Cake Boss Stars to Appear at Enfield Italian Festival

For those who want to have their cake and eat it too, the upcoming Enfield Italian Festival will be the place to do just that.

Organizers of the 86th annual three-day festival have lined up some outstanding guests this year, including three stars of the reality television show, "Cake Boss."

Mauro "Chef Mario" Castano, his wife Maddalena and their son Buddy will all be on the grounds of the Mount Carmel Society on Saturday, August 6. They will be greeting and posing for photos with visitors in a special Cake Boss tent, said Carl Sferrazza, president of the society.

The following night, the trio will do a special presentation on the main stage and display a custom multi-tiered Deana Martin cake. Martin, daughter of legendary entertainer Dean Martin, will be returning to the festival for the second straight year.

The Castanos will also be selling cakes made at Carlo's Bakery, the Hoboken, N.J. shop featured in the series on the TLC cable network.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for fans of the show in north central Connecticut to meet Mauro and his family," Sferrazza said. "If you traveled to Hoboken, you'd have to wait in a long line. We're bringing a little bit of Hoboken to Enfield."

Martin is bringing her variety show to the festival for two nights, on both Friday and Saturday. "Last year, response was overwhelming," Sferrazza said. "There was a huge demand to bring her back."

Her show includes Vinnie Falcone, former musical director for Frank Sinatra, and her Las Vegas-based band, which performs regularly at Caesar's Palace. Also on the bill are singing impressionist Bob Anderson and comedian Pete Barbutti.

The Enfield Italian Festival runs Aug. 5-7 on the society's grounds at 93 Park Ave.