The 38 year Tradition Continues this weekend with the Italian American Festival in Ocean Township.

The Italian American Festival opened Wednesday at Joe Palaia Park, located on Deal and Whalepond roads. The festival runs all weekend and ends Sunday Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11:30 p.m. and Sunday from 5 to 11 p.m.  It looks like the Whether will corporate for this popular Monmouth County Event. If you like food, rides, games or entertainment, organizers of the Italian American Festival said there is something for everyone.

Festivals all along the Jersey Shore have grown in popularity over the past few years.  As the Jersey Shore continues to transitions in to a year round 12 month Destination, especially the northern part of the Jersey Shore in particular Monmouth County and parts of Northern Ocean County.  The underlying theme we see across each town and event is that, Music, Musical Heritage and the Arts are playing a big role in the new makeup up the Jersey Shore.  As the Social Media boom continues and personal interaction is seen less, festival and town events bring together friends, families  neighbors and the community who might not see each other that often and allow the social interaction our country so desperately desires and needs.

The five-day festival organized by the Italian American Association of Ocean Township of is expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors.   The rides are the main attraction for most people but festival organizers brag every year about the famous signature Italian sausage sandwich.  The food isn’t limited to Italian – Greek, seafood and carnival food are intermixed among the vendors.

Throughout the five days, various contests and entertainment acts are scheduled, including a hot dog eating contest on Thursday, fireworks on Friday, a pizza eating contest and a gymnastics routine on Saturday and a pasta eating contest on Sunday.

Joe Palaia Park is located on Deal and Whalepond roads 240 Whalepond Rd, Oakhurst, NJ 07755

For information on Jersey Shore Tourism, festivals, events and attraction please visit our website at http://www.visitthejerseyshore.com or call the office at 732-244-9283