Long Island New York Pizza Contest Gets Hi-Jacked

    /24-7PressRelease/ - LONG ISLAND, NY, August 05, 2006 - The 4th Annual Long Island Pizza Competition is a charity event put together by LongIsland.com (http://www.longisland.com) to support local pizzerias and to help raise funds to feed the hungry on Long Island, New York.

This years' competition has been hi-jacked by 101.1 Jack FM (http://www.ilikejack.com). Jack FM 101.1, a New York based radio station owned by CBS Radio has officially come aboard as the presenting sponsor of the local Long Island NY contest.

101.1 Jack FM presents the Best Pizza on Long Island Competition 2006, which includes the Contest, Festival and Bake-Off. The annual contest runs through the summer months. The Bake-off and final judging takes place at the Long Island Pizza Festival held during National Pizza Month in October.

The Long Island Pizza Festival presented by 101.1 Jack FM takes place rain or shine on Saturday, October 7, 2006 at Adventureland Amusement Park on Route 110 in Farmingdale NY from 12-6pm.

Pizzerias from Valley Stream to Montauk New York compete to be named "Best of Long Island." Votes are collected on the LongIsland.com Web site (http://www.longisland.com/bestpizza). Voting is free and open to the public. Pizzerias are encouraged to promote the contest to their customers to vote for them. The pizzerias who collect the most votes on the Web site are invited down as finalists to the Pizza Festival and Bake-off where they bake pizza on premises. The pizza is then taste tested by a panel of Celebrity Judges who rate the pizza to determine the winners. Winning pizzerias receive prizes, trophies and awards as well as the honor of being named "Best Pizza on Long Island."

In addition to the final judging, the Long Island Pizza Festival is a family oriented fun-filled day. The Pizza Fesitval is free for the public to attend. Pizza related activities include pizza sampling throughout the day, pie toss demonstrations, a pizza eating contest, mini pie making for the kids and photo opportunities with Pizza Pup, the Long Island Pizza Festival mascot. Pay-one-price (POP) bracelets to go on the rides are additonal. Discount coupons for sample slices of pizza are available for a nominal fee. A portion of the proceeds raised go to Long Island Cares and Island Harvest, non-profit groups dedicated to feeding the hungry on Long Island.

Joe Carlucci, a team member of the World Champion Pizza Acrobats is participating as a celebrity judge. In between taste tests he will perform an acrobat dough toss set to the background of Italian music. The American "Cutie Pie" Kids' talent show is a NEW feature added this year, with children ages 4-9 years old entertaining the crowds by singing and dancing.

"We are very excited to have 101.1 Jack FM as our title sponsor," says Suzi Batta, Chief Operating Officer of LongIsland.com, "Jack FM will promote the event to radio listeners and help us to create an even greater buzz about the pizza competition." Mrs. Batta adds, "Prior to the Pizza Festival the Jack FM street team will be going on location to visit local pizzerias participating in our contest."

As the presenting sponsor of the Best Pizza on Long Island Competition, 101.1 Jack FM will be on hand at the Pizza Festival setting up a "Tiki Hut" offering prizes, t-shirts, CD promotions and giveaways. Co-sponsored vendor exhibits with special incentives for event attendees and a charity raffle will compliment the pizza related activites planned for the day.

The Best Pizza on Long Island Competition 2006 is proud to welcome 101.1 Jack FM as the presenting sponsor. Optimum recently joined the ranks as a participating sponsor. Cremosa Food Distributors, Marsal and Sons Pizza Ovens, The World Champions Pizza Acrobats, Party Pizzazz, The Printing Experience, BBA Photography, Adventureland Amusement Park, Pizza Pup and LongIsland.com all play a contributing role in making this event a success each year.

The event benefits Island Harvest and Long Island Cares, non-profit organizations dedicated to feeding the hungry on Long Island New York. You can make a donation to support their efforts, information is available online. Canned and/or non-perishable food items will be collected on the day of the Long Island Pizza Festival and may be redeemed for one free sample slice of pizza.

Full details and event information is available on the LongIsland.com website at http://www.longisland.com/

For more media inquiries and/or more information, please contact Ruthie Bergmann, Party Pizzazz event planner at 631-423-3445.

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