Whitehall discovered America last Wednesday.

"Discovering America" was the theme of Whitehall Township's 2013 Fall Festival Parade Oct. 11. It took place along a 1.6-mile route that passed through First Avenue in West Catasauqua and Third Street, Fullerton, before ending at the Fullerton Memorial Playground off Jefferson Street.

Township police vehicles, with flashing lights, led the parade. A float carrying a dummy intended to be Christopher Columbus was designed to resemble a ship, the S.S. Whitehall. Volunteers with the float collected donations of canned and nonperishable items in a Whitehall food drive.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7293, Egypt, presented the colors at the parade as it stepped off from Church Street and First Avenue. A huge American flag, stretched from curb to curb and held by volunteers from American Fence Company, drew applause from the crowd.

Whitehall Chamber of Commerce Executive Laura Long served as announcer at the reviewing stand, providing the crowd with information on each entry in the parade.

Unlike Halloween parades held across the region, the township parade had few, if any, scary characters such as witches, goblins and ghosts.

Musical organizations marching included the Whitehall High School Marching Zephyr Band, The Bethlehem Bagpipe Band and the Allentown Almost Marching Hobo Band.

The Cementon Knights cheerleaders, East Coast Dance Connection, Fullerton Memorial Park Association football squads and cheerleaders, Whitehall Historical Preservation Society, township commissioners, Hokendauqua Park & Playground Association girls softball teams and the Cementon Park Athletic Association also were part of the line.

Also featured during the parade were Mayor Edward D.Hozza Jr., Lehigh County Sheriff Ron Rossi and Allentown Fair Queen Sue Mickley of Whitehall.

Other participants included the Whitehall Fire Safety trailer, township fire engines and personnel, Hillbilly Fire Brigade, Whitehall Emergency Management, Whitehall Manor Senior Living, Ironton Rail-Trail Oversight Commission members on bikes, a 1937 Hahn fire truck, Pennsylvania Performing Arts Center, Cetronia Ambulance Corps, township library and the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church.