nation.”

Buzz about the team’s next star quarter­back has circulated Saint Vincent College since training camp began in late July. Shirley Wasicki and her granddaughter traveled from their home in New Bern, N.C., to get a feel for the team’s quarterback options after the retirement of future hall-of-famer Ben Roethlisberger.

Wasicki became a Steelers fan because of her husband, a Punxsutawney native who attended Saint Vincent College. She has attended training camp three other years and described the team as “wonderful.”

“There’s not anybody in the world who hasn’t seen Mean Joe Greene or any of those other players and not become a fan,” Wasicki said as she sat in a chair outside of the stadium.

Steelers Fest began at 11 a.m. and concluded at 5 p.m. At 3 p.m., some former Steelers joined the fun and signed autographs for fans, who eagerly waited to have their shirts and Terrible Towels signed.

Gerald Payne of Latrobe received an autograph from former Steelers wide receiver Louis Lipps. Payne expressed gratitude that training camp was held in the Latrobe area this year, as it occurred in Pittsburgh in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic.

“It’s a lot closer than Pittsburgh,” Payne said.

The recent renaming of Heinz Field was on some fans’ minds at the event. In July, the Steelers announced that Acrisure, a Michigan-based financial tech insurance brokerage, would replace Kraft Heinz as the naming rights holder for the team’s North Shore football stadium.

Acrisure even had a tent at Steelers Fest, and the company tried to win fans over with a raffle to win a helmet signed by Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson. The company also was giving away water bottles and sunglasses.

Still, many fans have not welcomed the name change. Sheila Cook of Charleroi was one of these fans: She wore a shirt that read, “It’s still Heinz Field to me.”

“It will always be Heinz Field,” said Cook, who attended with her family.

This is the first training camp that 512 Coffee and Ice Cream has experienced. The Latrobe coffee shop set up shop at Steelers Fest, selling drinks to thirsty fans.

Mike Ciotti, the shop’s owner, said he met many out-of-state Steelers fans throughout the day.

“It’s pretty cool to meet these folks from all over the country coming in for Steelers Fest,” he said. “This is a great event for Latrobe and the surrounding community.”