BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Citing a decline in alcohol purchases, Downtown Bethlehem Association says it’s time to shift gears.
Drinking events, for now, are no longer the meat and potatoes for charming Main Street and surrounding establishments. Instead, DBA Manager Ty Versocki says family events are in, starting with St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
DBA plans the downtown events, like the Chocolate Trail and Soup Saunter. Versocki says that lately, purchasers for events are in their late 20s, 30s and 40s.
“So we’re trying to make sure that the generation in the here and now is being taken care of, and that means those with children, too.”Ty Versocki, Downtown Bethlehem Association manager
“Our board and events committee are seeing a pattern of people not drinking as much as they used to,” she said.
“We’ve talked to our restaurants and shop owners, and we’ve definitely seen people aren’t purchasing. Generations are changing. The newer generation isn't drinking as much.
"They would rather have an experience versus drinking. So we’re trying to make sure that the generation in the here and now is being taken care of, and that means those with children, too.”
20 kids, 10 leprechauns
DBA’S first-ever Historic Leprechaun Hunt is 10 a.m.-noon March 15.
Starting at Bitty & Beau’s Coffee at the corner of Main and Broad streets, young treasure hunters and their families will be given a map of participating establishments, where 10 plush leprechauns are hiding. For each tricky wee-one found, kids get a stamp in their own Official Leprechaun Hunting Handbook.
Scan a QR code on each leprechaun found and hear a pre-recorded riddle that will hint to the location of the next leprechaun. The first child to collect 10 stamps will win the ultimate Pot of Gold prize of family treats.
The Leprechaun event is rain or shine, and parental supervision is required. Tickets are $20 per child and are nonrefundable.
“We know that a lot of our visitors and ticket buyers have kids, and the kids love the parade, so, we thought, ‘how can we start the fun sooner for the parents and kids?’”Ty Versocki, DBA manager
DBA Assistant Manager Evelyn Caron came up with the idea and solicited a friend, freelance artist Kayla Gladfelter, to illustrate each of the Leprechaun signs that will be placed along the trail.
“A lot of the inspiration came from the actual dolls, so once I got the illustration style down, it was easy to get the ball rolling,” said Gladfelter, who graduated from Kutztown University, where she and Caron met.
“It doesn’t matter where you start the hunt, you can start at any of the shops and just make your way around.”
Versocki said the DBA has been working closely with the city and the Celtic Cultural Alliance on its St. Patrick’s Day festivities, including the Parade of Shamrocks, which takes place at 1 p.m., an hour after the leprechaun hunt ends.
“We want to make sure that people are enjoying themselves on the day of the parade, and we want to always make sure that everybody is being welcomed no matter what age you are,” she said.
“We know that a lot of our visitors and ticket buyers have kids, and the kids love the parade, so, we thought, ‘How can we start the fun sooner for the parents and kids?’
"The DBA wanted to get families involved and show them what is being brought down here. So we wanted to curate an event that says all of that.
“It’s not just drinking. It is shopping, and it is food, and it is family-friendly."
If the leprechaun hunt is successful, the 20-participant cutoff for this year’s event will be expanded so more kids can participate.
She said DBA’s board will change things up again if the event doesn’t turn out the way they hope. It’s just a matter of experimenting.
“Sometimes we’ll take away an event and keep it on a shelf,” she said, “then bring it back after a year or two, depending on how our purchasers are feeling.”
