The Connecticut Pizza and Brew Festival all began from a Father’s Day gift. Pizza lover Kevin Begley’s wife, Shannon, had gifted him a pizza making class with Frank Zabski, the creator of the New Haven Pizza School as a gift four years ago. After that class, he kept in touch with Zabski, and the duo developed a friendship. From that friendship, Begley and Zabski created Charred: A New Haven Pizza Show and also the Connecticut Pizza and Brew Fest.
“There was never a full-fledged pizza festival,” Begley said. “Pizza is like our sport, and all the pizzerias are like the sports teams.”
Kevin Begley’s passion for pizza began when he moved to Connecticut from Massachusetts 14 years ago. He said that he not only loves the pies, but the people who are behind the tradition of making them.
“I always knew New Haven, and Wooster Street are world known, but I didn’t realize the culture of it,” he said. “Besides the pizza being delicious, it’s the people who run them that make it special.”
This is the fourth year of the CT Pizza and Brew Festival. The festival is held at the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport on Sunday, August 2nd, 2026. The festival itself runs from 1 to 4; however, the VIP sampling is between 11:30 and 1. Begley says that there are 11 vendors attending, including some famous names such as Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria, Colony Grill, and Zuppardi’s.
This festival is perfect for someone who is passionate about Abetz — I mean, pizza. For those who have purchased the VIP pass (which is $50), there’s unlimited sampling from the 11 trucks from 11:30 – 1. For those who purchased the general admission tickets ($10), they get $3 cheese pizza slices — a true bargain, if you ask me. For those who purchased those tickets, you get to try as much pizza as you would like with “no crowds” and are able to “beat the lines.” Both tickets, however, allow you to get unlimited beer samples.
“If you wanted to, is definitely enough time to hit all of them,” Begley said. “We laid them out in a way in that makes it pretty easy to go from truck to truck.”
That being said, there needs to be something to drink if you’re eating all of that pizza. That’s where the brew part comes in. There will be several local breweries including BADSONS, Pizza Wine, and Ripe Juice Bar — just to name a few.
“It’s a good mix for people,” Begley said.
However, do not be fooled by the name. People who are dairy and gluten free have options, as well as people who are not into beer. Begley said that there’s a “little bit of everything” including seltzers and lemonade. However, he said it “varies from truck-to-truck.”
“More than half of the trucks have gluten free and a lot of them have dairy free,” Begley said.
While Begley’s passion for pizza began when he moved here, his Charred co-host and co-manager of the event, Frank Zabski (also known as the Pizza Gavone), grew up with it. Growing up in West Haven, he said that pizza was a “huge part” of his childhood.
“It’s been in my blood for as early as I can remember,” Zabski said. “Some of my best personal memories with family and friend revolve around pizza.”
Zabski has been making pizza since he was 12 years old but has been running the New Haven Pizza School since 2022. The pizza school, he said, was his way to share his passion for the pie with people.
“When I retired in 2022, I got bored quickly and needed to take this somewhat regressed passion for making pizza at do something with it. I wanted to share my passion and experience making it with people,”” he said. “I wanted to see people laugh and enjoy themselves. I wanted to see kids, parents, grandparents, etc. making pizza together. My pizza school always this all to happen. I also love telling stories and making people laugh.”
For those who attend the event, there will be two opportunities to be around Zabski’s passion for pizza. The first is during a live recording of Charred, which is the podcast that he hosts with Begley. The second is that there will be two pizza demos scheduled with Zabski, offering eventgoers a chance to get a “condensed version” of what is taught at the New Haven Pizza School.
When asked what he loves most about the event, Zabski said that’s seeing people enjoy the event and “celebrating” Connecticut pizza.
“I enjoy seeing people with similar passion enjoying themselves and celebrating pizza in Connecticut,” he said. “It’s also a rush of adrenaline to see that many people all in one place knowing I was a part of the whole process. That is powerful.”
And while it is enjoyable to be attending the event, it is enjoyable to be a vendor as well. As mentioned earlier, there are 11 trucks of pizza as well as two dessert vendors as well — Michele’s Pies and Malone Cookie Co. Liana Page of Big Green Pizza Truck, which has been a part of the event for the last four years, said she “enjoys” being a part of this event, because it “showcases” so many Connecticut businesses.
“Every year, we leave with new friendships, new customers, and a renewed appreciation for the incredible food and craft beverage community we have here in Connecticut,” Page said.
Page said that Big Green Pizza Truck is woman-owned and Connecticut’s first catering truck. However, they do offer many of the flavors that classify it as being New Haven style pizza, especially as all pies are woodfired.
At the event, she said that she attendees can expect a “delicious” line-up of New Haven style pizzas such as pepperoni, veggie, cheese, and mashed potato. However, she encourages attendees to try a few standout pieces such as pepperoni with hot honey.
“Be sure to try our Pepperoni with Hot Honey, the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory, or our fan-favorite Mashed Potato, Bacon & Caramelized Onion pizza, a unique combination that surprises first-time guests and keeps them coming back for more,” she said.
Note: Tickets are available for purchase here. While tickets are available for purchase at the door, it is strongly encouraged to purchase them beforehand, especially if you’re looking to get VIP.
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