Nazareth Days to feature shopping, eating and playing

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2012/07/shopping_eating_and_playing_on.html FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES Carriage rides, trolley rides, vendor displays, sidewalk sales, block party gatherings, face painters and fireworks. Whatever will bring foot traffic into the Nazareth downtown area is the goal of volunteers behind the annual Nazareth Days event scheduled to run Thursday through Saturday. The event is celebrating more than 35 years. “It’s an eclectic event with a lot of things to do,” said Paul Luongo, event chairman and branch manager at Merchants Bank. “You can really spend the entire day and the evening and enjoy a true community festival and experience the history as well as the activities of the community." Nazareth Days will kick off Thursday with a sidewalk sale featuring about 15 merchants in the downtown circle. Businesses will be displaying items outdoors at special prices. Shoppers can have a game card stamped to be entered to win door prizes at a raffle taking place 3 p.m. Saturday in Center Square, Luongo said. Free trolley car service will be available during the sidewalk sale to transport guests from Nazareth Borough Park into the downtown area and back. For some downtown merchants, it’s a chance to get cash registers ringing in a tough economic climate. Barbara Saslo, owner of All Decked Out Inc. and Barbara's Treasures on South Broad Street, said she’ll be marking merchandise down 40 to 70 percent. “It’s better than Black Friday. This is the biggest weekend for us,” Saslo said. “"We treat it as an old-fashioned sidewalk sale, where we actually put things on the sidewalk." Vanessa Sabatine, owner of Herbs to Your Success on Belvidere Street, said as a borough native, she remembers looking forward to Nazareth Days. The downtown was filled with folks flocking to shops in search of deals, she said. “I’m trying to bring that back,” she said. “Bring back the downtown feel and shop local.” Friday will bring the annual block party, running 7 to 11 p.m. in Nazareth with live entertainment by Uncle Smiley and a disc jockey. Members of Vigilance Hose Co. No. 1 will be barbecuing. On Saturday, the event is featuring a variety of activities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Center Square, including a Mario Andretti Indy Car display, live music by two bands, firetruck display, farmers market, crafters and a children’s pavilion area at Broad and Belvidere streets that will include arts and crafts, clowns and face painting. The fifth annual Hose Poker Run, featuring avid motorcyclists, and the 15th annual Road Rally, featuring motorists, also is planned. Festivities at 10 p.m. will end with a fireworks show put on by Vigilance Hose Co. No. 1. Nazareth Days began in 1976 by the borough’s recreation commission and the first event was held at the former library (now borough council chambers) on West Center Street. By 1978, it moved to the borough park and expanded throughout the years, featuring new activities, said Barbara Smith, a chamber member.