ASHVILLE, Ohio — The sweet aroma of fresh, hot pizza has been a staple of the historic Ashville 4th of July Festival for three decades, and on Wednesday, the man behind the oven finally got his moment in the spotlight.
Ron Puglesi, the beloved owner of the Puglesi Pizza food truck, was presented with a special honor celebrating his 30 years of continuous service and dedication to the community festival.
The presentation caught the local business owner completely off guard. Busy serving hungry festival-goers during the sweltering Wednesday afternoon, Puglesi was shocked when his own name suddenly blared over the main loudspeaker, requesting his presence at the stage to accept a special award.
Beaming with a wide smile, Puglesi walked up to the presentation area still wearing his signature pizza apron. Overjoyed by the surprise, he accepted the commemorative award to a roaring round of applause from the community members, festival staff, and loyal customers he has served since 1996.
Festival organizers praised Puglesi’s consistency, noting that small businesses like his truck serve as the backbone of the annual Independence Day event. For Puglesi, the honor was a heartwarming reflection of a generation spent feeding the town of Ashville.
