Hatboro First Friday Gets New Life

Hatboro’s may be a thing of the past, but Second Saturday is just getting started. 

Beginning April 14, the plans to revive the downtown arts-centric event, with a new day and time, tentatively from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

“We’re going to approach it in a format very similar to First Friday,” said Al Chagan, CFO of of the musicians performing, artist demonstrations and craftspeople selling their wares along York Road’s business district. 

Chagan event and serves as vice president of retail merchants for the Greater Hatboro Chamber of Commerce, the entity putting on Second Saturday. Moving it to Saturday during the day was “essentially out of necessity” after complaints of and troublemaking teens prompted the Chamber to cancel the event in January.

While “there’s no guarantees” that a new day and time will keep misbehaving kids away, Chagan said he’s confident things will be different in this new revival.

“My personal opinion is kids come out on Friday night, First Friday or no first Friday,” Chagan said. “I don’t think they’re going to come out on Saturday afternoons.”

Police Chief James Gardner agreed.

“Loitering is more of a night-time thing,” Gardner said.

Gardner said police could have dealt with the sometimes-rowdy teens during First Fridays, but that additional officers were necessary. In Doylestown, Gardner said additional police are brought on for that borough’s monthly First Friday event. The , which is short one officer since last year, operates at 14 officers when fully staffed. Putting on extra personnel would mean overtime pay for police. Officials had suggested that the Chamber cover police overtime related to First Friday, something Chamber officials had told Patch the organization could not afford to do.

So, how does the Chamber intend to address teens looking to hang out during Second Saturday?

“That’s something that the Chamber of Commerce, we’re not going to address. We don’t feel it’s our responsibility,” Chagan said. “This is a parental guidance responsibility.”

Hatboro Council President John Zygmont said he expects teens may still hang out on Saturdays, but “not gangs” of kids that were “intimidating” to residents and passerby.

“It’s something that I think really will work,” Zygmont said of the change to Second Saturday. “It’s definitely worth a try.”

As plans continue to come together for the monthly event, Chagan said the Chamber is already on the lookout for local student performers, as well as entertainers looking for a venue to gain exposure.

“It’s really pretty much volunteer,” Chagan said, adding that some merchants have paid for entertainment in the past.

Chagan said he would also like to consult with Hatboro Borough Council on the possibility of having free parking for Second Saturday, which he hopes will draw 1,000 to 2,000 people to town as its predecessor, First Friday, commonly did.

Zygmont said parking fees have been waived in the past during Christmastime and other times when sponsors covered the parking expense.

“It’s not something that’s been brought to us,” Zygmont said of parking. “It’s something we would entertain.”

More information

Musicians, entertainers and artists interested in participating in Second Saturday can contact the Greater Hatboro Chamber of Commerce at 215-956-9540 for more information.