By: | September 2, 2025 | Events |
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by Emma Sylvia
Every year, residents of the Township of Ocean – and beyond – gather in Joe Palaia Park at the beginning of August. This pilgrimage has its destination: A whirl of colors and children’s shouts and laughter, complemented with the smell of penne vodka and powdered sugar. It’s the Italian American Festival, a tradition that’s woven itself into the fabric of the town since its inception 49 years ago.
The festival is brought to us by the Italian American Association of the Township of Ocean (IAATO). The organization is dedicated to fostering Italian American heritage and culture and boasts over 400 members currently. Recently, the club has purchased and rebuilt their headquarters, a new Italian Cultural Center, which hosts events from Chamber of Commerce galas to Ocean Township Italian Club events. The club also collaborates with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Explorers and Little Leaguers, as well as providing thousands of dollars in scholarships for students learning the Italian language.
I, for one, can recall many events from the Italian Club at Ocean Township High School spent with the IAATO. They were always some of my favorite occasions during the school year – and the members of the IAATO would frequently send us home with enough spaghetti and meatballs to feed a village.
Residents, longtime and new, eagerly look forward to the August dates as signs and postage spring up around town in the month prior. This year, the fest was held from Wednesday, August 6 to Sunday, August 10. The iconic park in the town’s center, for several days of the week, became a highlight of Monmouth County, beckoning families and friends alike to its boundaries.
The fair is rife with the best food you can find – after all, it’s the Italian American Festival. You’re bound to find your favorite dish, whether it be a zeppole, swirled potato on a stick or a sizzling hot sausage and peppers sandwich.
The rides stood tall and bright. The iconic Ferris Wheel stood just as tall as the Slingshot (which drops riders at alarmingly fast speeds). You can see duos of dates holding stuffed animals in their arms, eyesight blocked by the massive stuffed prizes. They’re winnable at games like the Duck Pond, Break the Balloon and the Shooting Range, all iconic mainstays of the festival.
While walking around the grassy grounds of the festival, music plays from the bandshell, and the Grand 50/50 is announced (before departing the festival on Sunday, August 11, the raffle had racked up more than $54,000 as a grand prize).
On a personal note, the Italian American festival is something both nostalgic for me as a local and heartwarming as a member of the community. My late stepfather, firefighter Michael Cioffi, was debatably one of the most true-blue Italians of Monmouth County. While serving at the IAATO stand – where the club members doled out sausage and pepper sandwiches, as well as paper bags of zeppoles – Michael worked there every year, a New Jersey accent you would hear only on The Sopranos slipping through that seemed to only manifest around his IAATO brothers.
The Italian American festival is not only near and dear to me, but to many locals around the town. Some residents had this to say:
“The guys over at the IAATO created an iconic event when they started the Ocean Township Italian Festival 49 years ago! From the rides, to the games and especially the food, summer just isn’t summer until the festival gets underway. There’s nothing quite like the fresh zeppoles covered in powdered sugar to say it’s summer in Ocean Township!” — Sylvia Sylvia-Cioffi
“I find myself nostalgically counting down to the Italian Fest every single year. The rides may change, but the memories with my friends remain timeless. It’s more than a celebration. It’s a gathering of community, tradition, and the Italian culture that has shaped the very heart of our town. Also, it’s the one time of the year I can enjoy zeppoles completely guilt free.” — Isabella Aguilar
“The Italian American Festival is the pinnacle of what it means to be in a community. The blend of cultures, new faces, old faces and fun for all ages creates a joyous environment that is unique to the Ocean Township experience.” — Daniel Pickelny
“As an Italian American, and lifelong resident of Ocean Township, the Italian American festival brings a sense of home and community. My family and I go every year, and we make sure to eat dinner and zeppoles. It feels great to be able to enjoy my culture and share it with others, whether it’s old friends or new people.” — Ellie Kubaska
Clearly, the Italian American festival touches many, whether it’s from the sheer entertainment or the fact that it keeps Italian culture thriving in the community. There’s so much to look forward to every year – and with 2026 being the festival’s 50th anniversary, one can only imagine what’s to come.
To find out more about the IAATO, visit iaato.com
