OCEAN COUNTY – This was a milestone year for the Ocean County Columbus Day Parade Committee. They celebrated bringing 35 years of Italian heritage and culture to the area during this year’s Italian Festival weekend but unfortunately, Mother Nature pushed back the annual parade to this Sunday.
The three-day event got shortened to two days due to a soggy Sunday but the Italian Heritage Festival enjoyed a great turnout on the Boulevard in Seaside Heights. The smell of culinary delicacies and the sounds of familiar ballads were easily discovered along the street festival. Various entertainers provided music and singing as well.
This year’s performers were Pro Loco Castrovillari. They arrived in America a few days prior to their Ocean County appearance. They are a performing cultural and event-planning organization in Castrovillari, Italy. They were established to preserve local traditions, music, and folklore. They toured various spots in Ocean County and beyond before returning home to Italy.
The Italian Festival will resume at 10 a.m. and will run until 8 p.m. on October 18 with the parade kicking off at 1 p.m. Ray and Dawn Marzarella and their family will serve as grand marshals. This is the first time a family had been chosen as Grand Marshals. Ray Marzarella is the owner and president of All County Exteriors, a family-owned and operated business.
The Ray and Dawn met in 1979 at Saint Francis College in Loretto, Pennsylvania, where they were both students. This year, they celebrate 42 years of marriage. They are proud parents to Kristin, Ray-Ray and Matthew. For more than four decades they lived in Lakewood where they raised their family and gave back to the community.
Brick resident and longtime Parade Chairman Mike Blandina remarked, “the parade has become one of the most ethnic in the state and features entertainment directly from Italy.”
“We work hard each year to make the Columbus Day Parade and Italian Festival better than the year before,” Blandina added. He noted that this year’s parade and festival required some hard work thanks to the “dedication of our committee. The Parade Committee consists of Band Chair John Giavatto, Groups and Organization Co-Chair Nora and Clarence Davis, Antique Car Chair Luigi Luongo and Float Chair Tony Altilio.”
“There are several fundraisers held throughout the year including our annual dinner dance, where the grand marshal is honored and two other individuals or groups receive our Italian American Cultural Service Award,” Blandina said.
This year Brick Township School Superintendent Dr. Thomas Farrell and Seaside Heights business owner Wayne Cimorelli received those awards.
The Columbus Day Parade Committee is seeking new members. Blandina invited “civic-minded individuals who might be able to assist as a volunteer are always welcome. Looking ahead to next year he added that “any organizations that wish to participate should contact the Parade Committee. Additionally, we are in need of sponsors for the bands, floats and entertainment participating in parade and Italian Festival. Any individuals, business or professionals who wishes to become a sponsor should contact him at 732-477-6507.
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