Picnics Fairs Bazaars and Festivals

Area Picnics

Picnics, Festivals, Fairs, and Bazaars in NEPA

Picnics from 8/17/26 till 9/20/26

Click here to take you to the Tomato Festival Website

The Pittston Tomato Festival is a massive four-day summer event in Downtown Pittston, PA, attracting over 100,000 visitors. It features over 40 food vendors, live music, the famous Tomato Festival Parade, and contests like the spaghetti-eating competition and tomato beauty pageants. No carnival rides this year. The Pittston Tomato festival is great. The food is great. The bands are great. Drink a cold beer right in the firehouse. My two biggest complaints are the complete lack of parking. Lucky if you get a spot blocks away. Everything is very expensive. But all in all it is a great event and is almost like a mini La Festa.

Rating 5 ***** out of 5 *

The Pioneer Nights Committee is proud to present the 2026 Carbondale Pioneer Nights from Wednesday, August 19th, to Saturday, August 22nd. Enjoy historic Carbondale and everything the city has to offer with an end-of-summer celebration packed with food, fun, music, and activities for all! Check back later for more information on event times and an entertainment schedule. 2026 Carbondale Pioneer Nights Schedule Wednesday, August 19th Thursday, August 20th Friday, August 21st Saturday, August 22nd

Fire fighters parade on Saturday. More information coming soon.

This a rather boring end of picnic season event in downtown Carbondale. Usually the bands are good. The food is fair and expensive. Parking can be close or far depending on when you go. Not enough seating. Not sure if I will attend this year.

Rating 3 *** out of 5 *

Click here to take you to the GDS Fair Website

The Greene Dreher Sterling Community Fair Association got its start over 100 years ago. In 1917 school teacher Miss Ella Nevin established the fair as an opportunity to showcase her students’ handiwork. The goal was to promote the agricultural lifestyle and educate the surrounding communities about farm life and the valuable skills that can be utilized in everyday living. Since that first year, the Greene Dreher Sterling Community Fair, commonly known as the GDS Fair, has long since grown into a real, honest-to-goodness country fair with all the glitter, glamour, and noise added to the homey down-on-the-farm kind of exhibits. It’s an event for the whole family.

I have never been to this fair and will not be attending this year either so I cannot rate it.

Rating ? * out of 5 *

Click here to take you to the LaFesta Website

This is probably the best of the season. The food is good but lately it has been very expensive. The entertainment is good to excellent. Plenty of fun things to do for both children and adults. Now on to the bad. Parking is miserable. The ABM controlled garages are totally incompetent. I still can't understand why people bring their pet dogs when it says no pets at the entrance. With all the food and people this is no place for your pet dogs. Also the teenage love couples clamped on to each other blocking half of the sidewalk. Which is no fun when you use a cane to walk like I do. But it is still a great event. More information coming soon. The committee is usually slow posting updates.

Rating 5 ***** out of 5 *

Celebrate Italian heritage, food, and community at the Felittese Italian Festival in Old Forge! Hosted by the Felittese Association, this free, annual event brings the spirit of Italy to Lackawanna County with three days of authentic cuisine, live entertainment, and family-friendly fun. Savor homemade Italian specialties like gnocchi, meatballs, tripe, soffritto, porketta, sausage and peppers, cavatelli and broccoli, pizza fritta, and a mouthwatering variety of Italian pastries and desserts. Local favorites from Rossi’s Market, Cusumano’s Restaurant, Revello’s Pizza, and Ice Screamers will also be serving up classic festival fare. Don’t miss the on-site raffles featuring themed baskets, gift cards, and more! For full details and updates, visit the Felittese Association's Facebook page.

This is a nice very small picnic. The food is good. A little on the expensive side. The entertainment is good to great. Picture Perfect on Friday. Smoke and Mirrors Saturday. Into the spin Sunday. Street parking is tight. Be prepared to walk at least a block.

No beer tent. They have some seating but could use more. Plenty of chairs to watch the band. I plan to attend on Friday.

Rating 4 **** and 1/2 * out of 5 *

Click here to take you to the Fall Fair Website

The 7th Annual Fleetville Fall Fair Saturday, September 12, 2026 Make sure to mark yourself as in the loop on all the fantastic plans we are working on! Crafters, Food Trucks, Adult Beverages, Ice Cream, Coffee, Raffles, Chicken BBQ, Scarecrow Making, Pumpkin Painting, Petting Zoo, Face Painting, Admission is Free - Parking $5 Please support FVFC! God bless!! Tons of country fun to see and do at the fair!

I went to this event one time. It is big. Parking is tight. It supports a great cause. If you like arts and crafts this is the event for you. I go to an event for the music and the food. There were a few food trucks and vendors. The band was decent. Since I am not into the arts and crafts. I will probably pass this year.

Rating 3 *** and 1/2 * out of 5 *

Click here to take you to the Luzerne County Fair website.

This fair is a short drive from Scranton. I haven't attended in many years. From what I remember it is a typical fair. The food is expensive but decent. The parking lot is a mud hole. There are some interesting shows and exhibits. They have fireworks on Saturday. Admission is usually $10 which includes rides. Which if you have children that like the rides this can be a good deal. Since I don't ride. I am going to pass on this event.

Rating 3 *** and 1/2 * out of 5 *

From what I remember

This is a small end of season picnic. Held in a country setting in Dalton. The food is decent and reasonably priced. The chicken BBQ on Sunday is delicious. You can walk around with your beer. There is plenty of covered seating. They have handicapped parking. They have a small basket raffle. The band the Quietmen are boring but very good for this picnic, playing Irish classics and some modern hits. They used to have a car show but I didn't see one the last few years. This is not an exciting picnic but is a great way to relax and have great food on a Sunday afternoon. As the 2026 picnic season winds down.

Rating 3 *** and 1/2 * out of 5 *

NEPA Events and picnics

Based in Scranton, Pennsylvania