Celebrate Lancaster is an annual street festival and one of the biggest events in the city. Crews close several central blocks on North Queen Street, Penn Square, and Binns Park. The streets are filled with food trucks, vendors, and stages for live shows. Admission is free.
This year’s theme is “Back to the Block,” a nod to the neighborhood block parties Lancaster has thrown for decades. The Grammy-winning R&B group 112 will be taking the Binns Park stage around 8 p.m. The group’s hits go back to the late 1990s: “Peaches & Cream,” “Only You,” “Dance With Me.”
“Celebrate Lancaster is always a great night to get downtown, check out the food vendors, grab a drink and enjoy some live music and dancing,” said Mayor Jaime Arroyo.
Where it came from
For years this was Lancaster’s Fourth of July party. In 2014 the city closed Queen Street on the Friday of the holiday weekend, brought in more than 20 food vendors, put six bands on two stages and shot fireworks off the roof of the Duke Street parking garage at 10 p.m.
Then the pandemic changed the event. In 2020 and 2021 the city hosted became roaming performances and spaced-out crowds. In 2022 the festival came back to Queen Street at full size, minus the fireworks. Organizers ended that night with a glow dance party instead.
In 2023 the city moved it to June 16, but storms in the forecast pushed it to August 18. The following spring, the city made August permanent.
Who’s Invited
Kids get Penn Square. The free Kids Zone opens at 3 p.m. for ages 12 and under, with a carnival fun maze, six holes of mini golf, a basketball shootout, inflatable rocket darts, wax hands and a misting tent.
The beer garden opens at 3 p.m., hosted by Lancaster Rec.
The rest of the block will feature the event vendors. The Fulton Theatre will be out there. So will YWCA Lancaster, Music For Everyone, CAP Lancaster, Monarch Gardens, and artists including Keisha Finnie and Jenni Buffington.
It’s a night for people who live here and a reason for people who don’t to drive in. Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health presents the event; Ephrata National Bank, Willow Valley Communities, WGAL and Xfinity help pay for it.
Friday’s lineup
Music starts at 5 p.m. LASSAI opens. Then Ralph Real & The Family Jam with Naiby, then Carlos Elliot with Bobby Gentilo, then 112 at about 8. DJ Big Al 360 works the gaps.
The food trucks include Cabalar, Extra Rice, Bala Saahas, J.R.’s Brisket, Sherri’s Crab Cakes, Joe’s Fish Sandwiches, Walk-O-Taco, Phusion, Lancaster Soft Pretzel, Bricker’s fries, Nil’s funnel cakes and Kona Ice.
Restaurants off the block are running specials too. Rincon Latino has a $12.99 street food combo of empanadas, tostones and passion fruit juice. Babylon Kebab Grill is selling a $5.99 falafel sandwich. Urban Farmhouse built a “Peaches & Cream” treat for the occasion. Prism Thrift printed custom linocut Celebrate Lancaster merch, and it lasts as long as it lasts.
Street closures start at 7:30 a.m. Friday around the first and 100 blocks of North Queen. Park in a city garage and walk in. Amtrak stops at Lancaster Station, a few blocks from the stage. The music starts at 5:00.