Labor Day weekend may be the unofficial end of summer, but there is plenty to celebrate. In Carbon County, an event will showcase the region’s coal mining history, while Scranton’s annual Italian festival will be held in Lackawanna County.
La Festa Italiana
Italian flags, voices like Frank Sinatra and the smell of fresh tomato sauce will be hard to miss this weekend in Scranton.
Kicking off Friday evening, La Festa Italiana is a rare opportunity to try pizza, pasta and other local specialties all in the same place. Pizzerias will include Old Forge favorites, including Revello’s, Cusumano’s and Arcaro and Genell’s. Click here for a full list of vendors and a map.
Saturday will begin with the Captain James R. Minicozzi Memorial Race 5K 1-mile walk hosted by UNICO Scranton, the local chapter of the Italian American service organization. Their porketta sandwiches are always a hit.
Chris DiMattio, chairman and president of the event, says the entertainment is just as popular as the food, with people planting lawn chairs in front of the two stages on Friday morning.
“The Ballet Theater of Scranton has probably been with La Festa almost since its inception,” DiMattio said. “They have the old costumes, and they created a festival folk dance… and also Civic Ballet Company. They also perform an ethnic Italian heritage dance on Friday evening… There's all types of local entertainment.”
Thomas Capobianco, a Scranton-native and singer at the Metropolitan Opera, will perform on the main stage Sunday at 5 p.m. Actor and singer/songwriter Lorenzo Pugliese, also from Scranton, will bring his Frankie Valli character to the main stage at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Others will play tributes to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Marilyn Monroe, Connie Francis and Billy Joel. Click here for the full entertainment schedule.
La Festa Italiana
Fri., Aug. 29 4 - 10 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 30 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 31 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Mon., Sept. 1 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Stroudfest
The Sherman Theater brings free live music to downtown Stroudsburg at its annual Labor Day event, set for Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Performers will include local entertainers Hunkajunk, Roy Ramos, Ian Kirk and other music acts from out of the area.
Retail, food and drink vendors will line Main Street and there will be a food court on Courthouse Square.
Stroudfest
Sat., Aug. 30
11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Downtown Stroudsburg
Coal Miners Heritage Festival
The No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum in Lansford, Carbon County welcomes the public on Sunday for an immersive experience.
In addition to coal mine tours, guests can participate in a coal shoveling contest, a coal sack race and see artifacts and informational exhibits in the museum.
There will also be food, vendors and live music.
Coal Miners Heritage Festival
Sun., Aug. 31
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Lansford No. 9 Coal Mine & Museum
Other things to do this weekend:
- Railfest at the Steamtown National Historic Site will celebrate the park's 30th anniversary. Read more from WVIA's Kat Bolus.
- Weisstock - A Family Fun Festival is Friday and Saturday in Weissport.
- The Wyoming County Fair continues until Monday.
- Paradise Stream Resort in the Poconos is hosting Rockfest 2025 all weekend.
- Riverfront Yoga Project hosts a free yoga class by the river in Wilkes-Barre Saturday morning.
