The First Friday of September kicks off Funfest weekend and will include the first Hazleton Area High School home football game of the season, open hours at the Hazleton Area Historical Society Museum, Alumni Night at Lackawanna College, a Sanctuary stunt show, live music and the last farmer’s market of the season.
Farmer’s market
Friday will mark the last farmer’s market and health fair of the season at Broad and Laurel streets.
PPL will have its mobile van at the market to assist customers with enrollment in its OnTrack bill assistance program and its WRAP energy efficiency program. Health care vendors will include Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton’s trauma department.
The market runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vouchers will be given to all market customers to save on purchases at local shops and restaurants.
For more information, call the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce at 570-455-1509, ext. 101.
Night at the Museum
Stop by the Greater Hazleton Historical Society and Museum, 55 N. Wyoming St., between 5 and 7 p.m. and reminisce about your high school days.
See the museum’s huge collection of yearbooks from local schools dating back to the 1920s and check out the school exhibits and photos.
The museum will also be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission is $5 per person. For more information, call 570-578-4112.
Alumni party at Lackawanna College
If you studied at any college or university in the area (Lackawanna, Luzerne County Community College, Penn State University, Bloomsburg, Wilkes, etc.) or even outside the area, stop by Lackawanna College, 2 E. Broad St., in the former Trader’s Bank building, for an alumni party from 6 to 8 p.m. to celebrate your achievements and connect with other alums.
Light refreshments will be available. For more information, call 570-455-1509, ext. 109.
Hazleton Area vs. Dallas
Cheer on the Hazleton Area High School varsity football team in its first home game of the season at Harman-Geist Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Phoenix Rises Strength & Renewal
Phoenix Rises, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless people get back on their feet, will sell food and raffle tickets to support preparation of winter care packages for them.
People are also encouraged to donate Blessing Bags (Ziploc baggies filled with toiletries, nonperishable foods, gloves, hats, grocery gift cards, etc.) or individual items.
The event will take place at the Sage Exchange, 11 E. Broad St., from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information, call Ester Medina at 570-497-4244.
Live music at the Pines
Ed Appenal and Bret Alexander will perform live at The Pines Eatery & Spirits, 8 W. Broad St., from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. For more information, call 570-501-0330.
Sanctuary open house and tryouts
The Sanctuary Stunt Studio, 172 N. Wyoming St., will host an open house and tryouts for its 2020 season from 8 to 10 p.m.
While the studio is primarily looking for stunt fighters, all types of theater personal are invited to join in supporting roles (musicians, singers, dancers, rappers, actors, comedians, magicians, etc), and backstage help.
The Sanctuary is in the former Holy Trinity Church, near Harman-Geist Stadium. For more information, call 570-262-0636.
Peace Love Chalk art competition
The fifth annual Peace Love Chalk big-prized chalk art contest will be held Saturday as part of Funfest’s activities.
The contest has two divisions: a junior division for children from 12 to 17 years old and an adult division for anyone 18 and older.
Registration will be held beginning at 8:15 a.m. at the future Hayden Family Center for the Arts, 31 W. Broad St.
Artists will create their artwork in the street from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Final judging and awards will take place at 3:15 p.m.
The event will be held rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, it will be moved indoors to the Hazleton Art League, 225 E. Broad St.
For more information on Peace Love Chalk, call the Hazleton Art League at 570-454-0092 or Carmine Parlatore at 570-861-8455.
Funfest 2019
The Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce will host the 41st annual Funfest street festival all day Saturday and Sunday.
The Funfest car show will take place from noon to 3 p.m. Live entertainment will feature the Cellar Dwellarzz, Wild Doctor North and 7800 Degrees Fahrenheit (Bon Jovi tribute band) and the Fuzzy Park Band. There will also be kids activities, senior activities, food vendors, games and more.
Sunday will kick off with a CommUNITY Interfaith Service, followed by the Little Mermen, a national Disney tribute band. The Funfest parade will begin at 2:30 p.m. and be followed by Parrot Beach, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band from 5 to 7 p.m.
For more information, call 570-455-1509, ext. 101.
Planning
Anyone interested in participating in or helping plan or participate in First Friday events is encouraged to do so.
For more information and a printable flyer, visit www.downtownhazleton.org or call the Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress at 570-455-1509, ext. 109.
First Friday promotions are organized by the Downtown Hazleton Alliance for Progress in partnership with the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce, Hazleton POWER!, the Society of Hispanic Professionals of the Hazleton Area and the Hazleton Art League, with support from the Luzerne County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.
