Allentown Gears up for 16th Annual Lights in the Parkway Display

As Allentown nears its 250th birthday in 2012, the city’s annual Lights in the Parkway event will feature a new section with this year’s theme of “Bells will be ringing: Allentown turns 250.” The new display includes a 19.5 by 24-foot marquis sign of the 250th "City Without Limits" logo surrounded by animated bells.

 “We’re leading into the 250th anniversary with our Lights in the Parkway display this year,” Allentown's Special Events Coordinator Tara Craig said. “This year we’ll be awarding a prize to the 250th car that comes in each night and also to the 1,250th car on the weekends.”

City workers have been busy readying Lehigh Parkway for the November 25-27 Preview Weekend. According to Parks Department Foreman Jason Hertz, this year’s setup is running later than usual because crews were sidetracked to clean up tree damage resulting from an October 29 winter storm.

“We lost a week with the snow storm,” Hertz said. “We start the setup in the middle of October and it usually takes us six weeks to finish. We’ll be working right up until Thanksgiving Day but I’m confident we’ll get the job done.”

Craig added that the display will definitely be up and ready for the weekend.

“We were a little nervous at first,” Craig said. “We had an emergency meeting but the guys really pulled it together. People look forward to this each year. Some of them have come from year one; it’s a tradition that they don’t want to miss.”

Another new addition this year is the gradual changeover to using LED bulbs, which Craig says use 70 percent less electricity. The Old Man Winter display, which has 1,500 bulbs, and the Happy Holidays sign, with over 950, were both converted to LED lights. The LED 250th marquis sign was purchased and donated by the Allentown Federal Credit Union.

“We started the changeover to LED bulbs last year,” Craig said. “We estimate that there are over 150,000 bulbs in the entire display so we will be doing a few pieces each year. It’s part of our greening the display for the future.”

This year will feature the second annual Lights in the Parkway 5K Run and Walk next Wednesday, November 30, at 7 p.m. You can register and see the course at www.runlehighvalley.com.

“That’s a great way to experience the display from a different perspective,” Craig said. “Last year we had 340 participants and this year we have over 450 registered.”

Another great way to experience the Parkway lights is by a horse-drawn carriage ride. Participants can choose a 15-person surrey or a private carriage but reservations must be made in advance by calling Ironton Livery at 610-799-0591 or by visiting their web site at www.irontonlivery.com

Regular display times for bicycles and cars are December 2 through January 1 nightly from 5:30 to 10 p.m. The price is $10 per carload but $2-off coupons are available on the Lights in the Parkway web site. Advance tickets can be purchased for $6 at City Hall and at all local Wegman’s grocery stores. Proceeds benefit Allentown community groups whose members volunteer to staff the display.

Craig encourages visitors to check out the Gift Barn after touring the display for refreshments, souvenirs and gift items from local artists and crafters. Special events at the Gift Barn will include visits with Santa on the weekends, ice carving demonstrations and music by local artists.