At front, Pittston’s Day organizer Paul Stevenson, along side co-host Giselle Dauchert, gets the crowd to participate in a dance at the start of PIttston’s Got Talent show on Sunday, June 26, at The Slope Amphitheater.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Olivia Peet, the inaugral Pittston’s Got Talent winner, is shown singing one of the songs she chose for the competition.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Ten-year-old Francesca Prato carefully places a raffle ticket into a cup during Pittston’s Day Downtown.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Rhinada Wiedlich, 8, holds a necklace in her hand that she picked out to purchase while her dad Bart looks on.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Sixteen-year-old Helena Zaeh, right, makes a purchase from Shannon Fitzgerald from her Purple Tulip Crafts booth during Pittston’s Day Downtown.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Michelle Galli, of The Wooden Swan, displays of her wooden trays at the inaugral PIttston’s Day Downtown.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — The inaugural Pittston’s Day Downtown kicked off on Sunday, June 26, with a Pittston’s Got Talent show highlighting local talent. Food trucks, vendors, raffle giveaways were also featured at The Slope Amphitheater behind the Pittston Memorial Library.
The event’s profits benefitted the City of Pittston’s Shop with a Cop coupling police officers with children at the elementary school level who are faced with life challenges such as a parent losing a job, homelessness, military deployment, economic shortcomings, and other hardships in helping them have a great Christmas holiday.
Pittston’s Got Talent is the brainchild of Paul Stevenson, Duryea. Stevenson, an incoming junior at Wyoming Seminary, and his team were looking for a way to give to the community when he approached Mary Kroptavich, City of Pittston’s Main St. manager.
“I was very happy the way it went,” Stevenson said. “It was great to see the community come together as I had been hoping for. A lot of people came out even with the 95-degree heat index and despite all that, we had a great turnout. The vendors were all there, the people were all there and it was a great day to support Shop with a Cop.”
Stevenson along with Gisella Dauchert served as co-hosts when nine acts took the stage in performing under a blazing sun where singer Olivia Peet took the honors as the very first winner of Pittston’s Got Talent chosen by a four-judge panel.
As the winner of the contest, Peet will be offered their own show at The Slope Amphitheater during an (Second Friday) Art Walk or before a movie night at The Slope,” Stevenson added. “All performers did so well, all performers will be invited to participate in the Peet concert.”
“They (acts) really blew the show right out of the park, “Stevenson said. “They brought the amphitheater down, you can say.”
While the judges were deliberating the winner of the talent contest, raffle tickets were picked.
Stevenson said he wanted to thank City of Pittston’s Mayor Michael Lombardo and Main Street Manager Mary Kroptavich. He also wanted to thank some of his committee members such as Dauchert, Jenna Lombardo (entertainment), Lauren and Samantha Giombetti (children’s entertainment), Mary Santi (food), and Kristie Stevenson (raffles, 50/50, games of chance).
Over 35 craft vendors, food trucks, a children’s carnival and other side entertainers were on hand throughout the afternoon.
“I’m proud to say it was a mix of three generations going ahead,” Stevenson said on all involved in planning the event. “You had the older crowd and the middle age crowd who you typically see behind these events but they worked closely with young members were half of our team being comprised of youth volunteers.”
Stevenson said he is looking forward to next year where he’s hoping the event is bigger and better.
“Next year we would love to have the event moved closer to Main St.,” Stevenson said. “We’ve love to tie it in with the whole city.”
Stevenson said not all the donations and profits have been counted at press time but said he’s happy with the numbers he’s seen so far.
