The 2025 Tomato Festival draws to an end Sunday evening. It may have taken forever for it to get here, but it’s hard to believe it is over in a blink of an eye.
Thursday night opened with a bang with patrons flying to their favorite food stand. Lines twenty feet deep were not unusual. The aroma of all the food was intoxicating.
Lately, I’ve been watching my carbs and sugar intake, but when I saw the Down Home Homemade Pudding stand back for 2025, I had to rush back when my newspaper assignment was over and make a bee line to the pudding stand.
I opted for the rice and raisin pudding and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. With each spoonful, I felt like I died and went to heaven. If it were up to me, I’d park my butt right at that stand taste-testing every sample they had.
The opening ceremony was great with Mayor Michael Lombardo kicking things off for the 2025 festival.
After thanking everyone involved, he handed over the microphone to committeewoman Sarah Donahue Cianfichi to announce the Grand Marshal, Ben Tielle.
Ben, along with is mother Ruth, was ceremoniously sashed by Cianfichi for photos.
Ben has been searching for a new kidney for some time now and he’s received so much help from his fellow Tomato Festival Committee people in attaining a new kidney.
If you are interested in finding out about a kidney donor program or would like to see if you are match for Ben, reach out to him at 570-430-1924.
We have to get Ben back on his feet and back working at the festival full-time really soon.
Other than opening ceremonies and the food and carnival rides, the only other activity for the evening was music at the bandshell at the lower level.
Chosen Few has been opening up the entertainment portion for many years and this year was no exception.
The great Phyllis Hopkins Trio took over playing a great 60-minute set followed by the ever-talented Gracie Jane Sinclair and her band. At 21-years-old, Gracie is just killing it out there week after week.
I do hope she goes national and gets NEPA back on the music charts.
Speaking of going national, Tori V and the Karma from West Pittston need to get their musical act on the road. There is too much talent there to only be used locally.
So Gracie and Tori… get a move on out there and show the country what you can do.
Speaking of Tori, her and her band performed on Friday evening in what Mayor Lombardo might contest as one of the largest crowds in Tomato Festival history.
I had to shoot Pittston Area football and Wyoming Area football on Friday and getting from Trippi Stadium to Sobeski Field was quite the task.
Luckily, I have the help of the Pittston Area security staff; in particular Bill Gross in helping me get in and out of parking jams. Time is money and sometimes I have to get in a venue and out quickly. Bill and the staff, including the late Dennis O’Brien — who for years took care of me in helping with my job — are always there to help.
In leaving Pittston Area, traffic was slowed, thankfully, because you don’t want anyone getting into a motor vehicle altercation on Main Street.
Parking was extremely tough to find with every available parking spot being taken for several blocks surrounding Main Street.
To be at the light at Market and Main streets and to look to my left and see every parking spot taken in the former Quinn’s Supermarket parking lot and across the street at the Waterfront Warehouse, as well as CVS and Burger King, was a crazy sight.
As I drove further north on Main Street, you could see people jockeying for position with parking. Even the closed Rite Aid parking lot was filled solid.
Susquehanna Avenue in West Pittston was crazy. Cars were even parked there and watching people walking over the Kridlo Bridge.
As I said, Friday night had to be a record night.
In addition to the Pittston Area and Wyoming Area games I had to cover, I even snuck in shooting the Pittston Area Class of 2000’s 25th reunion at The Gramercy.
By the way, it was great to see both the Patriots and Warriors kicking off the season with victories.
On Sunday, the Little Miss and Little Mister Tomato contest will be held at the bandshell, followed by four music acts, beginning at 1 p.m. and closing out the festival at 8 p.m.
If you’re reading this in time, get out to the Tomato Festival one last time before the curtain closes on, what has shaped up to be one of the best ever.
Next year, Mayor Lombardo promises some welcomed changes to the site and a few new additions. The committee and the mayor are always scheming up new ways to make the Tomato Festival bigger and better.
I swear, if the City of Pittston had the room, Mayor Lombardo would want to make the Tomato Festival a state fair.
I look forward to see as many of you out at the festival ground like the Mayor of Altoona, Matt Pacifico.
Quote of the Week
“Festivals promote diversity, they bring neighbors into dialogue, they increase creativity, they offer opportunities for civic pride, and they improve our general psychological well-being.” – David Binder
Thought of the Week
“Festivals are a great way to engage with the local community and to celebrate what makes each place unique.” – Cate Blanchett
Bumper Sticker
“Nothing brings people together like good food.” – Anonymous
