The Lehighton Fire Department will hold two days worth of festivities to celebrate 150 years of fire and rescue services to the Lehighton Area.

The two-day event gets underway with an open house at 6 p.m. Thursday to tour the firehouse, a dedication program and celebration to dedicate its newest fire apparatus will start at 7 p.m.

Two days later, a parade to celebrate the fire department’s 150th anniversary will get underway at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Steve Ebbert, chairperson for the 150th Anniversary Committee, said, “The 150th Anniversary Committee is hoping for a successful event, and that the community, business and citizens that support the Lehighton Fire Department can share in our 150-year achievement.

“We would also like to thank the Lehighton Downtown Initiative, Highland Beverage, Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1 Social Club and all of the sponsors and participants who have been so cooperative working toward a common goal. The 150th Anniversary Committee would like to recognize and extend a sincere thank you to Lehighton’s Public Works Department and Lehighton Power and Light Department for making the streets and Community Grove look fantastic and preparing it to handle the electrical needs of the festival.”

Open house

The two-day event starts with an open house at 6 p.m. Thursday for the community to take a walk through the firehouse and see the equipment. The firehouse walls are decorated with photos and memorabilia from their 150 years of service. This includes ribbons from the original company, Lehigh Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 of Lehighton from 1874.

During the open house, Ebbert said there will be souvenir items for sale including two different styles of T-shirts: One to celebrate the 150th Anniversary with a collage of old and new fire engines; the second to celebrate the housing and dedication of their new ladder truck. It shows the new ladder with a reflection of the first motorized aerial ladder truck below it.

A pilsner glass will be sold for the anniversary, and a mug will be available for the housing and dedication ceremony. An art print was created by local artist Ruth Bush for the anniversary. Twenty-four are available, and each print is numbered and signed by the artist. The painting depicts the two firehouses with several homes in between and a fire engine from the 1970s. They will be on sale for $20.

Ebbert said tours will end at 7 p.m., and a ceremony to celebrate the 150th Anniversary and Dedication of the new Fire Apparatus will begin. The program will include resolutions from officials and a power point presentation on the history of the fire department.

Ebbert said the highlight of the evening will be the housing of three new pieces of fire equipment, each of which will be dedicated to members of both Lehigh Fire Co. No. 1 and Engine Company No. 2.

“Lehighton’s new 109-foot aerial ladder truck will be dedicated in the memory of Fire Chief Edward J. Conarty, Captain William Moser, Captain William Eberts, Captain Nevin Reichard and Captain Kenneth Nothstein,” he said. “The new ladder truck was the last one built at KMEs Nesquehoning Facility.”

Ebbert added that the new brush truck will be dedicated in the memory of Lieutenant David Kuhla and Lieutenant Donald Schnell.

He said the department’s newest rescue boat will be dedicated in memory of Assistant Fire Chief Dwight Nothstein and Lieutenant James Hauser.

“Family representatives of each of these departed members will be given the opportunity to ring a fire engine bell to honor the dedication and commitment of these men,” Ebbert said. “Each of their names will be on a plaque mounted on the designated apparatus to keep their memories alive with current and future firefighters who will carry on their tradition of service to the Lehighton Fire Department.”

Parade on Saturday

There will also be a parade at 1 p.m. Saturday, featuring nine bands, including three high school marching bands, senior community bands, pipe and drum bands and a Mummers string band.

More than 25 fire departments will participate with four private collectors bringing antique fire apparatus. Local Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Dance With Kim and the Lehighton Booster Club will participate as well.

The parade will begin with the activation of the town’s fire siren. The parade route will start at Seventh and Coal streets and proceed east toward Third Street. It will proceed down Third Street past a reviewing stand at the Lehighton Annex Building on North Third Street. The Lehighton Fire Department will pause at the Lehighton Firefighters’ Monument at the top of the borough park to honor past members by laying a bouquet of flowers at the base of the monument. When the parade continues on it will pass the firehouse before turning west onto Iron Street. It will continue on Iron Street before disbanding at the Community Grove at Eighth and Iron streets.

As part of the 150th Anniversary Celebration, The Lehighton Downtown Initiative is coordinating a festival in the Grove. Bounce houses and children’s activities are being supplied by Gombert Family Amusements and will be located on the Eighth Street side of the Grove above the tennis court. Food will be sold by local nonprofit groups such as the Lehighton Heritage Alliance, Pool Pals, Lehighton Takedown Club, LAHS Baseball Parents Club, LAHS Volleyball Parents Club, LAHS Boys Soccer Club and The Tribe Pride Band Boosters Club. The Lehighton Booster Club will have a bake sale and raffle, and the Parryville Fire Company will have its funnel cake stand in operation. The food stands will be located along Iron and Seventh streets.

The Lehighton Downtown Initiative will also sponsor a beer garden as part of the celebration. The Lehighton Fire Department and Lehighton Downtown Initiative received a sponsorship of the beer garden from Highland Beverage of Jim Thorpe, which made several donations and provided large advertisements of the event.

Entertainment and food stands will begin at noon with “Doc” Roberts providing music until 3 p.m. At 3 p.m. the band Super Sonic Godfathers will take the stage playing rock from the ’60s to ’90s. They will take a break at 4:30 p.m. for the parade awards to be announced. After the award presentations, the band will return to the stage to play until 7 p.m.