The temperature gauge on the Lehighton 150 Celebration Committee's thermometer has exceeded its capacity.

Thanks to a $7,000 donation presented Wednesday by the Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1, the committee was able to raise the thermometer in front of the building above its fundraising goal.With the presentation of the check from Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1, a total of $67,000 has been raised over the past two-and-a-half years, according to committee secretary Autumn Abelovsky."The committee cannot thank the community enough for all of their support," Abelovsky said.Abelovsky said 28 other businesses, organizations and individuals have sponsored the sesquicentennial. Many others joined in the efforts by being patrons or 150 club members, and others donated services.She added, "This town will see a celebration that our community has not seen in 50 years."The celebration will take place from Saturday, June 25, through Saturday, July 2.Abelovsky said the event will feature over a week of music, fun, contests, races, shows, parades and fireworks, while food vendors will be open during all hours of the event.Also, the committee will be offering several commemorative items such as shirts, hats, mugs, glasses, coins and several other items, she said.Abelovsky said "The sesquicentennial is a time in our history that will only ever occur once.""People still talk about the centennial with smiles on their faces," she said. "They remember back to that time that they sewed their own dress, grew a beard, raced in the Coaster Derby, won the Logo Contest or marched in the parade."Abelovsky said the committee remains hopeful the same sense of community pride will be exhibited during this celebration."We hope that the community of today will embrace the spirit of this town and take part in all that the Celebration Committee is offering," she said. "What an exciting time for our young citizens to experience, for parents to share in these memories with their families, and for those experiencing this type of celebration again, 50 years after the centennial, we hope to meet their expectations."Thermometers can be found in front of the borough municipal building, as well as next to the Lehighton sign on Stanley Hoffman Boulevard.A tentative schedule of events has been released by the committee, and include historic town tours, a square dance, a scavenger hunt, living history shows and tours, the infamous soap box derby, old-time kids games, a talent show, the Miss Sesquicentennial pageant, a musical theater production and, of course, a parade.Each day of the celebration will also have a street fair and music featured nightly at the amphitheater.Special events will also include naming a Citizen of the Century and a time capsule.A fireworks display will close the celebration.A Lehighton 150 Anniversary Booklet will be printed to commemorate the celebration.