This is the week the Lehigh Valley's September calendar fills up: Friday-night high school football under the lights in Catasauqua, a projection light festival in downtown Easton, and a college football Family Weekend in nearby Bethlehem. Here is what is happening in and around Catasauqua and North Catasauqua this week, the latest from the Catasauqua Area School District, and a few good places to eat while you are in town.
Local News and Community Happenings
The Catasauqua Borough Council holds its regular business meeting Monday, September 21, at 7:00 p.m. at the municipal complex at 90 Bridge Street. Council business meetings are open to the public, and agendas are posted on the borough website ahead of time. No North Catasauqua Borough council meeting is scheduled for this week, per the borough site; meeting notices and agendas appear at northcatasauqua.org as they are posted.
With October right around the corner, both boroughs are starting to firm up their fall calendar. The date for the annual Catasauqua/North Catasauqua Halloween Parade had not yet been announced on the borough sites as of this week; recent years have run in late October, and the parade committee shares registration details by email at Paradein18032@gmail.com once the schedule is set. North Catasauqua's Autumnfest & Car Show at North Catasauqua Park on Grove Street also typically lands in October, with a car show, food court, craft and flea market, and live music; the 2026 date had not been posted yet at the time of writing, so watch northcatasauqua.org for the official announcement.
Quick Calendar for the Week Ahead
- Rough Riders football vs Palmerton (home)Fri, Sep 18, 7 pm
- East On Fest projection light festival, Downtown EastonFri-Sat, Sep 18-19, 8-11 pm
- Lehigh University vs Dartmouth, Family Weekend, Goodman StadiumSat, Sep 19, noon
- Catasauqua Borough Council business meeting, 90 Bridge StMon, Sep 21, 7 pm
- Early dismissal, all district buildingsWed, Sep 23
At the Catasauqua Area School District
Good news out of the district this week: the Catasauqua Area School District was named a 2026 Top Workplace in the Lehigh Valley, ranking No. 4 among mid-size employers and receiving a special appreciation award. The recognition was posted on the district's news page, a nice nod to the staff, teachers, and community that keep the district running.
On the calendar, the district has an early-dismissal day for all buildings on Wednesday, September 23, so families can plan for an earlier pickup that afternoon. The board of education held its September meeting last week; the board keeps a monthly cadence, with agendas and minutes posted on the district website. The district is also recruiting building substitutes and special education teachers for the 2026-27 school year, with openings listed on cattysd.org.
Fall sports are rolling under the Rough Riders banner. The varsity football team hosts Palmerton at home this Friday, September 18, with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff, coming off a road game at Saucon Valley the previous Friday. Game dates, times, and any changes are posted on the Rough Riders athletics pages, so check there before heading to the field.
Things to Do in the Area
The standout on the weekend calendar is East On Fest 2026, billed as the region's first projection light festival, in downtown Easton on Friday and Saturday, September 18 and 19, from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Artists project moving light displays onto the facades of Easton's historic buildings for a strollable evening show, a short drive down Route 22 from Catasauqua.
Right next door in Bethlehem, Lehigh University hosts Dartmouth for its Family Weekend football game Saturday, September 19, at noon at Goodman Stadium, with campus events around it. It is an easy trip up Route 378 from Catasauqua and a good excuse to spend an afternoon on the South Side.
Closer to home, the D&L Trail runs along the Lehigh River near North Catasauqua and is at its best right now, with the first traces of fall color showing on the riverfront path, and William J. Albert Memorial Park on Grove Street is just a short walk from 514 Grove Street for an evening stroll. If the weekend gets warm, it is still a great week for a picnic at North Catasauqua Park.
Good Places to Eat Nearby
This week's pick is Grove Street Pub & Grill, the neighborhood pub and sports bar at 1092 Howertown Road in North Catasauqua. It opened in late 2021 in the former Blue Monkey building and bills itself as "your neighborhood place," with craft beer, casual American fare, burgers, cheesesteaks, wings, and a Rough Rider Wrap on the menu, plus outdoor seating. Call (610) 477-3305 for hours, or stop in before the game Friday.
Also worth a stop in town:
- Sazon Dominicano Restaurante: Dominican and Latin flavors at 215 Bridge Street in the heart of Catasauqua, good for lunch or dinner. Call (610) 443-0230.
- Blocker's Coffeehouse: a long-running local coffee shop on Front Street, ideal for a morning cup before your first showing or a walk down to the river.
Where to Confirm What Is On
Event dates and times can change, so confirm details directly before you go. The best local sources are the official Catasauqua and North Catasauqua borough sites, the Catasauqua Area School District site, the Lehigh Valley Press, and each event's own page.
A Note from the Home at 514 Grove Street
If you are spending time in North Catasauqua this week, the move-in-ready half twin at 514 Grove St. is worth a look: three bedrooms, one full and one half bath, an all-brick exterior, a covered front porch, a full basement, and a detached one-car garage, with fresh paint, new carpeting, and newer replacement windows. Tim Tepes of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Cassidon Realty has listed it, and he would be glad to walk you through it while you are in the area.
Contact Tim Tepes