People came from all over New Jersey and even outside the state to enjoy the annual festivals Saturday Watch video
TRENTON - To many who know her, Robby Goldstein is the "Pork Roll Princess."
So, as the princess and a member of the pork roll-loving Battisti family - who own "The Pork Roll Store" in Allentown - Goldstein had to set up shop at one of Trenton's increasingly popular pork roll festivals this weekend.
The two all-day annual festivals, which were held at the Trenton Social Club and Mill Hill Park Saturday, featured music, dancing, drinks and - of course - almost every variation of pork roll.
Goldstein was just one of many who braved the 90-degree weather to attend.
She spoke from under the store's tent at the Trenton Social Club's festival Saturday. The family had adorned the tent with stuffed pigs and even an "instaham" booth.
"I don't usually come out because divas don't sweat," she said, laughing.
But, as a long-time lover of the New Jersey delicacy, Goldstein said it was imperative that she made it to at least one festival - especially since her family's store recently won out in a NJ.com taste test.
First pork roll festival draws crowd
For Goldstein, one of the standout aspects of the day was seeing just how many people turned out for an event celebrating a dish that had been her family's specialty for nearly a century.
"It's the most amazing feeling," she said.
That sentiment was shared by many others who attended the two festivals Saturday.
"There's true diversity (here). That is really what America is," Jacque Howard, of Trenton 365 said. Howard was working at the Mill Hill festival Saturday and said the event seemed to bring all types of people in the greater Trenton community together.
"This is what I believe our country could look like," he added.
While many who attended were Trenton-area natives, there were a fair amount of out-of -towners, brought to the festival by New Jersey friends.
One of those was Dave Ditmer, from Virginia, who enjoyed his third pork roll festival with his friend Wayne Staub Saturday.
Ditmer missed a chance to eat the popular New Jersey dish at the first festival he attended years ago because they ran out. But Saturday he made sure to grab both a burger and a pork roll sandwich.
"Double fisting it!" Staub laughed.
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Still, the bulk of the festival-goers were New Jersey natives, who came to the events donning "I love pork roll" shirts and other New Jersey-themed clothing.
One of those Trenton natives had an extra reason to celebrate Saturday.
Jamie Miller was crowned Pork Roll Queen at the Mill Hill festival - something she said she's been gunning for, for months.
"I've been doing a lot of smiling," Miller said as she adjusted a pink plastic tiara atop her head, "I'm so psyched.
Miller - true to her New Jersey nature - loved pork roll so much that she found a way to infuse it into vodka, securing her win in the talent show.
She added the pork roll vodka into Bloody Mary Mix and made a drink that the judges loved.
"I call it a Bloody Miller," she laughed.
Between the locals, like Miller, and others who traveled from states away, the festivals brought together a mix of people Saturday, all over the love of the New Jersey staple.
And - apart from a joint love of the food - one singular thought seemed to be very clear; the true name of the state delicacy.
"In Trenton, it's called pork roll," Trenton Social Club owner T.C. Nelson said.
"It's pork roll," Miller agreed.
"There's no question about it. Pork roll," Staub added.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.