The 2021 Tomato Festival Committee. Seated, left to right: Ginger Murphy, Mary Kroptavich, Michelle Mikitish, Sarah Donahue, Ben Tielle. Back row: Jay Delaney, Tom Wysokinski, City of Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo, event chair, Harry Smith, Bob Puglese and Jim Zarra.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON – The Pittston Tomato Festival is a summer-ending event that people have been looking forward to since its inception in 1983. After a year off due to the pandemic, organizers are excited to getting back to the business of celebrating the tomato and Greater Pittston.
Mayor Michael Lombardo took over the reigns as chair of the event and much to his disappointment; he had to cancel the festivities due to health safety and uncertainty of the coronavirus last year.
It’s been a long 24-mouth wait for the return of the Tomato Festival and Lombardo and the Tomato Festival committee are chomping at the bit to get back to normal.
“We’re back,” Lombardo said. “Essentially given the circumstances, what we’ve decided to do is concentration on getting the event back on its feet with the layoff last year.”
For 38 years, as school children get set to return to school, the Tomato Festival has put a punctuation mark on the end of summer.
With Lombardo as chair, he has intended on taking the festival to new heights by adding new features, removing others, and moving the festival in a progressive forward motion. The pandemic has created a setback with a total revision of the festival, but he promises next year will be different.
As the pandemic continues to persist in the autumn season, Lombardo is very aware that the Centers for Disease Control can change things up on any given day, especially since the Delta variant has begun to rear its ugly head.
Current Luzerne County COVID cases have been on the rise lately, but Lombardo feels we are still in a good position to put on a full show.
“We are going to have hand-washing stations and sanitizing stations around the grounds,” Lombardo said. “If people feel more comfortable wearing a mask, we encourage that; we’re not mandating it.”
There are a few exceptions for a complete festival; such as the tomato fight will not take place this year. Lombardo feels there would be too much physical contact and if anyone has witnessed the tomato fight, they know Lombardo is correct about that.
According to Mary Kroptavich, Pittston City’s Main Street manager, the children’s bounce houses and Sauce Wars will not be a part of the festival this year, but will be back in 2022.
The Tomato Queen Pageant was discontinued a few years ago and will no longer be in the line up, however, Little Miss and Little Mister Tomato are still on the schedule for this year.
Lombardo had planned for a new stage at the second tier attached to the Jimmy Zarra Tomato Festival Building, but that project has been delayed, at first due to COVID, and now, due to the rising costs of building materials due to the pandemic.
Lombardo said the new overhead covering for the stage has been measured and the hardware has been installed to secure the metal posts and beams to hold the overhead covering.
In addition to the new stage being utilized, there is a green room and dressing room equipped with a shower for the entertainers at the rear of the Zarra building.
The entertainment has been announced with the return of some crowed favorites like Flaxy Morgan, Sweet Pepper & the Long Hots, The Sperazza Band and Windfall.
There will be a few tribute bands such as 52nd Street (Billy Joel), Shakin-a-Tribute (Eddie Money), Chris DiMattio and Nicole Rasmus will be singing the songs of Frank Sinatra and Connie Francis, and Fab3 will be doing Beatles music.
Danny Argo, Phyllis Hopkins Trio, Luongo Brothers Band (former members of The Poets), and Popstar Drive round out the entertainment.
The weekend will closeout with Tony’s Wine Cellar Jam Band featuring Brett Alexander, Eddie Appnel and Nyke Van Wyk.
Bill Kelly – formerly of The Buoys, the Jerry Kelly Band and Dakota – will make a special appearance traveling from his home in Nashville, Tenn., with his new partner singing partner, Jennifer Kane.
Kane & Kelly have been charting some hits on the Christian County music charts in recent times.
The Inspirational Country Music Association recently informed the two that they were nominated for Vocal Duo/Performance of the Year and New Artist of the Year for 2020.
“I am so excited that I will be coming home to perform at this year‘s Tomato Festival on August 21,” Kelly said. “My singing partner, Jennifer Kane, will be with me to sing songs from the Buoys, Dakota, Jerry Kelly, and of course hits from Kane & Kelly. We can’t wait to visit the valley.”
The 22nd Annual Miles for Michael 5k Race will be back on Saturday, Aug. 21, at 10 a.m.
Registration for the race can be taken as late as the morning of the race from 8:30 a.m. at the Greater Pittston YMCA. Registration fee is $35 for the race and $15 for the walk. Five dollars of the fees will go toward Miles for Michael Foundation.
Lombardo said the race route that usually starts on Main Street before turning left onto the Spc. Dale Kridlo Memorial Bridge to the Firefighters’ Memorial Bridge heading back to Pittston, has been re-routed due to the Firefighters’ Bridge being currently closed.
The parade will begin at the completion of the 5k-race.
Little Miss and Little Mister Tomato contest is also returning taking place on Sunday, Aug. 22, at 11 a.m. Contestants are asked to report to the bandshell at 10:30 a.m. The contest is open to girls and boys from the ages of two to six.
Lombardo is looking forward to a great 2021 Tomato Festival but says to watch out for 2022, “We’ll be bigger and better with a lot of changes to come, we’re going to blow the roof off if for 2022 with a completely revised bigger and better festival.”
