Tomato Fights You don't have to travel to Banul, Spain to squash and throw tomatoes at your friends and neighbors. The Pittston Tomato Festival Tomato Fights will be held on Saturday, August 23 at 1:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Cooper's on the Waterfront Restaurant, 304 Kennedy Blvd., Pittston. The entry fee is $5, which includes use of protective eye goggles. All proceeds will benefit local charities. Participants must register in advance at Cooper's Waterfront or on August 23 at Cooper's Waterfront. One open round of up to 100 goggle wearing participants will divide and face off in a battle where there are no losers. Participants will toss rotten tomatoes which will be aimed at friendly foes across a parking lot. The trick is not only to gather and throw tomatoes, but also to duck and throw. Teams are welcome! The cost of entering the fight is $5, and all proceeds will benefit Greater Pittston charities. To date, several groups of people are ready and eager to challenge each other on opposites sides of the arena. “It’s much better to throw tomatoes at someone you know,” said one participant from last year’s tomato fights. Space is limited to the first 100 people, and participants must be 15 years old or older. The event is sponsored by Cooper's Waterfront, Dr. Salvatore Infantino, and Attorney Michael Butera. Wal-Mart in Pittston will once again offer a matching grant for funds raised for the Tomato Fights up to $1,000. The tradition of the tomato fights began in 1944 in Bunol, Spain. Every year, truckloads of tomatoes are dumped into the town square and everyone is fair game as they crush and throw tomatoes at each other. The Pittston Tomato Fights will be a bit more organized, albeit organized chaos, and truckloads of fun.