IronPigs City Connect Series Continues, Bethlehem in the spotlight for 2024

Allentown, Pennsylvania (July 1, 2024) – In continuation with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs ‘City Connect Series’ which launched to great fanfare and popularity in 2023, the IronPigs are excited to release the next installment which will be honoring Bethlehem with a jersey, hat, and merchandise collection that takes inspiration from the ubiquitous Bethlehem Star, with subtle nods to Bethlehem Steel as well. The IronPigs will wear the Bethlehem jerseys and caps on Friday, July 19^th, when they take on the Worcester Red Sox at Coca-Cola Park at 7:05pm.

Beginning in 2023, the IronPigs debuted their ‘City Connect Series’ with the plan to honor each of the primary cities that make up the Lehigh Valley: Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton. Last season, the IronPigs paid homage to the local Allentown department store, Hess’s and its famous Strawberry Pie with a logo of the delicious dessert and jersey that featured the classic Hess’s print from their branding. With Bethlehem taking the spotlight in 2024, Easton will round out the initial City Connect Series in 2025. For each location, a fan vote helps determine what significant aspect of each location will be featured as the IronPigs team identity, guiding the design of the jersey and logo.

For Bethlehem (the ‘Christmas City’), the Bethlehem Star is featured at the root of the design, with significant influence as well from the history and design from Bethlehem Steel. Officially christened as ‘Christmas City USA’ in 1937, the precise date the Bethlehem Star was put atop South Mountain is disputed. Some newspaper accounts of the time place a wooden star on the mountain as early as 1935, though other accounts have it appearing for the first time a few years later in 1937 (coinciding with the name dedication) or even 1938.

No matter when the Star was officially erected, it has become synonymous with Bethlehem. Over the years, the Star has evolved from a simple wooden structure to a steel structure adorned with lights to make it visible during the night. The Star’s evolution to a steel structure coincides with the rise of the steel industry in Bethlehem, as a focal point of the city, and a key piece of its history. The history of the city of Bethlehem cannot be told without the steel industry, making it a fantastic bed rock to help guide the overall look alongside the Bethlehem Star.

Using a combination of the Bethlehem Star and the illustrious history of the steel industry in Bethlehem to guide the design, the end result is a dark blue jersey (reminiscent of the night sky and of the uniforms steel workers would wear) with Bethlehem across the front. The similar font style – with a nod to Bethlehem Steel - is white outlined in yellow, not too dissimilar from the bulbs that light up the Bethlehem Star. The Star itself is used as the ‘T’ in Bethlehem. On the left side of the sleeve is a patch that is from the IronPigs primary logo, with a base color of dark blue, outlined in yellow on a white backdrop.

The IronPigs will host their 2024 City Series game on Friday, July 19 at Coca-Cola Park when they take on the Worcester Red Sox at 7:05 p.m. Tickets for that game are on sale here. Bethlehem City Series merchandise is available for purchase at the IronPigs Team Store at Coca-Cola Park or online here. The IronPigs will feature the city of Bethlehem throughout the evening on July 19^th.

Follow the IronPigs on Twitter at @IronPigs and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/LHVIronPigs.

The IronPigs are presented by Capital Blue Cross.

--#YourHometownTeam--