Toms River, NJ ... The 5th annual Pizza, Pasta, Pastry Festival in Downtown Toms River will have lots of everybody's favorites, plus the opportunity to audition for the U.S. Pizza Team!  The festival takes place on Saturday, September 25th on Washington Street; the Ocean County Library's Bookfest 2010 will run concurrently. 

Pizza, Pasta, Pastry festival hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will offer tempting treats for the whole family, along with live musical entertainment, demonstrations by the U.S. Pizza Team, inflatable and mechanical children's rides, vendors, a beer & wine garden, crafters and eating contests.  Stop & Shop Supermarket will also be sampling several national pizza brands. Admission to the event is free. 

This year, the festival will have a special guest - the U.S. Pizza Team (USPT) will hold auditions for hopefuls at the festival.  The U.S. Pizza Team is a talented group of pizza acrobats and throwers that appear regularly on TV as well as at store and mall openings, county fairs and special events both in the United States and internationally. The USPT is the official team of the pizza industry.  

The audition will consist of a freestyle acrobatic dough tossing routine; contestants will spin dough in an acrobatic routine to music.  Advance registration is required and limited to the first 15 contestants. Contestants must be 18 years or older and there is a $50 registration fee; to register email Steve Leiber, Director of USPT Operations, at steve@uspizzateam.com.  

As the name implies, pizza isn't the only thing on the day's menu. Attendees can choose delicious pastas and other specialties, including decadent desserts such as cannoli, and marvel at the pasta making demonstrations by Capone's Gourmet Pizza & Restaurant throughout the day. In addition, the U.S Pizza Team will be doing two acrobatic pizza tossing demonstrations. 

The festival will also feature three eating events: pizza, cannoli and pasta eating contests; and a pizza dough "throwing" contest.  Adult eating contestants will devour as many pizza slices or cannoli as possible within a set time.  The "Throw Dough" contest challenges contestants to keep their imitation pizza dough spinning the longest without stopping or dropping the "dough".   Children can test their competitive skills in a pasta eating contest.  Registration for these contests is free and will take place day of the event at the festival table, located in front of the stage.  Fun prizes will be awarded to the winners. 

A children's coloring contest is being held in conjunction with the festival.  In keeping with the theme of the festival, the contest entry form features an animated slice of pizza for contestants to decorate. Winners will receive recognition on the Downtown Toms River website, be introduced on stage at the festival and receive a $25 American Express Gift Card.  Contest entry forms are available on the Downtown Toms River website www.downtowntomsriver.com, at the County Connection store at the Ocean County Mall, the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library, the information desk of Toms River's Town Hall and at the Downtown Toms River office.  Deadline for entries is 5:00 pm on September 17, 2010.  See entry form for complete contest rules. 

In addition, the Ocean County Library's BookFest 2010 takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at its Toms River branch, at 101 Washington Street.  It offers crafts, cooking demonstrations, music, fun and excitement, so make sure to allow extra time for your visit. 

The Pizza, Pasta, Pastry Festival is funded in part by a grant from the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders.  For a free vacation guide call (800) ENJOY 33, or visit www.oceancountytourism.com.  Other sponsors include New Jersey Natural Gas, Comcast, United Water Toms River, Extra Space Storage, Capone's Gourmet Pizza & Restaurant, Allen Consulting, and radio stations Magic 100.1 and WRAT.  

For additional information on the festival or to enjoy the event as a volunteer, call 732-341-8738 or Allen Consulting at 732-946-2711, or visit <http://www.downtowntomsriver.com/> www.downtowntomsriver.com.