The gondola ride was not as romantic as the one he took with his wife along Venice's canals in the 1980s, but the tradition and pride in his heritage was the same.

On July 17, Tony Ficarri, 67, of McKees Rocks, donned a gondolier-style striped shirt and scarf, picked up an oar, and stood proudly on the stern, as he steered a hand-crafted gondola.

	John Heller, Post-Gazette Ron Gruendl, of Baldwin Borough, a member of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, hangs out at Kennywood on Italian day in the park. Click photo for larger image.

This gondola, however, glided on a dolly through the streets of Kennywood during the 75th Annual Italian Day.

The parade also featured a colorful, circa 1800s' hand-carved Sicilian cart, and a 12-foot, century-old Puppa doll from Italy.

Guests also enjoyed jugglers, accordion players, Italian food, live music, fireworks, and the obligatory pizza-eating contest.

Ralph Hartford, president of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, headquartered Downtown, said Kennywood Day was just one event in the group's annual three-day celebration.

The other events were a church service on July 15 at the Sheraton Station Square, and an Italian festa on July 16 at the Highland Center nursing home in Brackenridge.

The ISDA has about 9,000 members in Western Pennsylvania. It is one of the national group's biggest chapters.

Mr. Hartford estimated that by 4 p.m. on July 17 there were 8,500 people of Italian origin at Kennywood.

One was Salvatore Merante, 76, of Oakland, who wore a suit, straw hat, and a pair of handcrafted Italian summer shoes.

Born in Calabria, Mr. Merante has missed very few Italian days at Kennywood.

"I used to see a lot of old-timers," he said of the times when Kennywood had a swimming pool, and the arcade games were less high-tech.

Guy Costa, 51, of Squirrel Hill, who is Pittsburgh's Public Works Director, and who attends nearly every Italian Day, said he looks forward to the picnic basket his mother packs with homemade eggplant parmesan, zucchini, and meatballs.

Carmen Williams, 22, of Collier, who attended with his family, fears his peers are losing touch with their heritage.

"It's hard to find someone my age or younger who really understands the way it was for their grandparents or the immigrants from Calabria or Sicily," Mr. Williams said.

A student at Duquesne University, Mr. Williams has visited Italy several times.

Eileen Fera, 66, of Baldwin Borough, who is Polish by origin, said she enjoys accompanying her husband, Nick Fera, who is president of an ISDA lodge.

She said it brings back memories of the J&L company picnics held at the park when she and her husband were children.

Last week, the couple helped serve lunch to some 550 special needs and underprivileged guests whose admission the ISBA supported through proceeds from a spring fashion show.

In planning the annual event, Kennywood's group sales employee Norm Swiech, of Upper St. Clair, said the challenge was to retain past customs while attracting today's families and youths.

For that reason, this year's event featured for the first time a Frank Sinatra impersonator, ventriloquist, face painting for children, mimes and jugglers, strolling mandolin players, pizza-eating contest, and multiple food vendors.

The parade was also reinstituted after a six-year hiatus.

Regardless of the activities, it is the continuity of family tradition that brings back sisters Gina DiNardo, 36, of Baldwin Borough, and Connie Civitello, 31, of Pleasant Hills, who attended with 10 other family members.

"Watching your nieces and nephews do what you did as a kid brings back your childhood memories," Ms. DiNardo said.

As they do every year, the sisters planned to end the day by riding the train, and buying ice cream as they left the park.