The annual bonfire held by the Catasauqua School District the night before its Thanksgiving Day football game against Northampton has been canceled because of safety concerns.
District Superintendent Christina Lutz-Doemling said the borough’s fire department did not approve a permit for the event, which was scheduled for Wednesday at Sheckler Elementary School. Since the announcement, there has been plenty of chatter about it on social media.
“CASD applied for a bonfire permit; however, the permit was denied for various safety-related reasons,” Lutz-Doemling said in an email to The Morning Call. “Thus, the 2025 bonfire has been canceled.”
Catasauqua Fire Chief Rich Hertzog said he laid out his reasons for the cancellation in a communication dated Oct. 24, adding that the fire department did not make a last-minute decision.
Concerns ranged from insurance liability to manpower and resources for the fire department, which is volunteer. In past years, embers from the fires have landed on the roof of the school and homes along Race Street, Hertzog said.
The Lehigh Valley is also in a drought watch. Last Friday, the Lehigh County Authority urged customers to cut back on water usage. Catasauqua Borough Manager Glenn Eckhart said there have been at least three recent brush fires.
Last year’s bonfire also was canceled because of dry conditions.
“We support the school district,” Hertzog said. “We do fire prevention education there every year. We have guys take off work for fire protection. I feel their pain. Firefighters are all about tradition. Canceling the bonfire one year isn’t going to ruin their ability to play. There will still be a game Thursday morning.”
The football game itself, scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, will be played between the Rough Riders and the Konkrete Kids at Catty’s Alumni Field. It’s the 100th anniversary of the first game played in 1925 and the 102nd in the series.
That game was almost canceled because of Northampton’s recent dominance between the two teams, but the Catasauqua School Board voted 6-2 in May to continue the rivalry.
In the future, Hertzog suggested moving the bonfire to a different location away the current site near 14th Street.
“They probably should start thinking about an alternative location that is nowhere near houses, overgrown brush or woods,” he said.
Northampton stopped having a bonfire several years ago, Hertzog said.
Meanwhile, the bonfire is still scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Easton Area High School in Palmer Township. It’s part of the school’s spirit week before its Thanksgiving game with Phillipsburg.
That game is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at Lafayette’s Fisher Field.
Quakertown Community High School also is holding its bonfire at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Quakertown Memorial Park before its Thanksgiving Day game against Pennridge. That game, in its 96th year, kicks off at 10:15 a.m. at Pennridge’s Helman Field.