Orlando, 15, stands beside Payaso Charles the Magic Clown and Jayden 11. Payaso Charles was making balloons for children in attendance. He’s worked for 42 years as a clown.
ELIZABETH, NJ — The Peterstown Cultural Festival recently returned for a four-day run.
Celebrating Italian American culture and other ethnicities, for the 18th year, the joyful occasion was founded by Frank O. Mazza, 6th Ward councilman. The Peterstown Cultural Festival has been historically linked to the Roman Catholic celebration of the Festa di San Vito. San Vito was a Christian martyr from Sicily who died in the fourth century in defense of his faith.
Mazza said, “We had three amazing nights. This will be 18 years. We established this feast to bring families together. The area was 80% Italian at one time.” Mazza has been living in Elizabeth since 1967.
Tim Leonard, of Leonard Funeral Home, said, “Frank Mazza had a vision of starting this. This is old school.”
Al Santillo, owner of Santillo’s Brick Oven Pizza, was born in Elizabeth. He lived in Elizabeth his entire life, except for the time he spent in the U.S. Air Force, from 1974 to 1979. He said, “I came home and am never leaving home again. I don’t commute. I don’t travel.”
Santillo loves the Peterstown Cultural Festival because, he said, “It feels like I’m going home. It’s very safe here.”
The festival offered a huge array of food to choose from – cheese steak sandwiches, falafels, Greek salads, pizza, ice cream, BBQ and so much more. There were also games, vendors and bouncy houses. A DJ was playing a variety of music including fun Italian songs, such as “That’s Amore,” by Dean Martin.
Payaso Charles the Magic Clown was making balloons for children in attendance. He’s worked for 42 years as a clown.
Massimo Dominguez was there raising money for his Eagle Scout project – to purchase a new kneeler for St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church. He needs to raise $30,000 by the end of 2025.
His father, Rolando Dominguez said, “The kneelers are broken. Soft cushion ripped. Some brackets are cracked.”
Carlos Perez, of Elizabeth, was there with his wife, Brenda, and their children, Orlando and Jayden. He said they come to the Peterstown Festival every year.
Brenda said, “Food, music…Everything is nice.”
Julio Hurpado, of Roselle Park, said, “It’s beautiful. It’s perfect.”
Zena Cara, of Elizabeth, was one of the many vendors. Her business is called Made by Zena Cara. She was selling handmade purses. She said, “I make denim bags from local fabric. I buy beads from different parts of the world.”
Cara has traveled to Ecuador, Peru and Germany to buy beads. She said, “Everywhere I travel, I buy beads.” She’s an art teacher in Hackensack and has been making handmade clothing and purses since she was in college. She said, “I teach children to start small businesses and create out of nothing.”
Rochelle Moye, of Elizabeth, said she liked Cara’s work. It was her first time at the Peterstown Cultural Festival, though she’s lived in Elizabeth for 13 years. Her husband, Derrell, was enjoying the vendors, the activities and the atmosphere.
For more information about the Peterstown Cultural Festival, contact Mazza at 732-309-1580 or mazza_law@yahoo.com.
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta
