First Wednesday Reader Series: Ben Lariccia & Abby Vandiver (May 6 Westside Bowl)

First Wednesday Reader Series presents Youngstown historian Ben Lariccia of Philadelphia & Abby Vandiver of Cleveland on Wednesday, May 6 at 7:00pm at the Westside Bowl, 2617 Mahoning Ave. Elyssa Pallone will co-host with an open mic to follow. Meagan Albani will provide ASL interpretation. The First Wednesday Reader Series receives support from POP! Art Books Culture.

This reading will be upstairs by the main stage and fully accessible.

Ben Lariccia is a native of Youngstown who taught for thirty years in the School District of Philadelphia. With Joe Tucciarone, Ben has authored two studies on early Italian immigration: Coal War in the Mahoning Valley: The Origin of Greater Youngstown’s Italians, and Italians Swindled to New York: False Promises at the Dawn of Immigration.

Abby Vandiver, who also writes as Abby Collette, is an internationally bestselling author who has had success in both self-publishing and traditional publishing. Abby has penned more than thirty books and short stories. Abby has a bachelors in Economics, a master’s in Public Administration and a Juris Doctor. A former lawyer and visiting college professor of Economics, she resides in South Euclid.

2026 Readings at Westside Bowl

June 3 Philip Brady & Jacqueline Marino 

July 1 Meredith Doench & Erin Flanagan

August 5 Becca J.R. Lachman, Renée Nicholson & Rebecca Moon Ruark 

September 2 Nancy Krygowski & Jane McCafferty

October 7 Diane Kendig & Erica Manto Paulson

November 4 William Breeze & E.F. Schraeder

December 2 Theresa Göttl Brightman & Steve Brightman