Lehighton will commemorate the 250th birthday of our nation with a parade next month.

The celebration is entitled “Lehighton 250 USA, Small Town, Big Story.”

Sponsored by the Lehighton Downtown Initiative and Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1 Social Club, the parade will take place at 1 p.m. on Sept. 26.

As a reminder, there will be no parking along the parade route beginning at 8 a.m. on Sept. 26 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. It will then proceed south to Iron Street and travel west to Eighth Street, where it will disband at the Community Grove. Road closures along the parade route will begin at around noon.

The parade is expected to include various community groups, local emergency service organizations and local bands bringing participants, their families and numerous spectators to Lehighton for the day. The current cash prizes total at least $10,000.

While many of the 250 USA celebrations took place before or on July 4, Lehighton chose to use a date in September closest to the signing of Pennsylvania’s first Constitution.

During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress realized that British Colonies in America would need to become independent states. After the Declaration of Independence was signed, Pennsylvania transitioned from a British colony into a self-governing commonwealth and signed its first Constitution on Sept. 28, 1776, and it was presided over by Benjamin Franklin as president of the convention.

The “Lehighton 250 USA, Small Town, Big Story” is also hopeful that having the parade in September will attract more high school bands and groups since schools will be back in session. The cochairmen of the parade committee are Bambi Elsasser, representing the Lehighton Downtown Initiative; and Steve Ebbert, representing the Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1 Inc. Social Club.

Artwork for the celebration was created by local artists Steph and Chloe Gustafson. It incorporates the “Lehighton 250 USA, Small Town, Big Story” theme with images of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Station and New Jersey Central Trestle, the statue of Jacob Weiss, original Zion Church steeple and of course, the town’s fountain. The committee is hopeful to have T-shirts available as a fundraiser at upcoming LDI events and also in the community grove after the parade.

The committee is hoping to attract local civic and community organizations to participate in the parade such as church groups, social organizations and clubs, as well as youth sports organizations and local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

The LDI is planning to award prizes in categories Patriotic Coaster Race, Patriotic Church Group, Patriotic Restaurant/Bar, Patriotic Farm/Agriculture, Patriotic Business, Best Patriotic Community/Auxiliary/Service Group and a Color Guard or Veterans Group.

The Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1 Inc. Social Club will sponsor the parade awards for fire departments and ambulances to honor the contributions of Benjamin Franklin to volunteer firefighting. He is remembered with helping found the Union Fire Company, sometimes called Franklin’s Bucket Brigade in Philadelphia in 1736. It was America’s first volunteer fire company. The top prize will be $2,000 for the best marching emergency service company with music. There are 13 different categories for emergency vehicle prizes.

A festival will be held at the Lehighton Community Grove on the same day as the parade, and there will be live entertainment in the Grove throughout the day. Food stands will be available as well. The festival will continue until around 9 p.m.

The committee is looking for any interested nonprofit groups to have a food stand at the grove. Anyone interested may contact them by email at ldilehighton@gmail.com.

There are two fundraisers taking place to benefit the parade: The LDI is sponsoring a Wing Jam at the Lehighton Orioles on Aug. 29 to raise funds for the parade and other community projects. It will be a day of hot wings and hot music.

The Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1 is currently selling meat raffle tickets as a parade fundraiser with $3,000 worth of prizes to be drawn on Aug. 21. Tickets may be purchased from social club members. The club will also have an open house to the public on the day of the parade with food and beverages for purchase.