New Haven Goes for the World’s Largest Pizza Party

If there’s one thing New Haven knows how to do, it’s make pizza history. In May 2024, Congress crowned us the official Pizza Capital of the United States. Now, we’ve set our sights a little higher—or at least a lot hungrier. This September, the Elm City is taking a bite out of the Guinness World Record for the Largest Pizza Party.

The scene? The 10th annual Apizza Feast at the New Haven Grand Prix on Friday, September 12. The mission? Gather 5,000 pizza lovers on the New Haven Green to top Tulsa’s record of 3,357 set just last year. After all, who else deserves the title but the nation’s true Pizza Capital?

From 4–7 p.m., ticket holders will be part of the official Guinness attempt—$17 gets you two slices, a drink, and bragging rights for life. The only catch? You’ve got to stay until the big count at 7 p.m. Then the gates swing wide for everyone to join the party: an awards ceremony, a hip-hop set by DJ Funk Flex, and more than 60 vendors serving not just pizza, but tacos, curry, barbecue, cannolis, doughnuts, and ice cream. Wash it all down with wine or craft beer and consider yourself part of history.

“Since we regularly see 10,000–20,000 people at Apizza Feast, we’re confident we can break this record and prove New Haven has the best pizza community in the world,” says Colin Caplan, local apizza historian and owner of Taste of New Haven.

Here’s what else he had to say about this soon-to-be record-breaking event.

How did the idea for Apizza Feast first come about?

“The Apizza Feast idea first started in 2014, when the City of New Haven asked me to propose a pizza festival in New Haven. I was then connected to the Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program, a non-profit that trains and teaches Connecticut’s youth the sport of cycling, and we were able to plan and produce the Apizza Feast at the New Haven Grand Prix in September 2015.”

Over the past decade, how has the festival grown into one of Connecticut’s biggest celebrations of pizza?

“With each year, we have expanded the scope of the event to include more vendors, more activities and reach more of the community. As popularity around our apizza has grown, we have seen the festival become a much larger and more engaged experience, reaching thousands of people. This year’s Guinness World Record attempt has certainly elevated the event, adding a new layer of experience for locals and visitors looking to connect over pizza.”

Why this World Record, and why now?

“My personal and professional life merge as a native New Haven son, and as a proponent of our city and its people. I believe in community building and raising the quality of life through building, gathering, connecting, sharing and celebrating. After cementing New Haven as the Pizza Capital of the United States, it seemed like a natural next step to showcase our amazing community and pizza scene. There has never been a pizza-related record in New Haven or Connecticut. It’s long overdue.”

“This record-breaking event will give participants the feeling of taking part in history, and even tastier, pizza history. The ultimate result will be the realization of New Haven’s community spirit and ability to be competitive and win. New Haven is a city of firsts and innovation, inviting and welcoming, so that achieving this record-breaking attempt can be shared by all.”

Which New Haven pizzerias and vendors will visitors find this year, and are there any new participants to look out for?

“There are a slew of returning pizzerias who join the event year after year, including Da Legna X NOLO, which is returning for its 10th year! A new pizza vendor this year is Strega, who recently opened a small but highly regarded Italian restaurant downtown, and will be making Neapolitan pizza during the festival.”

As for the Apizza Feast’s official line-up, here’s who’s serving up slices:

Big Green Truck Pizza

Sally’s Apizza

Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

Strega

Zeneli Pizzeria

Est Pizza Truck

Ozzy’s Apizza

Ah-Beetz

Zuppardi’s Apizza

Dough Girls

Da Legna X NOLO

Little Italy Pizza Truck

East Coast Pizza Truck

Longobardi’s Wood Fired Apizza

Cast Iron Chef

Grand Apizza

Michelina’s Apizza

Rolling Inferno

What is the best way for people to get to the festival?

“We suggest getting to the Pizza Party and Apizza Feast with lots of time to prepare for traffic and parking. Ride shares and taxis are a great way to get downtown. For those who are driving, we suggest parking a couple of blocks away at either the Temple Street or Crown Street garages. Area roads begin to close in the morning for setup.”

Secure your tickets now, and come hungry.

photo credit: Apizza Feast