Those bananas gotta split: Resident enjoys Latrobe's festival without the fruit

Latrobe may be buzzing about this weekend’s Great American Banana Split Celebration, but not everyone is enthusiastic about paying homage to the iconic ice cream dish.

Linda Brasile, a lifelong resident of Latrobe, is one of those people who won’t be digging in to the treat invented by a drug store soda jerk who was working in the city in 1904.

“I don’t like bananas,” Brasile said. “I never have. I can’t even get past the smell of them.”

Her husband and son love them, and she buys bananas for their house, but she admitted that she doesn’t really know how to pick a good bunch. Since she doesn’t eat them, she just buys them and lets her husband and son decide when they’re ripe for consumption.

Brasile has only tried to eat a banana once in her life, during her childhood. She was at her best friend’s house, and the girl’s parents treated everyone to banana splits. Not wanting to seem rude or ungrateful, Brasile tried to silence her churning stomach and partake in the fun, but she couldn’t do it.

Looking back, she said she should have found a different solution.

“I don’t know why I didn’t just give (my friend) the banana,” Brasile said. “She still teases me to this day.”

Brasile can’t really explain how she knew since early childhood that she would not like the fruit. Perhaps it’s the texture and smell, she said.

“I guess people just know what they like, and what they should stay away from,” Brasile said.

Despite her disdain for tropical fruit, Brasile has attended the Banana Split Festival multiple times. A lifelong resident of the city, she loves that Latrobe is known for being the home of the banana split, and that residents celebrate the treat every year.

“I think the festival is nice, and I don’t mind going at all,” Brasile said. “There’s a lot more there than bananas.”

She said that she enjoys the ice cream — “just don’t let a banana touch it” — and she usually indulges in one of her favorite treats, kettle corn, while she walks through the streets of the festival and listens to the live music.

Carrying around some fresh kettle corn also helps mask the smell of the boxes of bananas.

“After banana peels are outside for a few hours, you’re going to smell them,” Brasile said.

She’s happy to celebrate her community, regardless of the featured festival fruit.

“It’s a nice community event, and I’m all for anything that gets people out in the community,” Brasile said. “I just avoid the banana part of it.”

If you go

Time and location of events during Latrobe’s Great American Banana Split Celebration:

Friday, Aug. 25

11 a.m.: Blood drive (WCCC building)

11:30 a.m.: Mary Lou Scherder (Robindale Main Stage)

12 p.m.: Climbing wall (Ligonier Street near Banana Split Statue)

12:30 p.m.: Matt Tatone (Dollar Bank Stage)

1:30 p.m.: Rob Roush (Robindale Main Stage)

2 p.m.: Brian Weaver (Dollar Bank Stage)

2 p.m.: Studio Flex - ballroom dancing demo and complimentary lessons (Community Exposition Area)

3 p.m.: Jay Constable (Robindale Main Stage)

4 p.m.: Stage Ed Fred Rogers Show (James H. Rogers Park)

5 p.m.: Candy bar bingo (James H. Rogers Park)

6 p.m.: Yellow Tie Gala (819 Ligonier St.)

Saturday, Aug. 26

9 a.m.: 5k Banana Run (Latrobe Memorial Stadium)

10 a.m.: Downtown Banana Open (Across various downtown stores)

10 a.m.: Build a LEGO neighborhood (Adams Memorial Library)

10 a.m.: Meet a therapy horse (Adams Memorial Library)

10 a.m.: Climbing wall (Ligonier Street near Banana Split Statue)

10 a.m.: Create a craft (James H. Rogers Park)

10 a.m.: Face painting (James H. Rogers Park)

10 a.m.: Diamond Dolls (Community Exposition Area)

10:30 a.m.: Goat yoga (Banana Split Statue)

11 a.m.: Candy bar bingo (James H. Rogers Park)

11 a.m.: East End Kids (Community Exposition Area)

12 p.m.: Car show (WCCC Parking Lot)

12 p.m.: Cornhole tournament (329 Main St. parking lot)

12 p.m.: Maddie Josephine (Dollar Bank Stage)

12:30 p.m.: Hula demonstration and lesson with Lee Intachai (Community Exposition Area)

1 p.m.: James Gerald (Dollar Bank Stage)

2 p.m.: Xfinity Banana Band (Starting at James H. Rogers Park)

2 p.m.: Pie-eating contest (Robindale Main Stage)

2 p.m.: The Joe Porembka Tribute Polka Band (Robindale Main Stage)

2 p.m.: Candy bar bingo (James H. Rogers Park)

2 p.m.: Laurel Valley Academy of Dance (Community Exposition Area)

3 p.m.: Hi Def (Dollar Bank Stage)

3 p.m.: Studio Flex-hip hop performance (Community Exposition Area)

3:30 p.m.: Munhall Community Band (Robindale Main Stage)

4 p.m.: Xfinity Banana Band (Starting at James H. Rogers Park)

4 p.m.: Petrillo’s Karate Campus - karate demonstration (Community Exposition Area)

5 p.m.: Michael Christopher (Dollar Bank Stage)

5 p.m.: Candy bar bingo (James H. Rogers Park)

6 p.m.: Xfinity Banana Band (Starting at James H. Rogers Park)

7 p.m.: The Andy Davis Band (Robindale Main Stage)

Sunday, Aug. 27

10 a.m.: Climbing wall (Ligonier Street near Banana Split Statue)

10 a.m.: Adam Fitz (Dollar Bank Sage)

11 a.m.: Candy bar bingo (James H. Rogers Park)

11:30 a.m.: Aubrey Burchell (Dollar Bank Stage)

12 p.m.: Xfinity Banana Band (Starting at James H. Rogers Park)

12 p.m.: Willow Tree Gymnastics (Community Exposition Area)

1 p.m.: Stage Ed Fred Rogers Show (James H. Rogers Park)

1 p.m.: Kevin Dale Band (Dollar Bank Stage)

2 p.m.: Candy bar bingo (James H. Rogers Park)

2 p.m.: Xfinity Banana Band (Starting at James H. Rogers Park)

2 p.m.: Warriors Rock (Robindale Main Stage)