Deb Mellish, who chaired Catasauqua's Old Home Week celebration committee, held a wrap-up picnic for all the volunteers in Municipal Park recently.

The Old Home Week festivities were held over the July 4 holiday week. The volunteers invited all Catasauqua's residents, past and present, to the planned festivities and impromptu gatherings in the borough during the week.

This Old Home Week celebrated the 100th anniversary of the original celebration in 1914 when Catasauqua celebrated its part in ushering in the Industrial Revolution.

The Old Home Week celebration was touted as a success by all who attended the Aug. 27 picnic.

Early in the planning, the committee applied for a grant from Lehigh County to support the effort.

"I want to be sure to mention the county's Quality of Life grant," Mellish said in her report to the volunteers. "It was a key part of the success of this year's celebration."

The county grant authorized $15,000 and the committee spent $14,500. The funding helped pay for street banners, rack cards, a custom reproduction of the 1914 arches, and updates to historical videos.

Pie's On Pizzeria provided a supplement to roasted vegetables as the committee discussed their success.

The discussion yielded some interesting future community projects. The iron works property on Front Street opened its first mill in 1914, but the first ingot rolled out the door in 1915. That significant date could trigger another centennial celebration.

In the interim, future Catasauqua events include Fest-O-Fall on Oct. 4 and an Iron Works Blast community party Nov. 8. The annual Fest-O-Fall street party is sponsored by Historical Catasauqua Preservation Association. The Iron Works Blast is a new borough event now being planned, to be held at the old plate mill on Front Street, property now owned by the borough.

Committee chairs for Old Home Week committee included Jeff Miller and Brenda Wieder, entertainment; Joni Elekes, block party; Pat Yost, Willowbrook Farm's Square Dance and barbecue; Emily Zacharda and Melissa Brown, Sunday in the Park; Ben Ferenchak, Pub Crawl and Mega Class Reunion.

Sleepy Hollow Farm brought in an animal kingdom exhibit and dozens of volunteers contributed to the Catasauqua Walking History Project.