The Walnutport Canal Festival will return again this year, but with a new look and name.

It will take place Oct. 19-20, and be known as Walnutport Canal Days, as explained to borough council on Thursday.

The Slatington Lions Club, Lehigh Township Lions Club, and Lehigh Township Lady Lions Club have agreed to join forces to save the event.

Mike Frohnheiser, Lehigh Township Lions Club member, explained that due to a lack of volunteers and manpower, the Walnutport Canal Association decided that last year’s event would be their final Canal Festival.

Frohnheiser told council that the three lions clubs met and felt that they could continue the October tradition for the community.

He said the Lions Club committee is currently seeking food vendors, entertainment (music), arts and crafts vendors, old-time craft demonstrators, re-enactment groups, and kid-friendly interactive activities.

Local nonprofit organizations are also encouraged to participate in the two-day event, Frohnheiser said.

“We’d like to keep the Canal Festival going,” Frohnheiser said. “We got together, and were thinking maybe if we joined forces, we thought it was something maybe we could save.”

Frohnheiser added, “it’s one of those things where people come from all over the place.”

“We want to keep it,” he said. “It gives another day for people to get out to Walnutport and see what (it) has to offer.”

Councilwoman Patrice Hunsicker expressed gratefulness toward the organizations for their interest in keeping the borough tradition alive.

“I really appreciate you doing this,” Hunsicker said.

Likewise, Councilman Harold Greene said he was also appreciative.

“I’d like to see it go back to (when) it first started,” Greene said. “It seemed like the (Walnutport) Playground (Association) took over all the food.”

Frohnheiser said they would also like to do a “good, friendly competition” on Oct. 19 between several fire departments in the community

Dianna Evert, president of the Lehigh Township Lady Lions Club, said “It’s to bring everybody together to have some fun.”

Evert added, “I think we have enough manpower between our groups.”

Council President Michael Gaston said he hoped the Walnutport Canal Association could somehow end up being a part of the event.

“I don’t know why the Canal doesn’t at least want to participate, (maybe) open their museum up,” Gaston said. “(We can) just see if they want to be a co-sponsor, (maybe) open up lock house, museum.”

Gaston added “I think if they hear it from our (perspective), I don’t think they’ll have a problem.”

Afterward, council on a 6-0 vote granted permission to the Lions Clubs to utilize the property.

Councilman David Wentling was absent.

The 42nd annual Walnutport Canal Festival was held in October, and was to have marked the final year for the event.

Jeanne Boehrer, festival event coordinator, said in September that was due to a lack of manpower, as its core group of 10 or 12 were aging and they didn’t have set up people and people that consistently volunteer.

However, Boehrer said at that time the Walnutport Canal Association would remain, as it’s still an active group that is looking for new members and new ideas.