This weekend my kids and I attended the Maryland Italian Festival at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, thanks to SIAB. We went with one goal in mind: to see what gluten-free options the festival had to offer—and to my delight, there were plenty! From pizza and cupcakes to gelato and even grilled lamb, we found so many delicious things to try.

The festival itself is lively and family-friendly, with carnival rides, craft vendors, bocce tournaments, and of course, a huge lineup of food booths. My kids skipped the rides this time and instead browsed the craft stalls before we all made our way to the food area. Here’s what we sampled:

• Di Pasquale’s Lamb Kabobs – The aroma alone drew us in, and once I confirmed the kabobs were gluten-free, we ordered a generous platter. The lamb was tender, flavorful, and almost steak-like—definitely not gamey. It came out looking like a bouquet of skewers, and every bite was satisfying.
  📍 Brewer Hill Location – 3700 Toone St, Baltimore MD 21224 👉 Di Pasquale’s
  
• Nino’s Food Distribution’s Gluten Free Pizza – Based out of Baltimore, Nino’s was serving up 10″ gluten-free pizzas that are also corn-free. My kids tried veggie, pepperoni, and cheese varieties. The crust, made from rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and olive oil, was soft, chewy, and full of flavor. They loved it so much they’re still talking about it. I’ll definitely be looking into more of Nino’s gluten-free, keto, and cauliflower crust products since they are a Food Distribution company.
  📍 1710 N Elwood, Baltimore MD 21213 👉 Nino’s Foods
  
• Love.Crust.Pizza Lemonades – To wash it all down, we grabbed giant 32 oz lemonades. They weren’t overly tangy, with just the right balance of sweetness and fresh lemon flavor. Super refreshing after walking the festival grounds! Love•Crust•Pizza
  
• Mangia Baby Cupcakes – Gina Cicatelli from Annapolis was one of the sweetest vendors we met. Her mini gluten-free Vanilla Cannoli cupcakes were bursting with flavor, with a frosting that really did taste like authentic cannoli filling. Perfectly bite-sized, they were a must-try treat.
  📞 202-270-5118 | 👉 Mangia Baby Cupcakes
  
• Gotta Lotta Gelata – To finish things off, we stopped at this Pennsville, NJ-based vendor. All their gelato is gluten-free, and we tried Cappuccino, Chocolate, and Mango Sorbet. The cappuccino was light with chocolate chunks, the chocolate was rich and creamy, and the mango sorbet was bright and refreshing.
  📍101 N. Broadway, Pennsville, NJ | 📞 732-800-1747 | 👉 Gotta Lotta Gelata
  

My oldest son was hoping to join the bocce tournament, but all the slots were filled. Still, between shopping, sampling treats, and filling up on gluten-free eats, we had such a fun and flavorful afternoon.

If you’re near Aberdeen, the festival runs all weekend—open until 10 PM tonight (Saturday) and from 11 AM to 7 PM tomorrow (Sunday, September 28). Tickets are $12 for adults (kids 12 and under are free with a parent), and parking is free on-site or at shuttle lots.

👉 You can buy tickets online at marylanditalianfestival.com or at the gate.

This is definitely a festival worth checking out—whether you’re looking for family fun, cultural entertainment, or just some seriously good food (yes, even gluten-free!).