In your town – July 4

LEHIGH COUNTY

ALLENTOWN will hold its 53rd annual Allentown Police Athletic League's Fourth of July fireworks show at J. Birney Crum Stadium. Entertainment will begin at 5 p.m. with the Large Flowerheads. Also playing will be Jake Kaligis and the New Constitution and the Marine Band. There also will be demonstrations by the Allentown Police Department canine unit, the Allentown Fire Department and Red E. Fox, the instructor mascot of the Allentown Communications Center. A jet flyover will be held at 6 p.m. and skydivers, an Allentown Fourth of July tradition, will make their first appearance at 7:30 p.m., followed by a second flight at 8:30 p.m. and a third flight just before the fireworks begin at 9:15 p.m. Celebration Fireworks of Kutztown is producing the show, which is being choreographed to music. The event is co-sponsored by the city of Allentown, the Allentown Police Athletic League and the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. A donation of $5 per family and $2 per adult is requested to defray expenses of the approximately $20,000 show. Volunteers will be at the stadium entrances and will have collection boxes. Food will be available for purchase inside the stadium.

NORTHERN LEHIGH FUTURE FOCUS, a Slatington based community visioning group, will unveil 12 banners 10 a.m. Tuesday at Salem United Methodist Church, 4019 Main St., Slatedale. The new Slatedale banners will be hung on light poles throughout the town from spring through fall. The banners were designed by Sean Allison, a communication design student at Kutztown University. The banners depict a large Victorian House below a slate bank and derricks and state, "Slatedale A Historic Slate Quarrying Village, est. 1856". Funding for the banners was made possible with a grant from the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce Foundation and a local Adopt a Banner Program held in Washington Township and also Washington Township and Northern Lehigh Future Focus.

LOWER MACUNGIE LIBRARY'S Adult Reading Club will present Julia Horn of Iobst Travel, Emmaus, 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Wescoesville Recreation Center, 5047 Hamilton Blvd. Horn will present "Great River Cruises" and will take participants on a virtual cruise down European rivers and Chinese waterways.To register, contact the library at 610-966-6864.

THE ROTARY CLUB OF ALLENTOWN WEST will honor Vern Fenstermaker with a special flag pole and lighting dedication ceremony 1 p.m. July 11 at Ziegels Union Church, 990 Ziegels Church Road, Breinigsville. Fenstermaker was a past president and secretary of the club and is a World War II veteran receiving the Bronze Star in 1945. Fenstermaker joined the Whitehall Rotary Club in 1967 when he worked for Lehigh Valley Dairies, where he eventually retired from after 50 years of service. He was secretary and club president of the club and joined the Allentown West Club when the Whitehall club disbanded. Fenstermaker is a Paul Harris Fellow, a recognition bestowed to Rotarians for generous contributions made to the Rotary International Foundation. Fenstermaker, 90, is being recognized by The Rotary Club and his church for his service to Rotary. For information, contact club president, Joe Goll at 610-440-2772 or email at joe.goll@lpl.com.

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY

PLAINFIELD FARMERS FAIR will be held July 20-24 at the Plainfield Farmers Grove, Route 191, Plainfield Township. Pre-registration will be held 7-9 p.m. Monday and July 12 at the grove. Any Pennsylvania resident may enter exhibits in any department, except livestock, which is restricted to Northampton County residents. Exhibits must have been made or grown between July 2009-10. Entry fee cost is $2 per exhibitor. For fair schedule, see http://www.plainfieldfarmersfair.com or call Susan Hahn at 610-863-6816.

LEHIGH TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SOCIETY will hold a grand opening of the newly restored St. Paul's Schoolhouse 1-4 p.m. Saturday. The schoolhouse is located just off Route 248, next to St. Paul's United Church of Christ, 787 Almond Road, Indianland. Light refreshments will be available. For information, call Nancy at 610-767-0676.

ORGANIZING FOR A BETTER BETHLEHEM will hold a food drive 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Central Moravian Church, 73 W. Church St., Bethlehem. Accepted items include canned food, peanut butter and diapers/baby items. Early drop-off locations in Bethlehem include: Heavenly Hedgehog, 563 Main St.; New Street Bookshop, 515 N. New St.; and Wildflower Café, 316 S. New St. For information, e-mail ofabbcommunityservice@gmail.com.

BUCKS AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES

PERKASIE BOROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION will continue its free Summer Concert Series in the Park 7-9 p.m. Wednesday at Menlo Park, Fifth Street and Park Avenue. The Christopher Dean Band will perform regional blues and soul music. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be held under the Menlo Park pavilion. For information, call 215-257-5065.

BUCKS COUNTY COURTHOUSE lawn, 55 E. Court St., Doylestown, will be the site of a Brown Bag It With the Arts event noon Wednesday. Christy Jefferson will perform. For information, call 215-348-3913.

PEAK CENTER, 315 W. Main St., Lansdale, will offer a portrait painting for beginners workshop 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays beginning this week through Aug. 11. The cost is $50. To register, call 215-362-7432.

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY

DINKEY MEMORIAL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1742 Dinkey Road, Ashfield, will hold the class, Good Food Nurtures the Spirit, 7 p.m. Tuesday. Chef Donna Brown will use the region's seasonal ingredients to prepare delicious, convenient and healthy food. The cost is $5. To register, call Wanda Crostley at 570-386-2834 or 570-225-5589.

LOCUST LAKE STATE PARK, Barnesville, will hold a 5.5-mile hike along Crow and Lake View trails 9 a.m. Wednesday. Leashed dogs are welcome. Participants should meet in the Crow Trail parking lot. To register, call 570-467-2506.

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