The City of Lackawanna will hold an Outdoor Food & Music Festival beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday, June 25, on Ridge Road near City Hall. A Bite of Lackawanna will feature 19 city restaurants, beer/wine stations, artisan craft vendors, a kids fun zone, fireworks and musical performances by The Strictly Hip and the Willie May Blues Band.
Expected participants include: Al Sultan Restaurant & Bakery, Bella Pizza, Broadway Bobby’s, Curly’s Grille, Ice House Pub, Joker’s Bar, J’s White Elephant, Mulberry Italian Ristorante, Nikki’s Family Diner, Nite Cappe, OLV LunchWay Café, Pat’s Submarines, Sonny Reds, Socotra Café, Stack Burger, Steel City Pub, Steve’s Pig & Ox, Winfield’s Pub and The Villa Banquet Center.
In addition, two of the area’s most popular bands will perform at A Bite of Lackawanna. Willie May Blues Band will take the stage at 5 p.m., with The Strictly Hip headlining at 8 p.m. DJ music for the event will be provided by 97 Rock radio personality and Lackawanna resident DJ Jickster.
Lackawanna has a long history of hosting a carnival-style community festival, the last year being 2019 prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. The city’s goal for reintroducing a festival in 2023 was to deliver a different festival experience, one which brings residents of Lackawanna and neighboring communities together to benefit Lackawanna’s diverse restaurant industry.
“We’re excited to host A Bite of Lackawanna, an event showcasing Lackawanna’s wonderful assortment of restaurants and welcoming festival goers to our revitalized city,” said Mayor Annette Iafallo. “As a result of the millions in new economic development occurring in Lackawanna since 2020, our Central Business District is also slowly making a comeback. A Bite of Lackawanna will not only help our existing restaurants flourish, but also shine a positive light on opportunities for further small business development and growth along Ridge Road.”
The cost to host A Bite of Lackawanna is being funded entirely by the City of Lackawanna. There was no event entry fee and each participating restaurant will keep 100% of the profits they realize from the event. A Bite of Lackawanna is cash only and festival goers are advised to plan accordingly. ATMs will be accessible at various businesses located within and in close proximity to the festival area.
On June 25, Ridge Road in Lackawanna will be closed to vehicle traffic between South Park Avenue and Electric Avenue from 11 a.m. to midnight to accommodate the festival as well as set-up, take-down and clean-up of the event area. However, the Ridge Road intersections at South Park Avenue and Electric will remain open to vehicle traffic under direction of the Lackawanna Police Department.
Several designated parking lots along Ridge Road, Caldwell Place and South Park Avenue have been established for the event. Shuttle service will be available to/from parking lot locations.
More information about A Bite of Lackawanna can be found on the City of Lackawanna website at http://lackawannany.gov/abiteoflackawanna and Facebook page. The city has also established a dedicated email and phone line for submitting event questions, la**************@gm***.com and (716) 827-6690. All inquiries received will be answered in 24 to 48 hours.
