Scene in Easton: Celebrating the 193rd Anniversary of Greek Independence

By Christina Georgiou

About 80 people gathered in Centre Square Saturday afternoon to witness the raising of the Greek flag in observance of the upcoming Greek Independence Day, on March 25.

Fr. Constatine Papadopoulos, of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Wilson Borough, led the gathering, along with State Representative Robert Freeman and Easton Mayor Sal Panto.

After a brief prayer in Greek, Papadopoulos spoke about the importance of freedom and liberty.

"Freedom is precious today, and it is the mother of liberty," he said. "It is freedom that allows us to have pride in our souls."

Young attendees wave smaller flags as they wait for the
Greek flag raising ceremony to begin.
Click on any photo for a full size view

He added, "We also appreciate the founders of America...this great, great nation."

Freeman, after presenting Papadopoulos with a declaration of recognition of the event from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, noted the influence of Greek culture on society as a whole.

"We acknowledge the many contributions of Greek Americans...Greek Americans have made America strong as so many other immigrants have made America strong," he said. "We also acknowledge the many contributions of Greek civilization to the world...The world owes a debt of gratitude to the Greek civilization. The world would not be the same without them."

The group, with many holding Greek flags, then sang the national anthem, followed by the Greek national anthem.

Before assisting parish president John Kariofillis with raising the Greek flag over Centre Square, Panto noted, "This Greek ethnic group in Easton is strong, and I hope it remains strong...We need our ethnic groups to remain strong so we as a country continue to prosper together."

Angelo Karaminas, 5, of Easton, dressed in traditional Greek garb for
the event.

Fr. Constatine Popadopoulos of the Annunciation Greek
Orthodox Church talks with a young parishioner at
Saturday's flag raising event on Centre Square.

 

A family watches as the Greek flag is raised
over Centre Square.

Fr. Constatine Popadopoulos reads the resolution recognizing
the event given to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
by the state legislature after the event.

Scene in Easton: Peace Candle Lights the Night for the Holiday Season

By Christina Georgiou

The Easton Peace Candle was lit for the first night of the
holiday season Friday night.
Click on any photo for a full size view.

Despite frigid temperatures, thousands turned out for the annual Easton Peace Candle lighting Friday night.

The switch was pulled by Abigail and  Amelia Faulkner, accompanied by their mother Tara. The three shared the "Illuminator" title, which was won in the annual eBay auction for $610 by Tom Lutes, a Downtown resident and local business owner. Lutes bestowed the honor on the three, who are the wife and daughters of his friend, Carl Faulkner,an Easton Police Department motorcycle officer.

Sandra O'Brien-Werner, who headed the Easton Holiday Committee, which planned the Peace Candle lighting for years before the event was taken over by the Easton Main Street Initiative, was named this year's recipient of the Gretchen Wrenshaw Community Spirit Award.

Mayor Sal Panto praised O'Brien-Werner, noting that the Holiday Committee had raised nearly half of the $25,000 needed for recent Peace Candle renovations and maintenance.

Mayor Sal Panto offers the switch for Amelia and Abigail
Faulker to pull, as their mother, Tara, behind them, looks on.

Volunteers at the First UCC on North Third Street hand out
hot cocoa and cookies at their open house during the
Peace Candle lighting event Friday evening.

Numerous shops stayed open late for the event, and event attendees enjoyed a number of seasonal activities, including a trackless train and horse drawn carriage rides, as well as a holiday parade that included the arrival of Santa Claus.

Homemade cookies and coffee and hot chocolate were a hit at the First UCC open house, as chilly attendees stopped by to warm up and view the historic church.

Two other churches, St. John's Lutheran and Cornerstone Church, had tents in Centre Square where children did crafts and made tree ornaments.

A petting zoo also amused kids and their parents, while musicians from the Easton Area High School Brass Ensemble, Easton Municipal Band, and Tuba Christmas entertained the enthusiastic crowd with seasonal songs.

Sandra O'Brien-Werner accepts the Gretchen Wrenshaw
Community Spirit Award.

Ice carving was also part of the event.

Peace Candle Illuminator Again to Be Chosen by EBay Auction

The Easton Peace Candle, moments after it was lit for the first time
for the holiday season at last year's lighting event.

Once again this year, the privilege of flipping the switch and lighting Easton's iconic Peace Candle will go to the winner of an eBay auction for the title of "The Official 2013 Illuminator".

The title, however, also comes with responsibilities, noted the Easton Main Street Initiative in a media release about the auction.

The high bidder must be present and attend the Santa Parade, which has been extended over last year's route and begins at 7 p.m. The Illuminator will also carry "The Official Match", an apparently new feature of the event. The Illuminator will then pull the switch to light the Peace Candle during the lighting ceremony at 8 p.m.

The auction, which began quietly on Friday, had already received 22 bids from five Illuminator hopefuls by Monday afternoon, with $200 needed to top the list. Proceeds from the auction will help offset Peace Candle lighting ceremony event expenses.

The privilege was won last year for a high bid of $280 by Tom Sestak, who chose to bequeath the honor on his girlfriend, Cindy Lytle, who pulled the switch in front of a cheering crowd with three friends close at hand.

In 2011, bidding topped out at $400, and the privilege was granted to Mary Elizabeth Soffera of Williams Township, a young fund raiser and big fan of the Peace Candle, after her grandfather, Ed Dietrich, won the auction and bestowed the honor upon her.

The Peace Candle Lighting ceremony and Holiday Open House event will be held the day after Thanksgiving, on Friday, November 29 from 5 to 9 p.m. Many Downtown retailers will be open late that evening, and the city has decreed that curbside metered parking that day is free.

Activities in addition to the parade and lighting ceremony are planned to ice sculpting demonstrations, a craft show, kids' activities, live music, and horse-drawn carriage rides for a fee.

To view the auction or bid on the title of "The Official 2013 Illuminator", click here.

Easton Peace Candle Sponsors Can "Light a Night"

A crane stands at the ready on Centre Square Tuesday
evening. Easton's Peace Candle, a decades-long
tradition and the largest non-wax candle in North
America, is set to be erected today over the
Soldiers and Sailors monument.

Volunteer and city workers are set to erect Easton's Peace Candle today on Centre Square, and the traditional lighting ceremony will happen on Black Friday, November 29 from 5 to 9 p.m., but keeping the largest non-wax candle in North America lit throughout the holiday season, until January 20, requires a community effort.

To that effect, the Easton Main Street Initiative (EMSI), which has taken over the organization of the Peace Candle lighting event in the past few years, is seeking businesses and individuals to "Light a Night".

For $30 a day, sponsors can honor a loved one or promote their business, the organization has announced. Event sponsors will be listed in the official event program and be listed on a display on Centre Square.

The donations are tax-deductible.

More information can be found on the EMSI website here, and "Light a Night" sponsorship forms can be downloaded directly by clicking here.

Completed forms with a check for $30 made out to the Greater Easton Development Partnership (GEDP), can be mailed to:

Easton Main Street Initiative
c/o Peace Candle
35 S. Third Street
Easton, PA 18042

Sponsors may also drop off their forms with payment at Crayton's Creations, 249 Northampton St. during business hours--Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.

Scene in Easton: Bacon Fest II

By Christina Georgiou

Kostas Karaminas, of Angelo's on North Fourth Street, cooks up some bacon
during Bacon Fest II, held Saturday on Easton 's Centre Square.
Click on any photo for a full size view

Kim Rothenbeck took first prize at the
the hog calling contest during Bacon Fest II
in Easton on Saturday.

Thousands of bacon lovers flocked to Easton and hammed up the porcine goodness Bacon Fest II had to offer Saturday on Centre Square--and there was quite a lot of it!

From bacon everything--including jams, chocolate-covered bacon, bacon ice cream, and a plethora of savory bacon culinary creations--to pig and weiner dog races, a hog-calling contest, and even "Art du Cochon", the day was packed with fun and food for all.

A sweet potato bacon cupcake with cranberry sauce filling and
goat cheese, mascarpone and cream cheese frosting by Ashley Barlow took first prize at the "Hog Heaven Cupcake Competition", while the honorable mention went to Jessica Delong for her cupcake featuring a bacon pecan crumble and brown sugar maple frosting.

Delong also took a prize at the competition for the presentation of her cupcake creation, and 13-year-old Gracie Barone, whose entry was a banana, peanut butter and bacon cupcake, got an honorable mention for her Elvis-themed presentation at the event.

Kim Rothenbeck, appropriately dressed in hot pink porcine accessories, won the hog calling contest for her energetic, amusing interpretation of attracting swine to come home, in front of an enthusiastic crowd.

Others made pigs of themselves, as a number of festival-goers were seen sporting snouts, piggy hats, and other animal inspired accessories celebrating the day.

Easton Farmers' Market manager Megan McBride chats with
the proprietor of Bacon on Wheels. The vendor was sold
out by mid-afternoon.

When it was all done, little bacon was left. Though most vendors had brought enough supplies to make it through the day, some others were seen packing it in or enjoying the festival themselves after the crowd had gobbled the last of their popular offerings.

Said one, "I guess we'll just have to bring even more next year."

Easton Hospital appropriately provided free cholesterol
screenings at Bacon Fest II on Saturday.

There was even pig-inspired art at Bacon Fest II.

Artist Charles Vail works on a pig painting at Bacon Fest II
held in Easton's Centre Square on Saturday.

Easton's Centre Square was temporarily renamed "Bacon Street" on Saturday.