Know Before You Go: Important Details About the 2017 SV Spirit Parade

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One of the biggest events of the year is right around the corner. The 2017 Saucon Valley Spirit Parade will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 22, in Hellertown. (Trick-or-Treat in Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township is Saturday, Oct. 28 from 4 to 6 p.m.).

The following information from the Borough of Hellertown about the volunteer-run parade is meant for those who will be attending and/or participating in it, and is meant to help ensure that everyone involved with the event has fun and stays safe.

Please review it if you will be attending or marching in the parade. The parade route is a large loop that begins and ends at the Saucon Valley School District Campus on Polk Valley Road. Lineup for participants is from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

1. The parade route (see map above) needs to be cleared of vehicles no later than 9 a.m. Sunday.
2. Road closures/detours for the parade begin at 1:15 p.m. (*Walnut Street will close shortly after 12 p.m. to ensure the safety of those staging the parade.) Roads used as part of the route (including East Walnut Street, Main Street, East Water Street, Rentzheimer Drive, Durham Street and Constitution Avenue) will be barricaded. Barricades should not be moved.
3. All participants should access the school district campus via Polk Valley Road (by McDonald’s on Main Street).
4. Participants should follow volunteers’ direction upon entering the school district campus (see below for a map).
5. Only the leader (one person) of the participating organization needs to register at the district Administrative Offices.
6. Arrive early, be patient and remember that this is an annual community event to be enjoyed by all–even the volunteers.
7. The judges’ stand is at Northampton and Water streets (by the Saucon Manor high-rise).
8. Service Electric will be staging their broadcast of the parade for TV2 in the 300 block of Main Street.
9. Several organizations (such as Hellertown Lions Club and Hellertown Area Library) will be offering food for sale. Any vendors without permits from the borough will be asked to leave.
10. There is no rain date for the parade.

The weather forecast for Sunday calls for sunny and warm conditions to prevail.

Parade organizers said Wednesday that with a high in the lower 70s expected, participants should remember to stay hydrated. There will be Port-a-Potties located between the dignitary division and Division 1 and at Division 6 in the staging area.

Follow the Saucon Valley Spirit Parade on Facebook for additional updates. 

According to an Oct. 8 post on the page, appearing in the final parade division (Division 6) will be “a special celebrity…who has never–ever–been in Hellertown.”

For the first time in many years the parade this year will also have a grand marshal, whose name will be announced on Sunday.

The parade chairman is Hellertown business owner/volunteer David Heintzelman.