COPLAY

A year of celebrating Coplay Borough’s 150th birthday — which kicked off in April with a visit from Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a gala, a parade, a daylong festival at Balliet Stadium with the release of 150 lighted lanterns and a fireworks display and a pub crawl — will come to an end Oct. 19.

The closing ceremony will be held noon-10 p.m. at Coplay Saengerbund, 205 S. Fifth St.

Emil Schanta and his polka band will kick off the celebration with his Ein Prosit party. Frantic Freddy Milander will bring his original oldies and sock hop reunion show. Ten-piece dance band Flirtin’ with the Mob, featuring Coplay natives Larry Meixner and Sue Rabenold, will close the event.

Coplay Mayor Dean Molitoris will proclaim Oct. 19 as Frantic Freddy Milander Day in the borough.

Milander will be honored for his 50-plus years in the radio and deejay business. He began his career at 15, working at radio stations WHOL, WKAP, WSCR (Scranton) and WEEX. He became a household name and an icon in the music industry with his dance parties, which took him to nightclubs in the Lehigh Valley, New Jersey and New York.

Milander is best remembered for his contributions to the community — summer sock hops at the old Lincoln School (where Giant gas is located) and the Paradise Roller Rink on Second Street. He also recorded two successful records back in the 1960s, “Love ’Em and Leave ’Em” and “Charmaine.”