The arts in Pittsburg will benefit when the City of Pittsburg, Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce and Pittsburg Entertainment & Arts Hall of Fame celebrate the 100th anniversary of Pittsburg’s oldest family-owned business, Lanzafame Furniture.
Pittsburg Community Theatre and the Pittsburg Community Band will also be beneficiaries of the event along with the Pittsburg Entertainment & Arts Hall of Fame.
Tickets are $55 or $50 for PEAHOF members for the April 25 dinner at the Pittsburg Elks Club, 200 Marina Blvd. Tables of 10 are available for $500. Dinner tickets also include tickets to the upcoming 2015 PEAHOF Induction Ceremony.
Camillo Lanzafame opened Lanzafame Furniture on Black Diamond Street in 1915, later moving to Railroad Avenue before building a new store in 1947 at its current location, 711 Railroad Ave. Camillo’s son, Delfo, later ran the store, which is now operated by his son, Chris.
The Lanzafame family has long been involved in the arts in Pittsburg. Camillo played briefly in the Pittsburg Municipal Band under the direction of PEAHOF inductee Emilio Civita. Both Delfo and Chris also played in the band.
Delfo was as widely known for his musical prowess as his furniture store. A versatile musician, he played in a number of local dance bands and was known for his collaborations on clarinet with accordionist Jim Riso. In addition, he was a violinist for the Vallejo Symphony Orchestra.
Chris is a long-time member of the Pittsburg Community Band and Los Medanos College Orchestra. He has played for a number of PCT musicals, several times with sons, Chris, Jeffrey and Robert. The family was awarded the coveted PCT Gypsy Coat in 2003 for its contributions to the musical ‘Deadwood Dick.’ Chris was the drum major for the University of California marching band, leading the band on a cross-country tour prior to its appearance in the U.S. Bicentennial Parade in Washington DC as the state of California’s official representative.
In addition to the City of Pittsburg and Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce, area businesses are joining in support of the special celebration.
Discovery Homes, which is supplying the abalone for the dinner, is the event’s platinum sponsor. Other dinner sponsors include Island Pacific, Ramar Foods, Food Source and Save Mart (18th Street, Antioch). Both the Pittsburg Community Band and Pittsburg Community Theatre will provide entertainment, with PCT presenting musical numbers from its production ‘Into the Woods,’ which runs Feb. 27-March 8 at the California Theatre in downtown Pittsburg
Tickets for the dinner are available at the Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce, Lanzafame Furniture, Railroad Book Depot and Pittsburg Historical Society Museum. Tickets may also be purchased online at the PEAHOF website, www.pittsburgentertainmentandarts.org.
Individuals and businesses wishing to become sponsors or provide raffle prizes can contact PEAHOF at pittartshall@gmail.com or call (925) 642-7321.