Pizza Palooza 2021!
Our hugely successful September party, featuring pizza, beer and rock ‘n roll, brought hundreds of folks to Market Square in downtown Fredericksburg. Music by the fabulous Acoustic Onion guys rocked into the night, and children, teens, adults, and seniors rose to dance and laugh.
The music of the Beatles rang out along with well-loved hits. Folks sang along because they knew all the words to everything from “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” to “Pretty Woman.” People brought their chairs and sat close-up, or gathered around the tall tables, or met with friends further down the William Street alley to sip some Italian wine and talk.
Volunteers came early in the afternoon to set up chairs and tables, and to decorate the square with flags, checkered tablecloths, and fall foliage. More made sure that signage, tickets, poker chips, i.d. checks, beer service, and glasses of wine were prepped and ready. Many also wore the Fred-Este logo aprons to help set the scene.
When the line-up began to grow even before 5 PM, the energy began to mount, and set the rising tempo for the evening. Pizza vendors Aladin and Primavera had a busy night, and folks also enjoyed our new vendor: Italian Station’s Gelato.
As people entered, each was given a poker chip to cast a vote for People’s Choice: their favorite pizza maker. There was also a competition for Best Specialty Pizza and for Best Cheese Pizza, judged by a panel of community leaders. This year, Best Cheese went to Aladin; Best Specialty went to Primavera; and People’s Choice also went to Primavera.
Pizza Palooza holds a special place in our city life, because the audience brings together toddlers and parents, teens, young adults, and older folks all the way to seniors, as well as folks of many ethnic heritages. It’s just plain fun to have simple fare and heart-pounding, danceable music. That, along with the beautiful night, came together for a fine evening.
There will be more specific info about Pizza Palooza at a later date; we just wanted to get the pictures up and share the news.
Thanks to every member, participant, vendor, and volunteer who helped make this such a special evening!
