The Coplay Fire Department, 165 Cherry St., will hold an indoor yard sale 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 21.

Tables can be reserved for a fee until Sept 15.

If you have items sitting around the house you no longer need, why not make some extra cash and help out the fire department?

Refreshments and baked goods will also be available for sale during the yard sale.

For more information, contact 610-262-2005 or coplayfiredepartment@rcn.com.

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Coplay Community Days, which opens this evening, has undergone dramatic changes in the last three years.

Turning back the clock to the early 1980s, Coplay Community Days was born out of a plea of a Lehigh County official. He wanted to determine if there was interest in holding an event to buoy decreased attendance at the Saylor Park Cement Kilns Museum, located next to the borough parkway.

Civic and social organizations in town were invited to a meeting which spawned the community days event.

A weekend festival was set for the latter part of August. The event was designed to bring the community together and create a forum where others could meet neighbors and in a festive, picnic setting.

At first, the central committee generated a profit but later, it was determined the groups involved should have a slice of the pie.

The two-day event emphasized polka music but, as the years passed and younger families began attending, the music shifted to more of a rock style. Now the Johnny Dee Orchestra is the only polka band performing at Community Days.

Looking back, Lehigh County made its presence known at the festival when former county Executive David Bausch, with his trademark sweaters, presented the Community Days organization with a citation.

The county also gave the event a small stipend during those years.

The festival paid tribute to retired Coplay Cement Company workers. Coplay Saengerbund sponsored the small races for children and adults run on borough streets. A congressman at the time had heads turning when he showed up for the race in red, white and blue stars and stripes shorts.

There is still talk of Mrs. Wallisch's roast pork sandwiches, which usually sold out. Many sandwiches were made at a stand raising funds for the community's Christmas street lighting. Coplay Sports rib eye steak sandwiches were also popular.

A few years ago, Community Days appeared to be on the brink of collapse. These days, however, it's a vibrant event that includes many new features. Among them are rides, free swimming at the borough pool over the weekend, a race on the Ironton Rail-Trail, six different bands and a variety of food.

The event opens tonight with the Aardvarks from 6-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, entertainment begins at noon and runs until 10 p.m.