For the first time in the history of the City of Allentown, our nation’s independence will be celebrated with a spectacular street festival, a “Star Spangled Celebration.”

Allentown’s Fourth of July Festival will incorporate food and drink, music and activities for all ages directly outside J. Birney Crum Stadium on Linden Street (also known as Parkway Boulevard) in Allentown. The event will run from 4pm-10pm on Thursday, July 4th. It will of course be capped by a brilliant 4th of July fireworks show.

The announcement of the event was made at a late morning news conference today by Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski and City Special Events Manager Tara Craig.

Celebration Fireworks Inc. of Kutztown is again producing this year’s fireworks show. The show will be customized to the new venue with special effects that can be appreciated best when viewed in the festival area.

Traditionally this event is held in J. Birney Crum Stadium. The installation of a new field surface in the stadium this year required some logistical changes which also offered an opportunity to expand and bridge the stadium and park audiences.

Pawlowski said, “Originally, upon hearing about the improvements within the stadium and the impact on our July 4th programming we hesitated about how to proceed but very quickly we decided that this presented a perfect opportunity to take our event to the next level and do much more. The stadium is a great venue and this festival will allow us to bridge the gap between it and scenic Cedar Beach Park. We are especially excited for this year’s event.”

The 2013 festival will be held between the stadium and Cedar Beach Park on Linden Street. This new venue allows for the creation of a larger, more interactive event. Seating will still be available in J. Birney Crum Stadium while the festival fills Linden Street and the eastern portion of Cedar Beach Park with a holiday celebration.

The beloved traditional elements like live music, skydivers from Lehigh Valley Parachute Team, face-painting will remain a part of the program. Additional brand new features will include – children’s rides, interactive activities, a beer garden and more! Some of the entertainment slated for the day includes: boomerang throwing demos, music by the School of Rock, the Marine Band of Allentown and the Toga Party Band and Pip the Mouse. More details on features like a Patriotic Pet Parade will be announced at a later date.

Festival goers can choose from offerings from food vendors which will include: Asian Grill and Rice, Cactus Blue, Front Porch Family Farm, Lilo Mobile Snacks, Oogie’s Ice Cream and Trixie’s Treats. More food vendors are expected to register, but for now the offerings include everything from taco salad to prime rib sandwiches, fried rice to chicken on a stick and Italian ice to cupcakes. The image of the event features an iconic bomb pop, also known as a red, white and blue pop. This treat is a symbol of summer and a very tasty way to cool down. 1,000 of these pops will be given away during the festival thanks to Oogie’s Ice Cream and The Morning Call. More details to come.

The City of Allentown thanks Cedar Crest College, RCN, The Morning Call, WFMZ and Adams Outdoor Advertising for their support of this event. Sponsorships opportunities for this event are still available.

For more information contact Tara Craig at 610-437-7530 or through e-mail at tara.craig@allentownpa.gov. A page with all details will be available soon at www.allentownpa.gov/fireworks.
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