photo by: Christopher Dacanay

Nutcrackers portraying Dean Martin and the Rat Pack stand across from the Jefferson County Courthouse in the Steubenville Nutcracker Village. The Dean Martin nutcracker was sponsored by the Dean Martin Association.

Born in Steubenville on June 7, 1917, Dino Paul Crocetti would go on to lead one of the most successful entertainment careers in history as the legendary Dean Martin.

In 1996, hardly a year after Martin’s death on Christmas Day in 1995, Steubenville Mayor Domenick Mucci created the Dean Martin Committee to organize a yearly celebration of the singer, actor and TV host’s legendary career.

Drawing thousands over the years, the festival has seen involvement from numerous individuals and organizations. As time passed, however, the festival saw decreased activity and was sustained by a small, but dedicated, contingent of supporters, primarily Spot Bar owner Jo Jo DiAlbert.

However, some new faces hope to give the celebration new life and honor Martin like in the festival’s early days.

It was 2023 when the festival first received a visitor representing the international Dean Martin Association. Founded in 1960, the association is a nonprofit organization sanctioned by Martin himself and dedicated to promoting his career and legacy.

Visiting from Austin, Texas, was Cindy Williford, then the association’s U.S. representative. A life-long Dean Martin fan, Williford enjoyed her time at the festival but immediately began thinking about how the association could contribute to its betterment.

“We (the association) had a very strong desire to make this the best festival for Steubenville and give (Martin) the honor that he deserves in his own town,” Williford said Oct. 9, adding later: “We’ll be approaching our 65th year in November of 2025. It just came with the territory that we should be promoting this. We should be involved with promoting his life and legacy.”

In 2024, Williford got in contact with Steubenville resident Michael Zinno. A Dean Martin fan, Zinno views the festival as a “family reunion,” having hosted parties at his home for festival goers, after planned activities are over.

Zinno and Williford met through Joe Scalissi, a Dean Martin impersonator who’s performed in Steubenville for years. The two began speaking about how to improve the festival, and their conversation paved the way for action.

Now, the Dean Martin Association is heading the 2025 Dean Martin Festival and aims to return the festival to its former glory — reimplementing many of the lost activities first instituted by instrumental organizer Rose Angelica, who has since moved from the area.

“We have a terrific, fabulous (festival) planned this year and I can’t wait for that week to come,” said Williford, who became the association’s vice president in August.

Planned to take place between June 12 and 14, the 2025 Dean Martin Festival will celebrate Martin’s 108th birthday. Activities are still being fleshed out, but some are set in stone.

Festivities will kick off on June 12 with a Dean Martin show at the Louis and Sandra Berkman Amphitheater. That night will also have the annual Dean Martin karaoke competition at the Spot Bar, featuring actor Lou Martini Jr.

Best known for his roles in ”The Sopranos,” ”The Godfather” and ”Law & Order,” Martini has been serving as the Dean Martin Festival’s master of ceremonies for 15 years.

On June 13, the Spot Bar will have a lineup of tribute artists, and the Steubenville Country Club will be the location for a Dean Martin charity golf tournament, benefiting the Ohio Valley Health Center.

Additionally, Williford said, organizers are looking to bring back the meatball eating competition for June 13.

June 14 will be the festival’s pinnacle, beginning with a Dino Dash 5K, sponsored this year by the Dean Martin Association. Later, the city will have a parade down Fourth Street, followed by a car show. As the festival’s co-grand marshals, Martini and Bowen will usher in the parade, which will be open to local groups and organizations.

The Harmonium Project also is contributing toward the festival, making it “more broad and accessible,” said Executive Director Marc Barnes.

The nonprofit will use its First Fridays on Fourth experience to bring the Dean Martin Festival into the streets, Barnes said, noting that he wants to have activities ongoing throughout the entire three days. Fourth Street will be blocked off to make way for live music — including as many as 16 different jazz bands — dancing and vendors.

Apart from the festival, Williford has another, monumental goal for honoring Martin in his hometown.

“It’s time that he has a statue,” Williford said. “I think we can have the funds raised and have it unveiled at the festival. I’m dreaming really, really big, and I think that once we get the word out and really reach people that we can make this happen. … I think it would be a beautiful gift for the City of Steubenville.”

Artist Alan Cottrill has designed a small model to show what the statue could look like. Williford said the cost for a full statue would be $85,000. Fundraising efforts so far have reduced that total cost to $75,000. Funds are being collected through Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley.

Organizers say they’re excited to revitalize the festival.

“(As) someone who has seen many years of the Dean Martin festival, I’ve seen the ups, the downs,” Zinno said, “and (I’m) looking forward to bringing back the old, classic Dean Martin Festival with an add-on of some events to bring back the family.”

Martini added, “That’s what keeps me coming back — the relationships that I’ve made with the people of Steubenville, who have been so kind and generous to me. However I can help, in any small way.”

Williford said she’s eager to help honor Martin, a man whose legacy lasts even until today, reaching younger generations through social media.

“He’s timeless, whether it’s a song or a movie. He just had that persona about him. His legacy was just beautiful, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”