Borough’s two-day fall festival Oct. 13 & 14
By Joanne Degnan, Managing Editor
ALLENTOWN — A marching band, antique cars, Civil War re-enactors, an 1890s-style baseball game, children’s activities, delicious food and more than 90 crafters and vendors await the thousands of visitors who are expected to enjoy the borough’s annual two-day Fall Festival this weekend.
The family-friendly event, sponsored by the Allentown Business Community Association, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 13 & 14) and includes activities for old and young alike, including children’s inflatable rides, face-painting, a 4-H petting zoo and the opportunity to build your own scarecrow. There is no admission charge and parking is free at Newell Elementary School on High Street, where a shuttle bus will bring visitors to the downtown less than a half-mile away.
“It’s a great day for families and friends to enjoy,” said Deb Richford, ABCA president. Visitors can “relax, eat food, shop at local stores, visit with the re-enactors that love to talk about life during the Civil War, watch how baseball used to be played, and make a scarecrow while you’re visiting,” she said.
The Civil War re-enactors will set up camp Friday night in Heritage Park and provide visitors with a first-hand look at what a soldier’s life was like nearly 150 years ago. Battles will take place both Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. before Confederate and Union soldiers break camp at 5 p.m. Sunday and return to their 21st century lives. The 1890s-style baseball game is at 2 p.m. Saturday only in Heritage Park.
The antique car show will be set up both days near the newly reopened Pete Sensi Park on South Main Street, Ms. Richford said.
The Allentown High School Band will have a “Build a Scarecrow Booth” at festival on Saturday and Sunday near the Necessities of the Heart store on South Main Street. The band provides all the materials, including straw, twine, hats and other accessories needed to build and decorate scarecrows, which cost $10 each or two for $15. Proceeds support the high school band program, which is participating in numerous competitions this fall.
A wide variety of musical performances will be taking place throughout the weekend on a makeshift wagon stage that will be set up behind the historic 1790s Imlay House at 28 So. Main Street, which houses the Necessities of the Heart store inside its parlor. The stage will be in the gravel parking lot behind the building.
On Saturday, festival-goers can pull up a hay bale and take a seat as Millpond Arts Director Peter Meerwarth leads a 10 a.m. community sing-a-long. The Odessa Klezmer Polka Band takes the stage at 11 a.m., followed at 1 p.m. by the Vinny Smith Band. Then at 3 p.m., the Tone Rangers will perform. On Main Street, Dick Gratton and Linda Lee will perform from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
On Sunday, Retro Smooth will perform on stage at 11 a.m., followed at 1 p.m. by the Allentown High School Marching Band. At 2 p.m., the Vinny Smith Band returns for an encore performance. On Main Street Dick Gratton and Linda Lee will be back from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by Folk by Association at 2 p.m.
For more information about the festival, or to volunteer to help, contact the Allentown Business Community Association at 609-259-1511 or email [email protected].

