Italian American Festival 2014

When Handsome Son was much younger, our annual day together was the 4H show at the local county park.  Then he grew up and it moved to another location, and we were in urgent need of our annual funnel cake destination.  Last year at the same county park,  this was the Italian American festival and we liked it so much that we went back this year, and found it many times bigger.  I guess a lot of people liked it.

 Almost opening time


The food is a big event at any Italian activity, and there were a huge number of food vendors, mostly cooking on demand and ranging from old fashioned tomato pies (old Trenton doesn't say pizza!) to great cheesesteaks, which though they are a Philly food, are actually wonderful coming from Trenton. 

 Handsome Son patiently modeling for the photographer while planning lunch

And lemonade made from scratch, containing actual lemons.  And the funnel cake. We were too kneedeep in sauce and onions and pasta marinara and peppers and confectioner's sugar to chronicle our food odyssey, but take my word it was good.

Lovely day with crafts and a big set of terrifying rides, 

and a historical display indoors of Italian contributions to the culture

Trevi Fountain in fiberglass!  heh

 Posters of Italian productions

including newspaper clippings about homeboy Alito of the Supreme Court, a local boy, and many musicians and entertainers.  

The local live music was pretty good, too.

And there was bocce with keenly competitive games and players of all ages.  

If I ever have a team, that lady in the green blouse is my first pick.  killer bocce player.

 And the little girl in pink threw a mean ball, too.


And street signs brought from Chambersburg, The Burg in local parlance (Stephanie Plum's stomping grounds, you know?).

And food prep is a big deal in this event, with this great salesman chopping and shredding garlic and ginger and Parmesan and chocolate all over the place, the smells were wonderful.

Oh, and the barkers for the food vendors: where else can you get an announcement "Eggplant Parm to die for!  Eggplant so fresh it's still growing!"

And a huge crowd of happy well fed people in the hot sun and thankfully slumping down in the shade. And as the sun sinks slowly in the west, your photographer does likewise...