Halloween parade, Rocktoberfest to be held on separate weekends in 2020
Despite constant rain most of the day, the Rocktoberfest went on in Lehighton on Sunday in the Lehighton Park as planned. It was a two-day event, with sunny skies attracting large crowds on Saturday. The band Rude Groove plays rock ’n’ roll despite the weather. Members are, from left, Mike Muffley of Lehighton, guitar; Zach Venable of Coaldale, drums; and Daniel Jenkins of Nesquehoning, vocals. RON GOWER/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS
Two popular functions won’t be staged on the same weekend next year in Lehighton.
On a 5-0 vote, borough council on Monday approved separate motions with regard to the 2020 Halloween parade and Rocktoberfest events. Councilmen Joe Flickinger and Darryl Arner were absent.
Council’s decisions came after it heard from Julie Harris, parade chairwoman, and Councilman Ryan Saunders, who also serves as vice president of LDI.
The fourth annual Rocktoberfest was held Oct. 19-20 in the borough’s downtown parks to benefit breast cancer awareness.
That coincided with the 49th annual Lehighton Halloween Parade, which was held Oct. 19.
Saunders said he didn’t believe it was a detriment to have both events held simultaneously.
“Everybody was fairly happy with the parade being held the same weekend as Rocktoberfest,” Saunders said.
“We’d love to see the Halloween Parade be on the same weekend as Rocktoberfest (in 2020).”
Harris said that while she believes Rocktoberfest is great, she doesn’t believe it’s in everyone’s best interest to have both events held on the same weekend, especially with the parade’s 50th year upcoming.
“Our plan is to have everything double the size, which is going to make everything (bigger),” Harris said.
“(To have) two big things going, why do them on the same weekend?”
Harris reiterated that while Halloween parade committee has nothing against Rocktoberfest, there were no fire police available for this year’s parade.
Saunders assured Harris that moving forward, Rocktoberfest isn’t going to request having fire police, and acknowledged there was a shortage of fire police.
Harris then explained how the Halloween parade committee goes about selecting the date for its event.
“We pick our date working around the high school football schedule,” she said. “That’s why we requested the (Oct.) 10th.”
Saunders then asked Harris if there could be any consideration given to hosting next year’s parade later in the month closer to Halloween.
Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky said she understood the parade committee’s request with next year’s parade being its 50th.
Abelovsky then suggested that there could perhaps be some collaboration of the two events being held again on the same weekend in the future.
At that, council approved the parade committee to host its 50th annual Halloween parade on Oct. 10, with the rain date of Oct. 11.
Council then approved LDI to host Rocktoberfest the weekend of Oct. 17-18.
