PITTSTON — The Duchess Outlet completed its 2nd Annual Pittston Antique Fair on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Foundry Grounds, located behind the outlet. The fair featured over 75 vendors, four food trucks, an Anthracite Coal mining demonstration, a Civil War Army Hospital re-enactment, a barbershop quartet, and face painting for the children.

For the second consecutive year, the weather cooperated with sunny, deep blue skies and warm temperatures for the indoor/outdoor event.

Organizers Julio Caprari, Paul Caprari Jr. and Joe McLean, were encouraged after the inaugural Antique Fair in 2024, so they decided to hold a second event.

“We are thrilled, and it (antique fair) was twice as big as last year,” Julio Caprari said. “We were much better prepared with volunteers, workers, family members and part of the success of this year was having the road closed and Mayor (Michael) Lombardo and the City of Pittston were totally supportive throughout.”

Caprari added with the road closed, the three food trucks they had last year on the grounds, were placed on Foundry St. enabling them to add a fourth truck making the entire process very safe for everyone.

The 2024 event was estimated to have as many as 2,000 attendees, and Caprari said this year’s event saw the numbers in the thousands with a steady flow of people from 8 a.m. right through closing at 4 p.m.

“It was constant waves of people,” Caprari stated. “This year, with a whole year to plan it, we wanted this year’s event to be more than just antique vendors so we added face painting for the kids, wine taste-testing, Pittston Popcorn, mining demonstration, the Pennsylvania 143rd Volunteers with the war hospital, really added a variety for the public.”

Next year, the three organizers know there is room for expansion with additional ideas and even think about making the fair a two-day event.

“This year, we seemed to run like a well-oiled machine, and we expected it to be as busy as last year, and all of our posts were covered, “Caprari added. “It really showed, and we had a lot of people from out of town attending, and many of those attendees ended up walking Downtown to other businesses, and I thought that was great.”

Caprari said he, his brother, Paul, and Joe McLean are looking forward to the 3rd Annual Pittston Antique Fair on the weekend of Oct. 3, 2026.

“We feel the first weekend in October works for everyone.”