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Bayonne's Italian Festival Is the Best Sunday You Can Have in Hudson County
The Bayonne Heritage Association's annual festival atDiDomenico Park just made the case for this city — again.
Last Sunday, we visited your favorite neighborhood park. Youknow the one — right by the water.
The Bayonne Heritage Association took over DiDomenico–16thStreet Park for their annual Italian Festival — and the whole city showed up.
Hundreds of people. Tents in every color. The air smelledlike fried everything (in a good way). And somewhere—always—someone wasdancing.
We did what we always do first: coffee.
Straight to Union Grounds. No hesitation.
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They had their whole setup out — Coffee brewing, a specialfestival menu, and the same calm energy they bring everywhere. The Cannoli icedcoffee was the perfect call to begin experiencing this Italian festival.
Then the arancini happened from The Little Sicilian.
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Listen. These are not casual rice balls. These are the kindyou remember later. Like, you’re at home on a random Tuesday and suddenlythink… I should have gotten two more.
Double Batch Bakery was there too. We didn't resist. Thelemon bar was worth every decision that led us there.
But the part I keep coming back to: the table run by BayonneFriends for Special Needs — established 1977. Raffle tickets, candy, three people who told us more about this city in five minutes than a year of Facebook groups. They're throwing their 49th Annual Dinner Dance on May 1st at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. $100. DJ, buffet, open bar. If you're looking for a reason to get dressed up and feel good about Bayonne, there it is. Check them out.
At some point, the folk dancers started, and I watched themfrom the side thinking: I want to be doing that. I did not do that. But Iwanted to.
That's the thing about this festival. Bayonne isn’t tryingto prove it has culture.
It just… does.
Sunday just made it impossible to ignore.
The Bayonne Heritage Association Italian Festivalhappens every year at DiDomenico–16th Street Park. Watch for next year's date —you'll want to go.
Bayonne Friends for Special Needs 49th Annual DinnerDance — Friday, May 1st, 7–11pm, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish Hall, 39East 22nd St., Bayonne NJ. Tickets $100 (DJ, buffet, open bar). Contact PeggyRegan: 201-320-1177.