Community Happenings
Over 15 Years of Food, Art, and Community Spirit: Spring Lake's Italian Festival Brings Culture and Fun for All Ages!
Photo Credit: Megan Spinelli
Photo Credit: Megan Spinelli
Photo Credit: Megan Spinelli
Photo Credit: Megan Spinelli
Photo Credit: Megan Spinelli
Photo Credit: Megan Spinelli
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By Megan Spinelli
Published September 23, 2024 at 1:26 PM
SPRING LAKE, NJ – Community members flooded the streets of downtown Spring Lake Saturday afternoon to celebrate and support local businesses while immersing themselves in Italian culture at the annual Italian Festival and Art Walk, a beloved tradition for over 15 years.
The Italian Festival and Art Walk, hosted by the Greater Spring Lake Chamber of Commerce (GSLCC) on Sept. 21, has been a cornerstone event for the community since its inception. Initially launched as a way to bring together local businesses and residents, the festival has grown over the years, becoming a much-anticipated occasion that attracts visitors from near and far.
“This festival aims to support our local businesses by drawing thousands of people into town to shop at our members' stores and enjoy all that Spring Lake has to offer,” Elizabeth Capone, Executive Director of the GSLCC said.
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Originally created to highlight the town’s vibrant Italian-American heritage, the event continues to celebrate Italian culture through food, music, and family-friendly activities. With its roots going back to the early 2000s, the festival has evolved to include the Art Walk, which features local artists and provides a unique cultural experience for attendees. The festival's signature event—the spaghetti-eating contest—has become a tradition that locals and visitors alike look forward to every year, symbolizing the playful and communal spirit of the celebration.
Local businesses set up tables to interact with festivalgoers, including participants like Spring Lake Seafood, Forever Italian, Sal Mozzarella, and Villa Tre Angeli Tours. Newcomers like Baked by Kristen, a local bakery, also took the opportunity to showcase their goods, with the bakery selling out of their homemade treats before the event concluded.
“Baked by Kristen is a growing business, and we’d love to get visibility,” said Diane Moran, a friend of the business who was helping business owner and baker Kristen. “We thought it would be a great way for us to introduce ourselves and get people to know us, and we sold out, so it was a good decision. It’s a more personal way to get the product out instead of just selling online.”
Italian culture was represented in many of the food options offered at various tables along Morris Avenue, including meatballs, lasagna, pasta, zeppole, and of course, spaghetti, which was in abundance at the annual spaghetti eating contest. Also available throughout the festival was kettle corn, soft pretzels, and more.
Festival attendee Liz Gordon and her friends enjoyed a smorgasbord of Italian specialties while drinking seltzers at the beer and wine garden.
“This festival has everything you need,” Gordon said, while comparing the many meatball options with her friends. “From multiple types of meatballs, lemonade, zeppole, there are just so many options.”
In addition to indulging in the food, attendees enjoyed walking down 3rd Avenue and admiring the art on display for the Art Walk, as well as shopping in the many local shops.
One community member who took advantage of the chance to shop the local businesses was Allison Bosworth. Bosworth is an owner of Atlantic Veterinary Hospital in Spring Lake Heights, and as a local business owner herself, she said she thinks it’s important to show her support to other local businesses.
“I always like to shop local and support local businesses since I always appreciate the support for my business,” Bosworth added. “Plus, I’m not Italian, so it’s nice to be able to learn about and enjoy another culture.”
The festival featured fun activities and entertainment for the whole family, including face painting, balloon twisting, and train rides for children, and music for everyone to enjoy.
“Entertainment is a key part of the event, with live performances by the talented Julian & Dominique, as well as Zack, the Hoboken Frank Sinatra, whose renditions of Sinatra classics have become a festival highlight,” Capone said.
Between the entertainment, the local business vendors, and the Italian food specialties, the Spring Lake Italian Festival had something for everyone in the community to enjoy. Capone added: “We were excited to once again celebrate the rich Italian heritage and create a day filled with community spirit, music, food, and fun.”
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