A big weekend of family-friendly fun and food are on the menu as Belleville launches into the fall with three signature events for the entire community.
It all begins Saturday, Oct. 7, as Mayor Michael A. Melham and the Township Council sponsor a food truck festival, with will be more than 15 food trucks serving up a vast array of foods, ranging from egg rolls to chicken wings to kielbasa to mac and cheese empanadas to gourmet cupcakes to lobster rolls.
There will also be a DJ playing music while children of all ages have their faces painted, ride ponies, enjoy the petting zoo and try out inflatable rides.
The event runs from 2-9 p.m. at Belleville Municipal Stadium Complex and includes a beer garden and a car show. Entry is free, and easy parking will be available at the high school and at School No. 7. In the event of rain, the event will be canceled, with no rain date.
On Sunday, Oct. 8, Belleville Town Hall at 152 Washington Ave. will be the spot for the annual Italian flag-raising ceremony. The event, hosted by the Belleville Chapter of UNICO and the Federation of Italian American Societies of New Jersey, begins at 9 a.m.
Then, starting at 1:30 p.m., the Nutley-Belleville Columbus Day Parade Committee hosts its 41st-annual Columbus Day Parade, the largest Italian-American event in Essex County.
The parade begins at Belleville High School and moves north on Franklin Avenue until the route reaches Nutley High School. The parade features marching bands, drill teams, antique cars, motorcycles, floats, flags and more. More than 800 participants are expected.
The event, expected to draw thousands, will include food, music, face painting and fun attractions for kids.
“These amazing events help foster a strong sense of community in Belleville and are perfect for the entire family,” Melham said. “I invite you to join in the festivities and fun as fellow residents and enjoy the fall season and all that Belleville has to offer.”
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.