Lehighton plans to celebrate our country’s 250th birthday with a parade and festival.

Borough council recently approved the Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1 and Lehighton Downtown Initiative’s ‘Small Town, Big Story’ America250 Celebration Parade on Sept. 26.

Before the vote, Steve Ebbert, the Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1 Social Club Parade Fund chairperson, said LDI and the Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1 Social Club would like to hold an event to celebrate America 250.

Ebbert said the committee hopes to attract local civic and community organizations to participate in the parade, such as church groups, social organizations and clubs. In addition, he said they hope to have participation of youth sports organizations and local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

The Lehighton Downtown Initiative is looking to award prizes in categories that will be posted in the near future and they may be based on patriotic or historical themes, Ebbert said.

With the title of “Small Town, Big Story, Lehighton — USA 250th” some awards may be awarded for the best Coaster Float, Farming/Agriculture, Local Historical Event and of course Railroad Theme to recognize the importance of the railroads in the Lehighton area, he said.

Ebbert added that Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1, Inc. Social Club’s parade fund will be sponsoring prizes to encourage participation by local fire departments and first responders.

“We want to make sure we’re putting on a really great parade here in town,” Ebbert said.

There will be no parking along the parade route beginning at 8 a.m. until around 3 p.m., or upon completion of the parade.

The parade will begin at Seventh and Coal Street and travel east to Third Street, where it will proceed south to Iron Street and travel west to Eighth Street before it disbands at the Community Grove. Road closures along the parade route will begin at around noon.

In addition to the parade, Ebbert said there also will be a festival held on the same day at the Lehighton Community Grove that will include live entertainment in the Grove throughout the day.

He said food stands will be available, and noted the parade will end at the Grove, so parade participants may enjoy the entertainment and food.

Ebbert said the festival will continue until around 9 p.m., and while it’s still in the planning phases, the committee hopes to make it an event that the community will be proud of to celebrate the 250th Birthday of the USA.

As with past community celebrations, he said it was requested that the fees and electric connections be waived to allow community nonprofit organizations to raise needed funds to keep their organizations afloat.

“When the Lehighton Fire Department celebrated their anniversary, community nonprofits set up stands and it was extremely well received, and most sold out of their food and items early in the event,” said Ebbert, who added some of the participants at that event that they would encourage to participate again are the Lehighton Pool Pals, Lehighton Area Heritage Alliance, Lehighton Booster Club, many of the Lehighton Area High School sports parent/booster organizations, and the Lehighton Band Boosters. “While this not only allows these organizations to raise much needed funds, it also instills community involvement and advertisements for the great things that each of these organizations represent.”