Pittston City merchant Rockstreet Music was a proud float sponsor for the 2023 Tomato Festival Parade.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The first female winner of the Pittston Ultimate Tomato 5K Race, Catherine Lombardo-Power, left, finishes ahead of her twin sister, Kristen Lombardo, with times of 21.34 and 21.35 respectively.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Mulit-winner of the Tomato Festival 5K Chris McCabe, of Boiling Springs, PA, crosses the line in first place, once again, with a time of 16.13.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Over 300 runners participated in the Tomato Ultimate Tomato 5K Race.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Sean Gilchrist, Saylorsburg, PA, holds his 360-degree video camera that he held throughout the 5K race. With him is Anthony Glenn of Luzerne.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
5K runner Bridget Carden, Pittston, left, hands in her registration to volunteer Anna Harris prior to the start of the Tomato Festival Ulitmate 5K Run on Saturday.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Pittston Memorial Library Director Jessica Linskey Lane, center, hands out items along the parade route.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The Times Leader Media Group were represented in the Pittston Tomato Festival Parade.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The Duryea Wildcats junior football team were busying giving high-fives to the parade goers along the route.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Two-year-old Maddy Schall is surprised when Leo Sperrazza, left, handed her candy thrown from a parade vehicle.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The Pittston Area Cheerleaders particpated in the annual Pittston Tomato Festival Parade on Saturday.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Stew, the Pittston Tomato Festival mascot took part in the parade.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Lizz Sperrazza holds her 10-month daugher Lily for her very first Pittston Tomato Festival Parade.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The 2023 Grand Marshal of the Pittston Tomato Festival Parade, Maria Capolarella-Montante, waves to the crowd along the parade route.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — A smiling, dancing tomato riding on the back of a pickup truck down Main Street could only mean one thing: Saturday was parade day in Pittston.
The third day of the Pittston Tomato Festival kicked off in high gear on Saturday morning with two of the weekend’s signature events: the Ultimate Tomato 5K run, followed by the Tomato Festival Parade.
The sidewalks lining South Main Street began to fill up with spectators well before the 5K run began, and the crowd only grew in size and energy as the day wore on.
“It doesn’t get old … one of my favorite parts of being in office is community,” said Mayor Michael Lombardo, who ushered in the start of the run and later joined the parade procession with U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright. “This is the true spirit of community.”
The Greater Pittston community’s enthusiasm toward the four-day celebration grows and grows with each passing year, and it was evident by not only the crowd of people watching the parade, but from the parade itself: the massive procession featured local sports teams, political figures, charitable organizations and plenty of local businesses.
The procession was led by Grand Marshal Maria Capolarella-Montante, a Tomato Festival lifer who has served on the Pittston City Council and other city committees.
The team from the Landmark building had themselves a busy parade, with bags of candy and a full-sized float paying homage to the “Barbie” movie.
Jason Wiedl serves as a project engineer intern for Landmark, and he was thrilled to be part of the afternoon’s festivities.
“I’m stoked, this is awesome,” Wiedl said. “Being able to give back to the community and to be a part of everything is awesome.”
Before the parade stepped off, the Ultimate Tomato 5K featured hundreds of local runners dashing through the streets of Pittston, with Chris McCabe clocking in at an impressive 16:13 to win the race.
The youth competition of the race was run by eight-year-old Calvin McAndrew, who had a big cheering section waiting for him when he crossed the finish line.
“I didn’t think I was going to win,” McAndrew said. “But I tried my best and I accomplished my goal.”
Many of the runners stayed on Main Street to watch the parade, including a Tomato Festival first-timer in Gina Cherundolo, from Edwardsville.
“I signed up to do the Pittston Trifecta, so that brought me here,” said Cherundolo, referring to the three 5K races run in downtown Pittston this year: March’s Leprechaun Loop, the Tomato 5K and the brand-new Third Leg 5K debuting in November.
After watching the parade, Cherundolo said she would be heading inside the festival grounds for a bite to eat.
“I’ll probably get some pizza and see what’s good to eat,” she said. “This is pretty cool, it’s a great day.”
Saturday was also set to feature one more big event, a Tomato Festival first: a spaghetti eating contest, featuring 20 hungry competitors trying to eat as much spaghetti as they could without the benefit of utensils — or even their hands.
“I think it’s going to be pretty wild and potentially gross,” Lombardo joked before the contest. “But it’s for a great cause in Meals on Wheels and it should be fun.”
Lombardo was joined on Saturday by Matt Pacifico, the mayor of Altoona, who wanted to come see what all the buzz was about.
“I’ve always liked traveling the state to see what other communities are doing…I’ve heard so many things about this festival for many years, and I thought I’d make the trip and check it out,” Pacifico said. “This is truly something to see, what they’ve built this up to.”
