Big Parkland Football Game, Elevation Burger Eating Contest, Free Museum Day

Here's what's happening this weekend in and around North Whitehall.

• One of the biggest rivalry games of the Parkland High School football season will unfold Friday at Orefield Middle School when the Trojans (3-1) take on Whitehall High School (4-0) in an important Lehigh Valley Conference game. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. The game can be seen live on Service Electric TV 2.Friday is also the traditional "Shirt off Your Back Night." Parkland football players will present shirts (not their football jerseys) to either a teacher or other person who has mentored them in a post-game ceremony.

• A special recognition ceremony will also take place at Friday's football game. A citizen who was performing in a concert on the high school stage in August went into cardiac arrest and was saved by several nurses in the crowd who used the school’s defibrillator. They will be honored along with Cetronia Ambulance Corps during the football game.  Game patrons will have the opportunity to learn Hands-Only CPR from Cetronia Ambulance Corps representatives who are providing the EMS stand-by for the game.  They will have CPR mannequins on site and will instruct patrons on how to give proper compressions during the evening.
  

• Elevation Burger in Village West Shopping Center, 3174 Tilghman St., will celebrate its grand opening (although it's already open for business) from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There will be a burger eating contest and activities for kids.

• Sketch the bison Saturday at the Trexler Nature Preserve after a short hike. The Wildlands Conservancy and Baum School of Art are hosting a free program from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Participants are asked to bring their preferred dry media—pencils, charcoals or pastels (no paint), and a sketchbook or drawing board and paper. For more information and to register, go towww.wildlandspa.org or call 610-965-4397 Ext. 136.
  

• The Celtic Classic Highland Games & Festival returns to downtown historic Bethlehem this weekend for its 26th year. The festival kicks off at 5:15 p.m. Friday with the annual Haggis Bowl. The showing of the Tartan Parade begins at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday and leads guests from Main Street to Highland field. Highlights include the U.S. National Highland Game Championships, and a variety of celtic music, including the annual pipe band competition. For more information, visit www.celticfest.org or download the free Celtic Classic Festival iPhone app.

• Get a pair of free tickets to a museum thisSaturday. Dozens of local museums are taking part inMuseum Day Live this Saturday. Just fill out this form and you will be emailed a ticket that will admit two people to the museum of your choice. Only one set of tickets per household. The local and regional sites are listed here. 

• Halloween Haunt and Boo Blast at Dorney Park, 4000 Dorney Park Road. Boo Blast is for young kids; Halloween Haunt is not for anyone under 13. Boo Blast is free with park admission and open noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. (Planet Snoopy is open until 8 p.m. on Saturday). Dorney is offering a September special of $25 per ticket for four or more tickets purchased online. New this year is the Mansion House Hotel where kids can wander haunted hallways in search of friendly ghosts. Boo Blast also features:

• Pumpkin painting
• Mask making
• Hay bale maze
• Petting zoo

• Extra $5 admission required

• Kids can hunt for treasures on a life-sized pirate ship