Long Island’s latest foodie festivities are based around the dish New York prepares best.
On Sept. 13, the inaugural Long Island Pizza Fest takes place at Mill Dam Park in Huntington. Pizzeria participants include 1653 Pizza Company, Chef Mimmo from Caputo Flour, Donatina, Dough & Co, Mikes Underground, Onion Tree, Rosa’s New Hyde Park, Taglio, Uncle Frank’s and Zozo’s. Each of their menus offers classic New York, Neapolitan and Roman-style pizzas for the event.
A variety of food trucks have also joined the festival lineup; beer and wine will be available for purchase throughout the grounds. The day-long celebration has two sessions for attendees, with the first running from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the second from 4 to 9 p.m.
Frank Antonetti, a Long Island Pizza Fest event producer from Valley Stream, is the owner of 1653 Pizza Company in Huntington with 20 years of experience in hospitality.
“A few years ago, we (1653) were named one of the top pizzerias on Long Island, and around the time that happened, I invited over the other guys that won. We sat at the restaurant and talked, and it was the first time there was ever a network of all of us sharing ideas and inspiration.”
“There’s a notoriety that the pizza culture here deserves, and we want to bring that to Long Island for a day,” Antonetti adds. “The first step was making sure we had a great gathering of the pizzerias, since we wanted to demonstrate all the different styles on Long Island.
In addition to enjoying the food, the festival offers entertainment such as live music provided by DJs and performing bands, a Bocce Ball Tournament at 11 a.m., a dry-goods market hosted by the festival’s ingredients sponsor, Sansone Foods, as well as demonstrations by local chefs and plenty of pizza samples.
“We’re being very specific picking our vendors so it still fits a family-friendly vibe,” Antonetti says. “We’re also holding a home pizza chef competition where people can sign up to compete with dough, toppings and a residential oven.”
Tickets are available at $70 for general admission and unlimited pizza. There is also a VIP option available for guests 21 and older, which adds exclusive access to beer gardens, specialty dishes, a gelato cart and upgraded viewing for the concert field.
“This is our first year, it’s gonna be super exciting! We have an amazing group of pizzerias together and we invite any and all to enjoy the festival,” encourages Antonetti.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit thelongislandpizzafestival.com.
