Christians around the world observe Good Friday on the Friday before Easter Sunday. It commemorates Jesus Christ’s passion, crucifixion and death, which is told in the Bible.
Many observe the day with fasting and church services. It is not a federal holiday, however many state and local offices are closed Friday, April 2.
The Northampton County Courthouse (Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com)
The state of New Jersey recognizes Good Friday as a holiday. Warren County government offices are closed, as are most government offices in New Jersey.
Good Friday also is now recognized as a state holiday in Pennsylvania, closing many local and municipal offices. This includes both the Northampton County and Lehigh County government centers. The cities of Easton, Bethlehem and Allentown also are closed.
Many township and borough offices are closed, too, including Forks Township, Palmer Township, Wilson Borough, and Bethlehem Township.
Good Friday is considered a regular postal day, meaning post offices will be open and delivery will be conducted for all residential and business customers, said Postal Service spokesman Desai Abdul-Razzaaq.
Most libraries in the Lehigh Valley won’t be open for Good Friday.
In New Jersey, four branches of Warren County Library system are closed on Friday, April 2 -- Catherine Dickson Hofman Branch (Blairstown), Southwest Branch (Stewartsville), Headquarters Branch (Belvidere) and Northeast Branch (Independence).
The Phillipsburg Free Public Library is closed Friday, April 2 through Monday, April 5, reopening on Tuesday, April 6. The Hackettstown Free Public Library and WH Walters Free Public Library in Alpha are all closed.
In Pennsylvania, the Easton Area Public Library, Bethlehem Area Public Library, and the Hellertown Area Library are all closed Good Friday. The Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity and the Mary Meuser Memorial Library, in Wilson Borough, also is closed.
The Allentown Public Library, however, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Most restaurants remain open on Good Friday, but others could be closed or have an altered schedule on Easter Sunday. It’s best to call ahead to check if the hours of operation remain the same.
All Pennsylvania Department of Transportation driver license and photo centers, including its full-service center in Harrisburg, are open Good Friday.
All New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission offices are closed Friday, April 2. These include the following:
- Licensing and vehicle centers
- Regional service centers
- Road testing sites
- Inspection stations
All Pennsylvania Department of Transportation driver license and photo centers, including its full-service center in Harrisburg, are open Good Friday.
New Jersey liquor stores are privately owned; hours vary by location.
In Pennsylvania, operations are unchanged for Good Friday, however, liquor stores will be closed on Easter Sunday. To find out if a store is open, visit the Fine Wine & Good Spirits’ website.
LANTA buses at the Allentown Transportation Center in Allentown. (Sarah Cassi | For lehighvalleylive.com) EXTEXT
LANtaBus and LANtaVan will operate on a normal schedule on Good Friday. There will be normal Sunday service during Easter Sunday.
Trans-Bridge will operate the Allentown/Clinton/New York eastbound to New York; Allentown/Clinton/New York westbound from New York; to Newark Airport eastbound; and from Newark Airport westbound routes on Friday, April 2. Trans-Bridge also will operate the Allentown/Clinton/New York eastbound to New York; Allentown/Clinton/New York westbound from New York; to Newark Airport eastbound; from Newark Airport westbound; and Wind Creek Bethlehem routes on Easter Sunday.
A full schedule of the routes can be found at transbridgelines.com.
Many gas stations and gas station convenience stores will remain open Good Friday and on Easter Sunday.
The New York Stock Exchange is closed Friday, April 2 and will reopen on Monday, April 5, said Peter Asch, corporate communications and archivist for the stock exchange. Nasdaq also is closed, reopening Monday, April 5, said spokesman Matthew Sheahan.
The majority of banks are open, including Fulton Bank, Santander, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and TD Bank. Online banking and ATMs will remain open through the holiday weekend, though transactions such as transfers may not show up until Monday, April 5.
Most schools are closed Friday, April 2 in Northampton and Lehigh counties. The majority are on spring break.
Closures in Northampton County include Easton Area School District, Wilson Area School District, Bethlehem Area School District and Nazareth Area School District.
Closures in Lehigh County include Whitehall-Coplay School District, Parkland School District and the Catasauqua School District.
In Warren County, schools in the Phillipsburg School District and Warren Hills Regional School District are both closed.
Hellertown holds its annual Easter egg hunt at Dimmick Park on April 15, 2017.
The following is a list of places to celebrate Easter, participate in egg hunts and visit the Easter Bunny:
When, where and how Lehigh Valley kids can visit the (socially distanced) Easter Bunny
A schedule of 2021 Lehigh Valley Easter egg hunts planned with pandemic safety in mind
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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
The Link LonkApril 01, 2021 at 06:30PM
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What’s open on Good Friday 2021? The holiday plans for Lehigh Valley schools, banks, mail carriers and others. - lehighvalleylive.com
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