Allentown businesses ready
to greet the holiday season
ALLENTOWN — Thanksgiving is traditionally a day of a feast as families and friends gather to celebrate the things for which they are thankful.
On the day after Thanksgiving, the so-called "Black Friday," it’s time to get down to the business of holiday shopping.
While the borough can’t boast of hosting a mega-mall or any warehouse-type super stores, it does have the charm of a downtown shopping district where merchants are ready to welcome holiday shoppers.
This weekend, Dec. 2-3, the Allentown Business Community Association will be holding an open house for all to attend. Shop owners in town will be serving refreshments such as cake, cookies, coffee and hot cocoa.
All are welcome to a tea party being held at Cherubs on Church Street, or to stop in next door and enjoy a bowl of soup at Down Home Country. In the shops at the old mill and at WisTeria, on Main Street, there will be harpists, Christmas story telling and caroling.
All of these events will begin as soon as the second annual Christmas parade marches through town. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. Dec. 2 from Green Way and end in front of the Allentown Public Library. Members of the Hope Fire Company will escort Santa Claus through town.
Santa will also be available for photos at the library from 1-3 p.m. Dec. 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17.
At the end of the parade the winner of a snowman contest that is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at Green Way will be announced. The snowman contest is open to anyone who thinks he can build the best snowman.
At the Imlay House, 28 South Main St., harpist Joanne Baldachino will perform at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 2, and Nicole Crapanzano will present a reading of A Cup of Christmas Tea later that afternoon, at 3:30 p.m. On Dec. 3 from 1:30-3:30 p.m., a group of local youths will sing holiday tunes. The group, which has been singing together for three years, donates all funds collected to Habitat for Humanity. Refreshments will be served on both days.