By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
ALLENTOWN — Flamingo fashion is the latest trend to swoop down on the borough, but it has nothing to do with clothing boutiques or haute couture.
The Allentown Library’s “Flamingo Fashion-ation” is a fundraiser for everyone willing to let their inner fashionista run wild by outfitting the library’s flock of faded pink flamingos in costumes inspired by history, current events, celebrities, or whatever whimsical idea strikes their fancy.
”Some of our pink flamingos that we use for the flocking fundraiser over the summer get rather faded and tired looking,” librarian Nancy Stein explained Monday. “Instead of retiring them this is a fun way to recycle them.”
Participants can pick up a naked plastic bird and entry form at the Allentown Library at 16 So. Main St. and must return them by Sept. 22. Birds can be painted, decorated or outfitted in costumes.
The entry fee is $35 per bird. Families, students and community organizations can work together on a group project involving one or more birds.
The finished birds will be on display in front of the library during the Allentown Business Community Association’s Harvest Festival on Oct. 13 and 14. Festival-goers will use quarters to vote for their favorites, and the creator of the most popular bird that collects the most money for the library will win a prize.
The flamingos are normally used for the library’s annual summer “flocking” fundraiser, in which pranksters pay the library $35 to plant a group of the maligned plastic lawn ornaments on the lawns of unsuspecting neighbors who haven’t had the foresight to purchase a $25 flamingo insurance policy from the library. (After three days, the library moves the flock along to another home.)
Last year, the library came up with the idea of having patrons outfit the birds in fun costumes. The winning entry in 2011 was Romeo and Juliet, which was created by a group of Allentown High School students. The lovebirds wore Renaissance garb and Juliet had a handmade red felt heart that when pressed played a student’s recorded voice saying: “Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”
Other popular 2011 entries included Lady Gaga, Carmen Miranda (complete with hand-knit tropical fruits hanging from her hat), and “Prince Williamingo” and Kate Flamiddleton” in their royal wedding attire.
The library raised more than $1,300 through the Flamingo Fashion-ation fundraiser in 2011 including $500 in quarters from voters during Freedom Fest in Upper Freehold, where the birds were on display. This is the first year the birds are staying closer to home for Allentown’s Fall Festival.
For more information about how to participate in the fundraiser, call the library at 609-259-7565.

