What's Happening in Coplay: Mid-September 2026

This is a fresh community update for Coplay Borough and the surrounding Lehigh Valley for the week of September 14, 2026, covering the local news, events, and school happenings that are coming up over the next few weeks. In this edition: the annual Ready, Set GOLD charity run at Saylor Park, the next round of Saengerbund Friday concerts, a back-to-school roundup from the Whitehall-Coplay School District, and a look ahead at Whitehall Township and Lehigh Valley fall events. Everything below was checked against borough, township, school district, library, club, and event sources during research on September 14, 2026; times and venues can change, so confirm with the organizers before heading out.

If you are planning a little further out, our recent guides still cover the rest of the season: What's Next in Coplay: Late September and October 2026 lays out the Saengerbund Oktoberfest, the Celtic Classic, SteelStacks Oktoberfest, and the district's fall-break and conference dates, and our mid-September guide covers the library's book and bake sale, the Lions Club bingo, and Whitehall-Coplay committee meetings and kindergarten registration. This week's post adds new items and updated details on top of those.

This Saturday in Coplay: Ready, Set GOLD

The weekend's headline event in the borough is the 17th Annual Pediatric Cancer "Ready, Set GOLD" 8K Run, 5K Walk, and Kids Fun Run on Saturday, September 19, starting at 8:00 AM at Saylor Park on North Second Street. Organized by the Running 4 Rachel Foundation, the event raises money for pediatric cancer research and support, and it has become a fixture on Coplay's calendar each fall. Registration details, including the kids' fun run and fundraising pages, are on the foundation's site, and you can also register in person on race morning.

The same weekend, the Coplay Saengerbund's Friday concert series continues with Sons of Izzy on Friday, September 18 (gates at 5:00 PM, kitchen opens at 5:30 PM), and Stereotype follows on Friday, September 25. The Wednesday acoustic series keeps its laid-back weekly rhythm too. If you have not been yet, it is a classic small-town clubhouse night, with food available from the kitchen and a friendly crowd.

Coplay Public Library Notes

For families, the Coplay Public Library's Story Time and Crafts program continues on Fridays from 10:30 to 11:30 AM, a reliable weekly outing for the young set. The teen and adult coloring group still meets Wednesday afternoons from 5:30 to 6:30 PM with no registration required. The library board holds its monthly meeting at the Coplay Borough Office on South Fourth Street, and the full, current program list lives on the library's programs and events page at coplaypl.org.

Whitehall-Coplay School District: Back-to-School Roundup

Coplay is served by the Whitehall-Coplay School District, and the 2026-27 school year is now fully underway. Superintendent Christopher Schiffert's welcome-back message is posted on the district's homepage, and one item deserves parents' immediate attention: the Annual Student Information Update, the district's returning-student registration, is open now in PowerSchool. Families should verify addresses, phone numbers, emergency contacts, and health information for each child using the "Returning Student Update Form 2026-2027." If you have not completed yours yet, that is the priority to-do this week.

A couple of other district notes worth knowing. The district is hiring traffic monitors for the 2026-27 school year, a part-time role on split shifts that fit the school-day schedule, with details on the district's site. And for working families, the YMCA River Crossing runs the district's before- and after-school care at its Whitehall location on MacArthur Road, covering the hours before school starts and from dismissal until 6:00 PM.

On the calendar side, the district has moved its school board meetings to the Board Room at the Education Center on Zephyr Boulevard effective October 12, 2026, and the public committee meetings now sit on the fourth Monday of the month at 5:00 PM, with the next set on October 26. For anyone who likes to follow district decisions, the agendas and minutes are posted on Keystone Agenda, the district's public meeting platform.

Zephyrs Football and a Class Reunion

On the field, the Whitehall Zephyrs are in the middle of their 100th season, now competing in Class 6A after winning the District 11 title at the 5A level last year. Two home games anchor the next stretch at Zephyr Stadium: the Zephyrs host Pleasant Valley on Friday, September 18 and Bethlehem Liberty on Thursday, September 24, both at 7:00 PM. October brings road games at Dieruff on the 2nd and Emmaus on the 9th, then home games against William Allen on the 15th and Allentown Central Catholic on the 30th. The full schedule, including the Parkland road trip on the 23rd, is on the school's athletics calendar.

A different kind of gathering is planned for alumni: the Whitehall High School Class of 1986 is holding its 40th reunion on Saturday, October 17, and the district is helping spread the word. Details and ticket information are being shared through district channels, so check the district's homepage and social pages if you are in that class.

Whitehall Township and the Lehigh Valley: Fall Is Coming

Around Coplay, the township and valley calendars are filling with fall events. A few worth a spot on the calendar:

• Witches Day Out, Saturday, September 19 at Cementon Park in Whitehall Township, a family-friendly seasonal celebration minutes from the borough.
• Forks Community Days, September 18 through 20 at Forks Community Park, an annual community festival with food, music, and family activities.
• Fall Fest 2026, Sunday, September 27 at the Whitehall Parkway, with free admission, a DJ from 2 to 4 PM, The Castaway Band from 4 to 7 PM, food trucks, and local vendors.
• Harvest Fest, Saturday, October 10 from noon to 5 PM in historic downtown Bethlehem, a free fall street festival with local makers and live music.
• Grim's Orchard & Family Farms Fall Festival in Breinigsville, open weekends through November 1 with hayrides, a pumpkin patch, and a pedal-cart track for the kids.

For the spooky weeks ahead, the Whitehall Township Haunted Hayrides return to the Whitehall Parkway on Fridays and Saturdays from October 2 through October 31, and the township's annual Halloween Parade steps off Thursday, October 22 on the Whitehall-Coplay School District campus. SteelStacks Oktoberfest in Bethlehem runs October 2-4 and 9-11 with German food and music, and it is covered in our late-September guide alongside the Celtic Classic.

A Quick Things-To-Do Loop Around Coplay

If you are making a day of it around the borough, a short loop covers a lot. Coplay Eatery on Chestnut Street is the easy neighborhood stop minutes from 117 S 9th St. Just up Main Street in Northampton, the Northampton Diner and Family Restaurant is a dependable, family-run breakfast and lunch spot. Down in Whitehall Township, the Whitehall Diner on MacArthur Road is another local favorite, and MISSION BBQ on Grape Street makes a solid stop for a quick meal before an afternoon event.

One seasonal reminder from the borough: the final Friday yard waste collection of the year is scheduled for September 25, so if fall cleanup is on your list, that is the week to get the bags out. Details are in the borough newsletter.