In the midst of a series of renovations to the borough’s landscape, Lansdale’s inaugural Founder’s Day celebration on Saturday October 1 offered a great opportunity for community members of all ages to enjoy a day out on the town.

Originally scheduled for August 27, the town’s first attempt at the celebration was halted by the inauspicious Hurricane Irene.  Saturday’s perfect autumn weather was certainly more favorable and set the scene for a memorable day.

The day started off on a high note with the weekly Farmer’s Market.  Each Saturday morning beginning at 9 a.m., local farmers and vendors set up tents behind the railroad tracks to sell their goods.   Selling delicious pastries such as croissants and turnovers, the booth of Alice Bakery and Confectionery is a crowd favorite.  The bakery itself is located in North Wales.

Following the Farmer’s Market, a formal kickoff ceremony was held at Borough Hall.  After that, there were countless events sure to please all ages.

The Lansdale Historical Society offered tours and open houses of various buildings such as Jenkin’s Homestead, the Municipal building, and The Reporter headquarters. The Lansdale Police as well as the Fairmount Fire Company ran demonstrations and showed off their equipment for the amusement of adults and children alike.

Located in the Madison Lot, the annual Oktoberfest offered a variety of things to do. Entertainment included beer and food vendors, a mini art exhibit, sack races, bobbing for apples, and a pie-eating contest.  Commendable performances by Chinese dragon dancers, German dancers, and a bagpiper provided a taste of diverse cultures right here at home.

An eventful day ended with a fantastic firework show at Penndale Middle School.   As Lansdale seeks to improve its community life, Founder’s day proved to be a huge success and is expected to become an annual tradition for Lansdale.