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F1 An edition of 389 Wyoming Ave. Wyoming, PA (570) 613-9080 Full Time Real Estate Service For Appraisal And Sales 80966729 Assisting buyers and sellers! Through the Years PITTSTONof the TOMATO SPONSORED BY: FESTIVAL Sunday, August 23, 2020 e area’s premier Festival will be back SCIANDRA better than ever! See you in Pittston soon! LAW OFFICE, P.C. 1998-2020 - Serving the Wyoming Valley's 159 S. Main Street • PittSton,Legal Needs Pa for over 20 years LOUIS | 570-654-3030 S. SCIANDRA , ESQ. 80965239 F2 2 Sunday, August 23, 2020 2020 Pittston Tomato Festival Sunday Dispatch Festival has a bright future By Tony Callaio For Sunday Dispatch Tony Callaio le photo | Sunday Dispatch More than 200 runners and walkers participated in the annual Pittston Tomato Festival 5K last year. Lombardo promises ‘greatest Tomato Festival you’ve ever seen next year’ PITTSTON – The 2020 Pittston ing over the Tomato Festival in 1998 Tomato Festival may have been can- when the original committee began celled due to the current pandemic, to step aside. but for festival offi cers and commit- “I want to give credit to a lot of tee members the work continues. people from former administrations Event chair and Pittston City Mayor such as Wil Toole, Tom Walsh and Michael Lombardo promises a bigger Kenny Scaz,” Lombardo said. “It’s and better event in 2021. important to say that and in a time When COVID-19 hit the U.S., there when our country is so divided politi- were many unanswered questions for cally and the reality is that everybody event coordinators such as whether brings something to the table, but I or not the virus would extend to the think it’s important to acknowledge summer months, possibly cancelling the efforts of those in the past.” bazaars, church picnics and festivals. Mayor Lombardo believes the To- It didn’t take long for those questions mato Festival has gone through three to be answered, and Pittston Tomato transformations since the very fi rst Festival was a victim. festival in 1984: the original com- Mayor Lombardo took the reins of mittee that created the festival, the the Tomato Festival after longtime second team that took over in 1998, chair Lori Nocito departed in 2019. and the current committee today. Lombardo and Nocito, high school With each group of leaders and classmates, were instrumental in tak- 80966623 See ‘FUTURE’ | 3 F3 Sunday Dispatch 2020 Pittston Tomato Festival Sunday, August 23, 2020 3 ‘FUTURE’ FROM 2 committees, the festival has made great strides, but Lombardo admits every few years, the festival gets stale and it’s time to reinvent the event. “Last year, I felt we were going a little fl at and that’s when we decided to use the top tier lot (behind the Pittston Memorial Library),” Lom- bard admitted. “Going into this year, I’ve worked harder than I ever have before, and I’ve asked the festival committee to do the same.” It’s been a big disappointment for Lombardo and committee members to cancel this year, but the mayor also feels it will give another year to retool, strategize and implement new ideas for 2021. “I’m going to tell you this and I’m going to tell you this right now, Tony Callaio le photo | Sunday Dispatch I guarantee you that it will be the Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo, right, addresses the crowd gathered at the 36th opening of the Pittston Tomato Festival last year. Lom- bigger and better, greatest Tomato bardo said that event though this year’s festival has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic next year’s festival will be the biggest Festival you’ve ever seen next year,” ever. Lombardo declared. “I promise you that or I won’t do it anymore.” grounds sound system. The mayor and hand-washing stations scattered stage while bands are tearing down On the plate for next year is the said he would eventually have a Main about the grounds.” and setting up for the next show,” long awaited permanent stage to be Street public address system running Another of Lombardo’s concerns Lombardo explained. fi nished, complete with a green room the length of the city that will be used for the future is safety issues such as The farmer’s market has been a big for the artists, dressing rooms and for festivals, parades, races and if adding additional lighting throughout part of the festival, and Lombardo is showers at the second tier lot at- needed public announcement during the grounds, citing some areas that guaranteeing that effort be in a place tached to the Zarra building. emergencies. could be better lit. of prominence during the four-days. “I’m going to work hard to do that “I want to approach the festival Mayor Lombardo is aware of how “We want to make sure the farmer’s and complete the stage, and I think for next year two ways,” Lombardo important music is to attendees and market is a viable piece of the fes- it will change the dynamics of music said. “What are the practical things believes scheduling could be tight- tival, and if you look at the festival and music has been an integral part we need to address? Seating will ened up between acts. from a purest standpoint you go back of the festival,” Lombardo said. be an issue. The second thing will “We can have someone like Danny Also on the agenda will be a festival be to have more sanitizing stations Argo play Italian music on the upper See ‘FUTURE’ | 4 Play to Win! palottery.com Players must be 18 or older. Please play responsibly. Problem Gambling Helpline: 1-800-GAMBLER 80965585 F4 4 Sunday, August 23, 2020 2020 Pittston Tomato Festival Sunday Dispatch ‘FUTURE’ FROM 3 to the late Val Delia (tomato enthusiast who believed the tomato should be honored), that was the impetus of it all,” Lombardo added. The top tier lot of the Tomato Festival also houses the city’s Slope Amphi- theater: a 300-seat outdoor setting that has been used for movie screenings, musical acts and even public programs. “The amphitheater holds great opportunities for us to do some things for movies one night of the festival,” Lombardo said. “I’d like to see the upper lot as a section for children with some rides and vendors.” As mentioned, music is a big part of the festival, and Mayor Lombardo would like to bring in larger acts or former well-known local acts that would be interested in doing a reunion show during the festival. “I would love to see that be the theme, ‘We’re back,’” Lombardo exclaimed. “I’d love to approach The Badlees to ask if they were willing to do a one-off show. It would be great to see older local bands like Strawberry Jam, Mere Mortals or Stonebridge, for example.” Lombardo envisions having recording artists like America or Don McLean playing at the festival. “We had The Badlees play before, we had Shirley Austin and The Shirelles, and I think we need do that again and freshen it up a bit,” Lombardo said. Tony Callaio le photo | Sunday Dispatch “I’m willing to look at anything.” Jenny Yonick, of Camp Hill, was the top female nisher in last year’s Tomato Festival 5K. The Tomato Festival parade and the tomato fi ghts have been an important part of the festival and with the advent of coronavirus, Lombardo admits from here on out they will have to be re-evaluated. Also up for re-evaluation is the possibility of the layout changing over the next few years as well as looking to expand the festival physically to adjoining areas. Another piece of the festival puzzle is the 5K walk/run that Lombardo doesn’t see going away. In fact, he’s looking for new faces on the committee that could take the run to a new and fresh level in the coming years. “I want the festival be a celebration of being back together and that will be the theme for next year, and I’m confi dent that we will be beyond this thing (COVID),” Lombardo said. “We are not going to forget it and there will be remnants of it, but I know we’re going to be in a place where we’re going to safe and we’re going to move it forward.” LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE AT NEXT YEAR’S TOMATO FESTIVAL! DILEO’S SERVICE CENTER DOMESTIC • FOREIGN AUTO SPECIALIST • MAJOR — MINOR REPAIRS A.S.E. CERTIFIED MASTER MECHANIC • STATE INSPECTION AIR CONDITIONING & RADIATOR SERVICE 100% TRANSMISSION FLUID FLUSH Tony Callaio le photo | Sunday Dispatch 440 Wyoming Avenue, 570-693-0467 Katlin Evans, of Harveys Lake, participates in the tomato ght at a previous Pittston Tomato Festival. Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo said the annual tomato ght may have to be Wyoming JOSEPH DILEO, Proprietor 80967351 reevaluated due to the coronavirus pandemic. F5 Sunday Dispatch 2020 Pittston Tomato Festival Sunday, August 23, 2020 5 From humble beginnings By Tony Callaio For Sunday Dispatch Festival founded to help revitalize Greater Pittston … It worked PITTSTON – The City of Pittston, once a great focal point between Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, was thriving with commerce and industry, but as the coal mining industry came to an abrupt end in 1959 when the Knox Mine Disaster fl ooded area mines, the city began to sink slowly into aban- donment and disrepair. The garment industry was about the only solid trade staying afl oat until the 1970s and 1980s when work became scarce and jobs were sent overseas.