Friday would have kicked off the annual La Festa Italiana in Scranton, one of northeastern Pennsylvania’s most cherished traditions. The event was canceled due to COVID-19. Normally Courthouse Square would be bustling with vendors setting up their tents, but Thursday night the square was quiet. With La Festa cancelled this year, some vendors are finding alternative ways to celebrate

Every Thursday before Labor Day weekend for the past 30 years, Chris Dimattio was busy setting up for one of NEPA’s biggest parties. “We’d be setting up tents, we’d be helping the IBW electrical union workers illuminate all the tents. We’d be helping all the vendors set up,” Dimattio said. La Festa Italiana usually welcomes around 100,000 people from all over to celebrate Italian culture, cuisine and music.