Italian pop culture festival ‘Paisan Con’ coming to NJ

Does Steve Trevelise know about this?

He’s the best paisan I know. Paisan, the Italian word for fellow countryman or used as a slang term for friend or pal, is now the name of an upcoming New Jersey event.

Paisan Con.

What is it exactly? According to their website, "Paisan Con is a celebration that aims to encapsulate the richness of Italian culture across a weekend filled with diverse experience."

The event includes live performances, food, art galleries, vendors and meet-and-greats with "Italian-American luminaries spanning the realms of entertainment, sports, art, and culinary art."

Just tell me there’s a Sopranos booth and I’m there.

According to app.com, some of the guests you can meet include New York Giants sensation Tommy DeVito, NJ-born soccer star Giuseppe Rossi, and former New York Mets pitcher John Franco.

From film and television, you can meet Gianni Russo who played Carlo Rizzi in “The Godfather.”

Also... omg! Yes! Sopranos!

People from “The Sopranos” like Frederico Castelluccio who played Furio Giunta on the show (and didn’t we all hate him?) and Katherine Narducci who played Charmaine Bucco, Artie the chef’s wife.

There will also be a film festival and an awards show featuring musicals and comedy performances. Yes, there will even be a meatball judging contest.

The weekend Paisan Con happens April 13 and 14 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Fairfield. Ladies, if you get a room and are staying there don’t tell Furio, you know how he is. Tickets are $45 for the weekend and $30 for the day for adults, $30 and $20 for children.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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