The 16th annual Italian American Festival was held at Mercer County Park Sept. 25 - 27. Watch video
WEST WINDSOR - "You smell that cheese?" Robbinsville resident Joanne DeMartino asks. "We're here at the Italian American Festival."
The 16th annual Mercer County Italian American Festival held over the weekend at Mercer County Park brought hundreds of local residents out for games, carnival rides, live music and authentic Italian food.
DeMartino said she and her 13-year-old daughter Samantha have been coming to the festival for the past 10 years.
"We're Italian, of course we come," DeMartino said. "We come for the cannoli."
Local Italian restaurants set up tents at the festival such as Fred's Kitchen in Hamilton and Italian People's Bakery in Trenton along with a few food trucks.
DeMartino speculated that the reason it did not rain despite the gloomy skies on Sunday was because the Pope present just hours away in Philadelphia.
"'Cause the Pope is here, it's not raining on the Italians," she said.
DeMartino said even if it were "muddy and rainy," she still would have come though.
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For Princeton resident Sweta Patel, Sunday was her first experience at the festival.
Patel said the opera singer performing was her favorite.
"The food is absolutely, absolutely fine," Patel said. "Food is food. That guy is authentic Italian. I love that guy."
Patel said she also enjoyed the comedy tent.
Along with live performances, Bocce ball games, originated in Italy, and 50/50 bingo were available to play. Located not far from the two games was an Italian Fiat with the license plate "CIAO 2" on display.
"We come every year," DeMartino said. "It reminds me of when I was a little girl."
Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.