Conte's Pizza 75th Anniversary
Meet the mayor!
Mayor Mark Freda will be our guest of honor for the festivities. Mark will lead the brief ceremony that is scheduled to start around 12:00pm. Mark has served as Princeton's mayor since 2020 and his current term runs until 2028. In addition, Mark hosts the Princeton Podcast which can be found here:
Celebrity Row: Meet Actors From Hit 1970s Sitcoms
Don Most
Don Most is an American actor, director, and singer best known for playing Ralph Malph on the hit ABC sitcom Happy Days from 1974 to 1980. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Most studied at Lehigh University before leaving to pursue acting.
Outside Happy Days, he has appeared in shows such as Glee, CHiPs, Baywatch, and The Love Boat, as well as films like Ed TV and The Great Buck Howard. Later in his career, he shifted toward directing and performing as a singer, specializing in big band and swing music under the billing “Donny Most Sings and Swings.”
He continues to appear at fan conventions, nostalgia events, and concerts, blending his TV legacy with his music career.
Ernest Lee Thomas
Ernest Lee Thomas is an American actor best known for his role as Roger “Raj” Thomas on the ABC sitcom What’s Happening!! (1976–1979) and its sequel What’s Happening Now!! (1985–1988).
Born in Gary, Indiana, Thomas moved to New York to study acting, training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Before his TV fame, he appeared on The Jeffersons and had a small role in Roots.
Beyond his signature role, he has guest-starred on series like Malcolm X, Everybody Hates Chris (as Mr. Omar), and In the Heat of the Night. Thomas remains active in television, film, and fan conventions, celebrating his place in classic TV history.
Haywood Nelson
Haywood Nelson is an American actor best known for playing Dwayne Nelson on the ABC sitcom What’s Happening!! (1976–1979) and its sequel What’s Happening Now!! (1985–1988).
Born in New York City, Nelson began acting as a child, appearing in commercials and films such as Mixed Company (1974) before landing his breakout TV role. Known for his trademark smile and “Hey, hey, hey!” catchphrase, he became a teen idol during the late 1970s.
In addition to acting, Nelson has worked behind the scenes in production and occasionally appears at nostalgia events and conventions celebrating classic television.
MusiC / Arts / SCIENCE
Live Performances from The Garden Statesmen Acapella Chorus
Live Performances from The Garden Statesmen Acapella Chorus
Princeton Garden Statesmen Barbershop Chorus will be at the event and performing live! Members of this acappella chorus and quartet can often be seen singing live while enjoying their pizza at Conte's. We are thrilled to have them at our anniversary celebration. Click on the link below to learn more about PGS.
DJ Jeff
Live Performances from The Garden Statesmen Acapella Chorus
Enjoy a variety of music during the party as DJ Jeff will be working the turntabes and playing a selection of songs from 1950 to today!
For information on DJ Jeff, check out his website below:
Photo Booth
As part of the entertainment provided by DJ Jeff, a FREE pizza themed Photo Booth will be on site to capture you, your family, and friends at the event. A member of the DJ Jeff team will be at the Photo Booth to assist you in your picture taking. A digital address will be provided to retrieve your free pictures online.
Face Painting by Princeton Events Co.
Our celebration will also include Princeton Events Co. owner / lead artist Drea Potocny and her amazing face painting art. Kids will love having their face transformed into a work of art!
Balloon Twisting by Princeton Events Co.
In addition to face painting, Drea's team will be providing creative balloon twisting!!
Caricatures by Nas!
Stop by Nas' table to get a FREE caricature of you or you and a friend! (Nas) is an international award winning artist and cartoonist. Nas began her caricature career when she was 12 years old. This lead to a career as an artist which brought her to France, China, Belgium and twelve other European countries in which she garnered over two dozen international awards for live caricature and painting. Nas loves to draw kids, couples, and cats and dogs, all your pets (except snakes, no exceptions!) who stray into her frame. Her live caricatures are audacious and humorous and she herself loves to engage and make her subjects feel comfortable in their poses. Nas can do each face in about 2 min in black and white or 5min. in color.
Albert Einstein Re-enactor Bill Agress
Albert Einstein Re-enactor Bill Agress
Albert Einstein Re-enactor Bill Agress
To commemorate one of Conte's Pizza's most famous customers, Albert Einstein, Einstein re-enactor, Bill Agress, will be meeting and greeting the guests. Bill will have his own table where attendees will have the opportunity to speak and take pictures with "Albert Einstein".
Princeton Nonprofit Community
Send Hunger Packing Princeton (SHUPP)
Our 75th Anniversary provides a great opportunity to help raise money for a local nonprofit organization. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to Send Hunger Packing Princeton (SHUPP). About 15% of students in the Princeton Public Schools are eligible for free or reduced price lunches from the Federal Government. However, this is limited to lunches during the week. SHUPP helps fill the void over the weekend to help ensure the students maintain access to a nutritious lunch. Please visit their website below to learn more about the organization. SHUPP will have a table there at the event so please stop by to learn more!
Historical Society of Princeton
Come meet members of the Historical Society of Princeton who will have a table at the event. The Historical Society of Princeton develops signature programs of learning and discovery to connect the lessons of the past to the issues which inform our future. Using their historic sites and collections, they teach local and international visitors that history is relevant in daily life and can be used to explore a shared connection among people; to celebrate a love of place; and to promote conversations on creating a better future.
Find out what Princeton was like in 1950 when Sebastiano Conte founded Conte's Pizza. Check out their website below.
Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society
Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society
Princeton historian, Shirley Satterfield, will host a table where you can meet her and find out more about the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society (see link below). The organization is dedicated to the research, preservation, understanding, appreciation and celebration of the rich and proud history of African Americans in Princeton, New Jersey. In addition, be sure to check out Mayor Mark Freda's podcast when he interviewed Shirley.
sports
PHS Boy's Soccer Team: Children Soccer Clinic
The Princeton High School Boy's soccer players will be running a co-ed soccer clinic for children. Activities for kids will include:
Penalty kick contest against the PHS Soccer players as goalies!
Hardest Strike Contest! The goal tells you how hard you kicked the ball!
Juggle contest and Juggle-A-Thon:
Donate money to the PHS Soccer booster club and the soccer player will have to juggle the amount of money donated!!
- Pug goals for little soccer games for anyone that wants to play 2v2 or 3v3 soccer!
Vendors
Petography by Jim Dratfield
Celebrity pet photographer for over 25 years and a Princeton native himself, Jim grew up a short distance from Conte's Pizza. He has authored 13 coffee table books. Jim will be selling his books and is also available for booking a photography session with your pets! Special event discount available if booked that day.
Vinnie Patrick Art
Vinnie Patrick will be at the celebration selling his unique kind of art: Collectible cards transformed into 3D Art!
ExampleS of Vinnie Patrick's ART