The borough of Olyphant plans to kick off its first official “Third Thursdays in the Queen City” on April 15.
Everyone is welcomed to come to Lackawanna Avenue in Olyphant, the Queen City, for a variety of events, including free street entertainment and dining and shopping opportunities.
Free parking will be available on Lackawanna Avenue, and in the New Olyphant Parking Lot across the street from Luigi’s Pizza and behind the Lawless auto cars, next to the General Dollar Store. The 10 stores sponsoring this kickoff are family-owned businesses, and the majority owned by women.
Restaurants and bars will feature specials on their menus from 4 t0 9 p.m.
Do you want to know more about Olyphant?
It is 6 miles northeast of Scranton, on the Lackawanna River and the heart of the Anthracite region of Pennsylvania. The population is approximately 5,151 (2010).
A few notable people who were born in the borough include: Nestor Chylak, Hall of Famer of the American League (Baseball Hall of Fame), Patricia Crowley, actress of TV series, “Please don’t Eat the Daisies,” amd Mike “Gazzook” Gazella, played for the NY Yankees 1926-1928.) Gazzook, incidentally, brought his friend Babe Ruth to Olyphant in 1926.
Also from Olyphant are Andrew J. Turko, Mid-valley’ #1 Sportsman, Joe Beckage, amateur baseball team manager with 23 years, 13 pennants, Joe Terry, 2-time leading scorer of the Mid-valley commercial basketball league, Mike Metrinko, one of the 52 American Iranian hostages, Judy McLane, NYC Broadway Star, and Monsignor Stephen Hrynuck, who served Ss. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Catholic Church, for 58 years. 1950-2008.
Also born and raised in Olyphant was Loretta Perfectus Walsh, the first woman to enlist in the U.S. Navy in WWI. The Navy celebrates her birthday every year and has laid a wreath at her grave in St Patrick’s Cemetery in Blakely.
Visitors are asked to wear a mask and maintain social distance while attending Third Thursday in the Queen City this week. The next event in the series will be May 20.