Five Cool Places for 4th of July Festivities

by Carrie Havranek

‘Tis the season to buy explosives and set them off in light of our nation’s celebration of independence. Here are five cool places to see fireworks this 4th of July weekend.

1. Coca-Cola Park, Allentown. On Sunday, July 3, fireworks will go off after the IronPigs game, which has a 6:35 start. An evening at our AAA-affiliated baseball park is cheaper than an evening at the movies; plus, you can walk around and people watch, too. Go IronPigs! Go 4th of July!

2. Sand Island, Bethlehem, July 4, dusk.  Admittedly, there are a LOT of activities in Bethlehem this weekend (see Laini’s List of 9 for details on the inaugural SteelStacks celebration). If you get downtown a bit earlier, you can hear the Bethlehem Municipal Band, 7:30 p.m. July 4, Payrow Plaza, at 12 E. Church Street.

3. Cement Belt Fair, Whitehall. If you can’t wait until Monday, or you want to see more than one display this weekend, you’re in luck as fireworks are a part of this annual festival, now in its 63rd year, featuring a petting zoo, rides, an eating contest and more. July 2, fireworks; free admission; festival runs through July 3; Cementon Park, Whitehall.

4. J Birney Crum Stadium, Allentown. An annual event now in its 54th year, the party benefits the Police Athletic League.  The fun starts at 6p.m. and the Allentown Marine Band will play, too. You can expect lots of food and music inside the stadium. Free admission but a donation of $2 per adult or $5 per family is kindly requested. July 4.

5. Heritage Day, Easton. The holiday isn’t celebrated in Easton until after the 4th, to commemorate the city’s special role in Independence Day—did you know this was the third place the Declaration of Independence was read? Everything starts in Center Square at 11a.m. with a reading, and the fun takes off from there until 5pm, when the activities move to the riverfront. Juried crafts exhibit, kids activities, and lots of food vendors, and even a Civil War Road Show. Fireworks are visible all over town. July 10.

Carrie Havranek is a writer in Easton who isn’t sure how her toddler twins will react to fireworks, considering how scared they were of the Shammy Shine.