It’s finally Tomato Festival week and the anticipation is over. Everything is in place and will only be a few days from now when the tents will be erected and in place, the bandshell set and ready to go and the amusement rides lining up.
Opening ceremony is Thursday at 6 p.m. and the entertainment begins at 6:15 p.m. with the first of three acts on the night.
Chosen Few opens the night followed by the Phyllis Hopkins Electric Trio from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. and the closer for the night is the Gracie Jane Sinclair Band featuring a bit of rock, country, folk, blues and originals thrown in.
Phyllis Hopkins has been an entertainment staple in Greater Pittston for years and she doesn’t disappoint with her guitar shredding with some great rhythm and blues.
I’ve heard Gracie in the past and she has a great voice and sound. Her original songs are excellent as well.
So if you are not attending either local high school football game, head to the festival, pull up a seat, and settle in for three great acts. No doubt festival fans, Hazel and Jimmy Pepe will be front row and center at the bandshell as they are each and every year for many, many years.
There are no extra events for the night, mainly due to the first night of high school football season beginning. Wyoming Area will open the season at home against Crestwood and Pittston Area will face Mid Valley at Charley Trippi Stadium; both games start at 7 p.m.
Needless to say, Greater Pittston will be hopping on Friday night.
Friday night’s entertainment will not disappoint with local Greater Pittston’s favorite rocker, Tori V & the Karma from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tori and the band will perform covers and originals.
After Tori, get set for two great tribute bands in The Taxmen playing tons of Beatles’ favorite tunes from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
The night closes out with the Idol Kings, where you get tributes to not only one rock legend band in Journey, but they also do REO Speedwagon favorites as well. The band plays from 9 to 11 p.m.
Saturday is jam-packed at the festival with the 5K race/walk starting at 10 a.m. followed by the parade starting around 11 a.m.
From the parade, we head to the James Zarra Building at the middle lot stage for the newest and previously unannounced event, the first-ever Pepper Eating Contest at 12:15 p.m. followed by the, now famous, the Spaghetti Eating Contest at 1:30 p.m.
Also on Saturday is the first-ever Polar Plunge event at the former Quinn’s Supermarket parking lot. If you want to cool off, head on down and see what that’s like. This event is most of the day.
Closing out the events on Saturday will be the Tomato Contest to see who owns the largest, smallest, most ugly, and most perfect homegrown tomato. That takes place at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s entertainment includes long-time festival performers, The Luongo Brothers, formerly known as the Poets. They start the entertainment schedule from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Into the Spin, new to the festival, will perform for the first time and they will bring a combination of modern, classic pop, rock and soul. They will be on from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
My good friend, Don Jacob’s fiancée Lucy Sassi leads the band and she’s excellent, you won’t want to miss them.
Another Greater Pittston favorite, Flaxy Morgan led by none-other-than Richie Kossuth will rock from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Another great tribute band closes out Saturday night when Sweet Little Lies takes the stage, playing songs from Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks.
The last day of the festival includes one of the favorite events hosted by Sarah Donahue Cianfichi, the Little Miss and Little Mister Tomato Contest starting promptly at 11 a.m. Sunday.
Sauce Wars is back at the festival and will announce a winner, most likely, later in the afternoon.
The rest of Sunday is all about music and food.
Music starts at 1 p.m. with Music Room playing the best of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s rock.
Next up for the Sunday lineup will be a tough one. This slot was scheduled for the late Danny Argo to perform some of his classic tunes from the Beatles, ’60s and of course, plenty of Italian numbers.
Lucky for us, his bandmates will be performing in his honor so pull out the tissues; it will be a tough set. They go on from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Rounding out the night and the festival is Lost at the Rodeo (4:30 to 6 p.m.) followed by the 11-piece Picture Perfect Band from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Let’s not forget the carnival rides by Double M Amusements, a new amusement rides provider.
One last item on the schedule and it’s an important one, the HKQ Kids bike helmet giveaway on Saturday, staring at 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
So get set, fasten your seatbelts, and bring your appetite, because this year’s Tomato Festival promises to be a good one.
Congratulations goes to the Tomato Festival committee, can’t wait until next year.
Quote of the Week
“For people who love red-sauce Italian cooking, any day is a good day to visit Pittston. … four days of celebrating red sauce, small-town America and, yes, the tomato itself.” —The Washington Post
Thought of the Week
“It is amazing what they do with a relatively small footprint of space… They maximize every square foot, and there’s a little bit of something for everyone.” —Lewisburg Mayor Kendy Alvarez
Bumper Sticker
“Tomatoes taste like summer’s applause.” —Unknown
