ALLENTOWN, PA – September 2026 – For nearly nine months during the American Revolution, one of the nation’s most enduring symbols of liberty was hidden beneath the floor of a church in what is now the heart of downtown Allentown. As British troops approached Philadelphia in September 1777, American authorities feared the city’s bells would be seized and melted down for ammunition. They secretly removed the bells and transported them north by wagon. Among them was the State House Bell, which would become known as the Liberty Bell.
The bell arrived in Northampton Towne, today’s Allentown, and was concealed beneath the floorboards of Zion’s Reformed Church. It remained there until the British evacuated Philadelphia in June 1778, when it was safely returned. Nearly 250 years later, Allentown is bringing that remarkable story back into the streets.
The inaugural Liberty Bell Festival will take place Saturday, September 19, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Downtown Allentown, offering a free day of history, live music, food, local makers, and community celebration. The festival will begin with a flag-raising ceremony at Allentown City Hall before a historic processional leads attendees through downtown to Zion’s Church, where historian and storyteller Joshua Fink will share the story of the Liberty Bell and its journey to Allentown…