When COVID-19 struck down the Uptown Northampton Street Fair in September 2020, the community felt its absence.

The annual festival, hosted by Northampton Area Chamber of Commerce, usually lines the upper end of Main Street with vendors and food trucks, offering live music and performances for thousands of borough residents and visitors.

“While understandable under the circumstances, it felt like a true loss,” said Kylie Adams, assistant vice president of affiliated chambers for Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. “Uptown Northampton is a staple in our community, and postponing in September was tough; however, at the end of the day, the safety of our town comes first. Now with vaccinations readily available, we’re ready to move forward, reopen the festival and kick off spring with a bang!”

The Uptown Northampton Street Fair is scheduled for 11 a.m.-4 p.m. May 22 on Main Street, between 17th and 21st streets. The festival will feature nearly 80 vendors and 10 food trucks, making the festival slightly smaller than a typical year.

“When replanning our festival for the spring, we called it our ‘Mini-May’ Uptown,” said Jessica O’Donnell, executive vice president of affiliated chambers for GLVCC. “We focused on keeping it smaller, but the want and need for this festival is evident. Applications for vendors were received up to the due date, and we’re excited to see our festival come back to life.”

The festival will feature live music from Kendal Conrad and Chasing Daylight, as well as performances from 3D Dance and Elite Mixed Martial Arts. The Mario Andretti Indy race car and LV Rocks’ rock-climbing wall will offer additional draws and entertainment.

For more information, visit the Uptown Northampton Facebook event at facebook.com/events/547967939294504.

Event sponsors include Affordable Pet Care Center, All Things Framed, Embassy Bank, Gin Mill & Grille, Home News, Horwith Trucks, Lehigh Valley Press, Newhard Pharmacy, Omega Protective Services and Precision Medical.