Italian Festival, Columbus Day Parade October 11-13 in Seaside Heights – Lavallette-Seaside Shorebeat

The annual Ocean County Columbus Day Parade and weekend-long Italian Festival, which begins at Seaside Park and centers in Seaside Heights, will take place October 11-3 this year.

The 33rd annual celebration will spotlight Italian culture with a traditional street festival and an appearance by Italian dignitaries.

“Experience the lively atmosphere with a range of fantastic vendors, live entertainment and special guests flown in directly from Italy,” an announcement said.

The majority of the weekend's events take place along Grant Avenue near Ocean Terrace, where food vendors line the street and artisans and artists sell their wares. There will be entertainment throughout the weekend. The parade will move up the boulevard on Sunday, October 13th at 1 p.m

This year's parade grand marshal is Stephanie Mongiello Wauters, best known for her many years as a Superior Court judge in Ocean County. Her grandparents immigrated to the United States around 1897 from the Italian regions of Puglia and Campania in the provinces of Foggia and Avellino.

“Stephanie stood out among this year’s nominees because of her commitment to her Italian heritage and culture,” said screening committee member Pam Santamaria. “We are confident that this extraordinary personality will maintain the fine tradition of her predecessors. “We look forward to Stephanie leading our 33rd annual celebration as Grand Marshal during this year’s celebrations,” Santamaria added.

Guests from Italy – Gruppo Folkcloristico “I Cantori Popolari delle Isole Eolie” – will perform at the festival this year.

The group “I Cantori Popolari Delle Isole Eolie” is a folk group from the Aeolian Islands, a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea. These islands are located north of Sicily in southern Italy. They will arrive in the United States for the first time on October 9th and will be guests of the Ocean County Columbus Day Parade Committee.

“I Cantori Popolari Delle Isole Eolie” consists of around 40 members. This folk group was founded in 1977 in Canneto on Lipari by Antonino Alessandro. As its artistic director, he was concerned with preserving the traditional sounds and cultural heritage of the Aeolian Islands, which are at risk of being lost. The group's music consists of a mixture of traditional instruments such as tambourine, accordion, guitar and mandolin, as well as polyphonic vocal arrangements. These songs often tell stories about daily life, love, the sea and the natural beauty of the islands. Very often they reflect the experiences and emotions of the islanders.