Thousands walked the Palmerton Hospital Festival last night, tasting a variety of homemade foods, listening to live bands, and even playing a few hands of blackjack.

Rides and entertainment filled a third of the Delaware Avenue ball field in Palmerton.A borough-wide effort, almost all of Palmerton's citizens are somehow tied to the annual two-day festival.Local leaders man food and ticket stands, extra security monitors traffic and parking, and folks come from miles to meet people they see only once a year.