{"id":275022,"date":"2026-08-30T04:40:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T04:40:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/275022\/"},"modified":"2026-08-30T04:40:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T04:40:10","slug":"la-festas-50th-anniversary-and-railfest-will-fill-labor-day-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/275022\/","title":{"rendered":"La Festa’s 50th anniversary and Railfest will fill Labor Day weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"

SCRANTON \u2014 It started with a couple of fibs.<\/p>\n

Fifty years later, La Festa Italiana is a cultural powerhouse that brings huge crowds to Scranton\u2019s Courthouse Square. On Sept. 4-7 La Festa will bring food, music, a race, cultural displays and a cannoli-eating contest. Steamtown National Historic Site\u2019s Railfest will also draw crowds the same weekend and a free shuttle will connect the events.<\/p>\n

\"La<\/p>\n

La Festa Italiana is Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-7, at Courthouse Square in downtown Scranton. Hours are Sept. 4, 4 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sept. 5 and 6, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sept. 7, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thousands of people walk around Courthouse Square at La Festa Italiana in Scranton in 2025. (FILE PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Scranton Times covered the first La Festa with a photo package on Monday, Oct. 11, 1976. (COURTESY OF NEWSPAPERS.COM)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A porketta sandwich is assembled by a UNICO Scranton worker at La Festa Italiana in Scranton on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025. (JASON ARDAN \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"Pizza<\/p>\n

Pizza by Pappas owner Vito Sparacio shakes powdered sugar onto a cannoli during La Festa Italiana on Courthouse Square in Scranton Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"Newspaper<\/p>\n

Newspaper coverage of La Festa in 1980. (COURTESY OF NEWSPAPERS.COM)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A 1978 Scranton Times-Tribune article promotes the third year of La Festa Italiana. A photograph of founder Bob Pettinato is in the center. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A painting of La Festa Italiana in the 1970s was painted by Austin Burke and hangs on the wall of festival founder Bob Pettinato in his office at PACE Construction Managers in Scranton Wednesday, August 26, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A photograph and a newspaper clipping of La Festa Italiana\u2019s past are put on the desk of festival founder Bob Pettinato in his office at PACE Construction Managers in Scranton Wednesday, August 26, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"Founder<\/p>\n

Founder of La Festa Italiana Bob Pettinato sorts through memorabilia of the early years of La Festa Italiana in his office at PACE Construction Managers in Scranton Wednesday, August 26, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG \/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The schedule for the 2026 La Festa Italiana is provided by the La Festa committee. (COURTESY OF LA FESTA ITALIANA)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 10<\/p>\n

La Festa Italiana is Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-7, at Courthouse Square in downtown Scranton. Hours are Sept. 4, 4 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sept. 5 and 6, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sept. 7, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thousands of people walk around Courthouse Square at La Festa Italiana in Scranton in 2025. (FILE PHOTO)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a>
\nSome sweet talk gets La Festa off the ground<\/p>\n

In 1976, when cultural events were popping up in honor of the United States bicentennial, Bob Pettinato dreamed up an Italian-style street festival. He would work, but he didn\u2019t want to be the face of La Festa. He was a Republican Lackawanna County commissioner and didn\u2019t want politics to be a problem. He decided to pair a civic leader with a Catholic priest.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I told a little fib,\u201d said Pettinato, now 87. He visited Sam Cali and the Rev. Anthony C. Marra. He got to Cali first.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said, \u2018Well, Sam, you know, I\u2019m looking for somebody from the social clubs, and I\u2019m looking for somebody from the parishes to be co-chairmen. And I went to see Father Marra and he said he\u2019d do it only if you did it,\u2019\u2009\u201d Pettinato recalled.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he said, \u2018Father Marra said that?\u2019 And I said, \u2018Yeah, that\u2019s what he said.\u2019 He said, \u2018Well, boy,\u2019 he said, \u2018I can\u2019t turn Father Marra down.\u2019 He said, \u2018OK, I\u2019ll do it.\u2019\u2009\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith that, I raced out of his office, and I drove right over to the South Side to the rectory of St. Francis. And luckily, I found Father Marra there, and I told him the same thing, only reversed. And he said, \u2018Oh, Sam said that?\u2019 I said, \u2018Yep, that\u2019s what he did.\u2019\u00a0 \u2018Well,\u2019 he says, \u2018I can\u2019t say no to Sam, he does so much for me.\u2019\u2009\u201d<\/p>\n

Before his good friends died, he confessed to both men. They understood.<\/p>\n

A chilly start<\/p>\n

The first festival was Columbus Day weekend. It was also the debut of the UNICO porketta sandwich. The charitable group\u2019s sandwiches became one of La Festa\u2019s biggest stars.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the first year was a success, we decided to go big time, and we got Al Martino,\u201d Pettinato said. \u201cAnd of course, we had no money, and Al Martino charged $5,000 in those days.\u201d It was only a few years after the singer had appeared in \u201cThe Godfather.\u201d<\/p>\n

La Festa sold \u201cbooster patches\u201d to raise the money. \u201cThey were little stick-on patches that I charged people a dollar for,\u201d Pettinato said. \u201cExcept, if I thought they could pay more, I would charge them more. I\u2019d charge up to $100 for a booster patch.\u201d<\/p>\n

The singer arrived in Scranton but decided it would be too cold to risk his voice performing on the back of a flatbed truck.<\/p>\n

Pettinato rushed over to meet Martino at the Hotel Casey. He offered to surround Martino with portable heaters, but a recent fire meant much of the area around Courthouse Square was without power.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him we\u2019d give him heaters. I didn\u2019t say we were going to plug them in,\u201d Pettinato said.<\/p>\n

Later, over a drink, Pettinato asked Martino how the heaters worked. \u201cTerrific,\u201d the singer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, he saw the heaters, he sang like a bird, and the people loved him,\u201d Pettinato said.<\/p>\n

A few years later, La Festa moved to the warmer weather of Labor Day weekend and has been held there since, except for a pandemic cancellation.<\/p>\n

Growth<\/p>\n

Chris DiMattio has been president of La Festa for decades. He said it has boomed in the last 10 or 15 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a family-oriented festival,\u201d he said. \u201cYou really don\u2019t have to have a dime to come down and have a good time. There\u2019s some great entertainment that you normally can\u2019t see throughout the year or you\u2019d have to pay to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

That family-friendly atmosphere is important to Pettinato. Alcohol is not sold. \u201cWe could make a lot more money selling it, but we don\u2019t,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s happening when?<\/p>\n

La Festa Italiana\u2019s hours are Sept. 4, 4 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sept. 5 and 6, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sept. 7, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Friday, Sept. 4:\u00a0The opening ceremony is at 5 p.m., followed by entertainment that will include Ray Massa\u2019s EuroRhythms Italian Show Band.<\/p>\n

Saturday, Sept. 5:\u00a0The 14th Annual Captain James R. Minicozzi Memorial 5K Run and One Mile Fun Walk is at 10 a.m. It benefits scholarships for West Scranton High School students. See Runsignup.com\/Minicozzi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A car show begins at 1 p.m.<\/p>\n

The musical acts will include the Cameos, a New Jersey oldies band. The Scranton Shakespeare Festival will celebrate Perry Como.<\/p>\n

Sunday, Sept. 6: Scranton Bishop Joseph Bambera will celebrate an Italian-language Mass at 10 a.m. at St. Peter\u2019s Cathedral. The Rev. Joseph J. Adonizio, age 100 and a priest for 70 years, will be among several priests assisting.<\/p>\n

The entertainment on Sunday includes a Frank Sinatra-Dean Martin-Bobby Darin tribute and Daddy-O and the Sax Maniax.<\/p>\n

Monday, Sept. 7:\u00a0The Gene Dempsey Orchestra will make its traditional appearance, but without leader Gene \u201cDempsey\u201d Passarella, who died recently.<\/p>\n

Throughout La Festa: Attractions include the Cali Foundation Heritage Tent, devoted to the history of La Festa and profiles of prominent Italian Americans; and a Cultural Tent that will host presentations on food, music and history, Italian-themed clothing and novelties, crafts and bocce.<\/p>\n

Railfest<\/p>\n

Also over Labor Day weekend, Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton will celebrate the past, present and future of American railroading on Sept. 4 to 6, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.<\/p>\n

Train enthusiasts can ride Steamtown\u2019s steam-powered 1929 Baldwin Locomotive Works No. 26.<\/p>\n

Railfest is free, with the exception of train rides and some special activities.<\/p>\n

A free shuttle will connect Railfest and La Festa approximately every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n

Railfest will be celebrating some milestones of its own: Steamtown\u2019s 40th anniversary of becoming a national park site, the 200th anniversary of the start of railroading in the U.S. and America\u2019s 250th birthday.<\/p>\n

See Nps.gov\/stea\/planyourvisit\/railfest-at-steamtown-national-historic-site.htm<\/a> for information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SCRANTON \u2014 It started with a couple of fibs. Fifty years later, La Festa Italiana is a cultural…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":275023,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[1681,201,182,1213,28,435,178,180,179,289,4491,729],"class_list":["post-275022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-scranton","tag-entertainment","tag-lackawanna-county","tag-local-news","tag-music-and-concerts","tag-pennsylvania","tag-restaurants-food-and-drink","tag-scranton","tag-scranton-headlines","tag-scranton-news","tag-things-to-do","tag-travel","tag-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/275022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=275022"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/275022\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/275023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=275022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=275022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=275022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}