Search for things to do in North Whitehall Township this summer, and you will usually get a list. A trail goes in one section, farm markets go in another, and the evening calendar lands somewhere near the bottom.
That format misses how a local summer day actually works.
The better plan is sequential: take the trail while the day is still manageable, make a farm stop when you are ready to bring food home, and save the screen or concert for after dinner. North Whitehall’s summer calendar supports that rhythm, especially around Orefield, Schnecksville, and the township’s Ironton area.
Sunday, July 12, 2026, makes the point clearly. The morning can begin on the Ironton Rail Trail. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Shankweiler’s Drive-In and Crooked Row Farm are hosting a free Farm & Food Festival at the drive-in. That evening, the same property returns to its regular purpose, with gates opening at 7 p.m. for a double feature.
This is less about collecting attractions and more about getting the order right.
Start with the North Whitehall side of the Ironton Rail Trail
The Ironton Rail Trail covers 9.2 miles across North Whitehall Township, Whitehall Township, and Coplay Borough. The route includes a roughly 5.2-mile loop and a 4-mile spur, along with accessible entry points and ADA-compliant grades.
For a North Whitehall starting point, use the township trailhead at 3256 Levans Road, Coplay, PA 18037. It shares an address with the North Whitehall Township building. That distinction matters because other trail events and access points are located in nearby Coplay Borough or Whitehall Township.
The trail’s structure makes it practical for different schedules. You do not need to commit to the full 9.2 miles. The loop and spur allow residents to match the outing to the rest of the day, whether that means a shorter walk before the market or a longer ride before heading home.
The trail also has a current investment story behind it. In January 2026, a $292,300 grant was announced for rehabilitation of 5.9 miles, including accessibility, landscaping, and site improvements. No active July closure was established in the available research, so check official trail or township updates before leaving rather than assuming every segment is available.
Group activities are another option. A May 2026 local report said Trek Bicycle Allentown typically holds an Ironton Rail Trail ride on the first Sunday of the month. Confirm the current date through the organizer before making plans because the schedule is maintained separately.
The Ironton Rail Trail calendar also includes organized events that extend beyond North Whitehall. On Saturday, July 11, the sixth annual Heart of an Angel Fight Against Colon Cancer 5K and one-mile event was scheduled for 8 a.m. at Saylor Park, 245 N. Second Street in Coplay. That event uses the broader trail system, but its starting point is outside North Whitehall Township.
A practical trail plan
- Begin at the North Whitehall trailhead on Levans Road.
- Choose a distance that leaves time for the farm portion of the day.
- Bring water and account for summer conditions.
- Check official updates before departure for any temporary route changes.
- Confirm group-ride details directly with the organizer.
This approach keeps the trail from consuming the full day. It becomes the first part of the schedule instead of the only part.
Let the farm stop handle the middle of the day
The July 12 Farm & Food Festival creates the clearest handoff from trail to farm. Shankweiler’s Drive-In and Crooked Row Farm are holding the free event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 4540 Shankweiler Road in Orefield.
The announced format includes farms and growers, food trucks, prepared-food sellers, and food-related retail vendors. A reliable public vendor list was not available, so arrive expecting a market format rather than planning around a specific unconfirmed seller.
The festival is part of a broader effort at Shankweiler’s. Its first 2026 Farm & Food Market also brought together Crooked Row Farm, vendors, food trucks, and live music. That makes the July event more than unused daytime space at a drive-in. It shows how one established North Whitehall venue can serve different purposes across the same day.
If July 12 does not fit your calendar, Crooked Row Farm and Market provides the regular version of the stop at 3245 Route 309 in Orefield. Its published summer hours are:
| Day | Published summer hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | Noon to 4 p.m. |
| Tuesday through Friday | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Saturday and Sunday | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
Crooked Row describes itself as a certified-organic, woman-owned vegetable farm. The store carries seasonal vegetables, herbs, eggs, and shelf-stable farm products. It also stocks bread, fruit, dairy, meat, ferments, honey, preserves, and other goods from more than two dozen local producers.
The location has deeper roots than its current name suggests. Crooked Row occupies the former Wehr’s Fruit Stand site, which served the Orefield food community for more than 50 years. The market is a continuation of a familiar Route 309 produce-stop pattern, with a wider mix of local goods under one roof.
For a Schnecksville option, the Lehigh Valley Farmers Market Nutrition Program directory lists Crystal Springs Farm, 3550 Bellview Road, with published hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Seasonal business hours can change, so verify them before making a dedicated trip.
The farm stops reflect an active preservation effort
Farm markets make sense here because agriculture remains part of North Whitehall’s current land-use story.
The township reports that Muth Farm was preserved in 2025, adding 77.49 acres and bringing North Whitehall’s preserved total to 730.75 acres as of December 10, 2025. The township’s 2026 budget identifies the Stewart property and Skorinko No. 1 and No. 2 for first installment payments, with about 200 additional acres expected to be preserved.
That work is not automatic. North Whitehall adopted an Open Space Action Plan in November 2025 after outreach generated more than 1,000 responses. At the time, local reporting identified about 11 farms totaling roughly 450 acres that were waiting for preservation. Existing dedicated revenue could generally support one property per year.
The township also recognizes five Century Farm families:
- Lloyd Kuhns
- Curtis C. and Janet C. Hoffman
- Paul W. and Nancy J. Semmel
- David C. Semmel
- Edward and Anna Klusaritz
These details explain why a farm stop belongs in the center of the day. Crooked Row and other local markets are connected to an operating agricultural network and a continuing preservation effort. They are not decorative references to North Whitehall’s past.
Then let Shankweiler’s switch from market to screen
The most useful detail about July 12 is the changeover.
The Farm & Food Festival ends at 2 p.m. Shankweiler’s gates reopen at 7 p.m. for the evening program. The scheduled double feature is:
- Minions & Monsters, rated PG, at approximately 9:05 p.m.
- The Mummy from 1999, rated PG-13, at approximately 10:40 p.m.
One admission covers both films. Sunday screenings include open captions, and the theater operates rain or shine. Showtimes are approximate, so confirm the day’s schedule before leaving home. Current ticket prices were not verified in the available research.
Shankweiler’s was established in 1934 and identifies itself as the world’s oldest operating drive-in theater. It was named Best Drive-In Theater in the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Owners Matt McClanahan and Lauren McChesney purchased the theater in 2022, and recent reporting credits summer attendance and special programming as parts of its operation.
The venue is open seven days a week from Memorial Day through Labor Day. That regular schedule gives residents room to use the rhythm beyond one featured weekend. Pair a weekday trail outing with a Crooked Row stop, head home for dinner, and return to Shankweiler’s once the gates open.
Use Schnecksville as the swing option
A screen is not the only way to close the day. North Whitehall’s free Summer Concert Series gives residents a live-music alternative at Schnecksville Fire Company, 4550 Old Packhouse Road.
The remaining 2026 dates are:
- Friday, July 17: The Steel Creek Band
- Friday, August 7: The Castaways Band
Both concerts are scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. Food is available through the fire company and visiting food trucks.
The timing changes the plan slightly. On a concert Friday, make the farm stop earlier and arrive in Schnecksville before the music begins. On a drive-in night, there is more room between a market closing and the first film.
That is the central point of the schedule. The pieces stay familiar, but their order depends on the evening anchor.
Put these North Whitehall dates on the calendar
Two more township events carry the season into August.
Night at the Drive-In
North Whitehall’s Night at the Drive-In is scheduled for Wednesday, August 5, at Shankweiler’s. The announced film is The Lorax. Township residents receive free admission when each attendee is registered through RecDesk by Monday, August 3.
Do not leave the registration to the gate. Complete it by the township deadline and retain the admission information provided through the registration process.
Back to School Party
The township’s Back to School Party is scheduled for Friday, August 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Kolapechka Park, 4075 Coffeetown Road in Coplay. Announced activities include Grandpop Bubbles, inflatables, face painting, Highland cows, and food trucks.
Event details can change. Confirm times, registration rules, and venue updates with North Whitehall Township before departure.
The North Whitehall summer formula
A local summer plan does not need a long drive or a packed checklist. It needs a workable sequence:
Move early. Shop locally in the middle of the day. Choose the screen or concert that sets the evening schedule.
Start at the North Whitehall trailhead instead of defaulting to a farther access point. Use Crooked Row’s regular hours or the July 12 festival as the food stop. Let Shankweiler’s or the Schnecksville concert calendar determine when the day needs to shift.
That is how the trail, farm, and screen become one North Whitehall day rather than three disconnected ideas.
The Mark Molchany Group follows North Whitehall and the broader Lehigh Valley with the same attention to practical local detail. If a real estate question becomes part of your plans, get calm, locally informed guidance backed by an experienced boutique team and RE/MAX distribution.
Let’s Connect.
