Free Blue Zones event in Allentown to offer learning, eating and fun — while staying healthy

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Easter, with its indulgent eating and plenty of confections, is coming Sunday.

And a day earlier, Blue Zones Project-Allentown is aiming to set people on a path to live longer, happier lives with a kickoff event on Saturday.

The free citywide celebration for people of all ages will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at PPL Center.

It will include plenty of opportunities to learn, explore, move, connect, eat and have fun — all in the goal of getting and staying healthy.

Attendees will have a chance to learn about local resources, services and programs throughout the community and explore the Blue Zones Power 9 — key points found throughout cultures and groups that frequently live past age 100.

There also will be the opportunity to eat free, healthy bites; enjoy free activities such as yoga, sports and dancing; connect and create art and music, and other free activities.

And, in recognition of Easter, attendees will be able to have fun with a traditional Easter egg hunt and free giveaways.

Those interested can register for the event and view the schedule online. There will be free parking offered at Linden Street Parking Garage.

Sponsors for the project include Lehigh Valley Health Network, City Center Group, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and the Leonard Parker Pool Institute for Health.

What's a Blue Zone?

The concept of “blue zones” comes from Blue Zone founder journalist and National Geographic Explore and Fellow Dan Buettner, during a trip to Okinawa, Japan, in 2000 to investigate longevity.

Further searches across the world found numerous communities where people were living to age 100 at 10 times the rate found in the United States.

Buettner and his team analyzed the data and found nine common lifestyle habits — the Power 9 — that appeared to be foundational to reaching that lofty goal.

The Power 9 states the key to a longer, more fulfilling life is moving naturally, finding a purpose and downshifting (taking a moment to relieve stress).

Also, stopping eating when your stomach feels 80% full, focusing on plants and beans as a dietary cornerstone and limiting alcohol consumption.

Also, engaging in some sort of faith, putting families and loved ones first and finding a social network that supports your health.

The Blue Zone brand has grown to include healthy cookbooks, classes, frozen prepared meals, and wellness products.

'Support of all three mayors'

Last July, the mayors of Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton came together in support of the Blue Zones initiative.

“We have the support of all three mayors across Lehigh Valley, and we've hired some of the infrastructure required to actually kick this off,” Lehigh Valley Health Network Chief Executive Officer Brian Nester said at the time.

“If we just kind of continue, persisting and doing the good things that we're doing and in the good things our not-for-profit community organizations are doing alone, that's not enough.

"We need something more, and Blue Zones is that.”

There are 90 Blue Zones across the country, but Buettner said the Lehigh Valley soon would become one of the first in this region.

“We're going to hire people from Easton, Bethlehem, Allentown, they're going to run the process to get a critical mass of schools and restaurants, grocery stores, employers, churches, synagogues, mosques — 15 percent to 20 percent of people — to be able to engage with this work and then policy," Nester said.