Fall Festival Fundraiser for Saucon Youth Sports Could Draw 2,000 to Hellertown

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A fall festival fundraiser that will benefit Saucon Valley youth sports teams could draw as many as 2,000 visitors to Dimmick Park this Halloween weekend, Hellertown Borough Council was told by organizers Monday night.

The entrance to Dimmick Park in Hellertown

Council gave the green light for the festival–first proposed last month–which will be held Saturday, Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will include a 5K race, activities for kids, a basket raffle, a live college football viewing area, live music and a VIP area where food samples, wine and beer tastings provided by Lost Tavern Brewing will be served to ticketholders.

Bill Binczak, vice president of sales for festival presenter South Italy Imports of Bethlehem, told council the plan is to sell as many as 600 VIP tickets.

South Italy Imports will obtain a special events liquor license for the entire park for that day only from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, possibly with assistance from the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce, Binczak said.

Partners in presenting the festival are the chamber, Lost Tavern Brewing and Saucon Source.

A cadre of volunteers from the various Saucon youth sports leagues and organizations that will benefit from the festival are expected to assist with running it, performing tasks from food service to parking vehicles in the field next to Dewey Fire Company to cleanup.

Family-friendly foods like hamburgers and hot dogs as well as beverages including water and soda will be sold at the park pavilion, and beer will be available for purchase outside the gated VIP area.

The borough has agreed to provide police officers to help maintain security at the park as well as public works staff members, who will assist with various other logistical tasks necessary to help stage such a large event.

Binczak explained that preventing underage and offsite drinking will be a priority.

“We will have marked clear cups so you would know people were walking around with beer,” he told council. Patrons who are 21 and older will be carded and wristbanded before being allowed to consume alcohol.

The two local bands that have already to committed to perform at the festival are the Tim Harakal Trio (acoustic pop/folk) and the Billy Bauer Band (adult alternative).

Kids activities will be spread across the baseball fields along Constitution Avenue, while the main festival area will occupy the lawn next to the pavilion and bandshell.

There will be a nominal fee charged for participation in the kids activities, which Binczak estimated might be a maximum of $30 for larger families.

The proposed route for the 5K begins and ends at the park and includes a loop along Wassergass and Reservoir roads, Panther Way and Constitution Avenue.

Council voted 5-0 to approve the festival proposal. Council members John Bate and Herb Payung were absent.

Proceeds from the first-of-its-kind Hellertown festival will benefit participating Saucon youth sports teams, including football, cheerleading, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer and wrestling. All of the major local youth sports organizations have been approached about participating in the festival, which will require a commitment of time, human resources and limited financial support.

The money raised by the event will be divided equally among the participating youth sports organizations.

More details about the festival and 5K will be announced via Saucon Source, its Facebook page, South Italy Imports and other sources in the coming weeks.

Sponsors at various levels and donations will also be sought in the coming weeks.

For more information about sponsorship/donor opportunities when it becomes available, please email Bill Binczak (wr*@so***************.net), Josh Popichak (jo**@sa**********.com) or Keith Riefenstahl (ri**@pt*.net).

The tentative schedule for the day is as follows: