Tamaqua’s Summerfest is returning to where it had been held for years.

“We are back on Broad,” said Justin Bailey, a festival planning member from the Tamaqua Odd Fellows.

The annual festival, which attracts thousands, had been moved from Broad Street to South Railroad Street in recent years.

The change of location — which was also made for the Tamaqua Heritage Festival — didn’t sit well with many festivalgoers.

“The Odd Fellows have listened to the concerns of the community and are making the festivals back the way they were,” Bailey said Wednesday. “We are hoping to grow bigger and better than it ever has been.”

During Tuesday’s meeting, Tamaqua Borough Council approved the change for the 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 21 event.

“All crafters, vendors and food vendors will set up directly on West Broad Street with the attendees being able to walk down the middle of the street,” according to the request sent by the Odd Fellows to council.

The location switch for the Father’s Day outdoor fair passed unanimously.

“Finally,” council President Brian Connely said of having attendees on the wide street. “This is what we’ve been trying to do for years.”

According to Bailey, plans are to have the event run between South Railroad and Lehigh streets.

“I highly doubt we will use that entire space, but it gives us so much space to grow,” Bailey said.

To keep with Americans with Disability Act requirements, he noted that vendors will set up on the street — not the sidewalks.

“People then can walk down the middle of the street, like Shenandoah’s Kielbasy Fest,” where attendees are free to walk along North Main Street, he said.

Bailey said that anyone wishing to participate as a vendor can find forms at the “IOOF Harmony & Lady Harmony Lodge Tamaqua” Facebook page. They may also email harmony86ioof@yahoo.com or call the Odd Fellows Cemetery at 570-668-4569 and leave a message.

“We’ll have a lot more, but that will come out over the next few months,” Bailey said of plans.

The Tamaqua Historical Society organized the Summerfest the annual October Heritage Festival, for about 40 years. In 2024, the society moved the festivals from West Broad Street to South Railroad Street.

The relocation was meant to help with accessibility issues that were aired by a resident in 2023. The resident said that when vendors set up on West Broad Street sidewalks, navigating the festival in a wheelchair was difficult or impossible.

The historical society had planned to ask PennDOT for permission to close West Broad Street for the festivals to allow for visitors to walk on the street.

But with aging membership, society volunteers decided to relocate the festival.

In 2025, the society stepped away from sponsoring and organizing the festivals, and turned leadership over to the Tamaqua Odd Fellows. Last year’s festivals were held on South Railroad Street.