The Traditional Turkey Week in Easton

History of the Rivalry

To most cities, Thanksgiving is just a holiday where we are all grateful for what we have in life. As that is the same for the cities of Easton and Philipsburg, there is another priority on our minds. This is the day of the year that citizens wait for, the annual game where the true rivalry and traditions of the cities is shown.
                       

In 1894, high school kids from Easton, PA and Phillipsburg, NJ were reported to be playing football against each other. This informal game turned into the big phenomenon known as the Easton vs. P'burg Thanksgiving Day Game.
                                               

For nearly a century, these two neighboring cities that are separated by the Delaware River have been playing their Thanksgiving day football game. Each year the heated rivalry between these two cities grows. This monumental game represents the strong tradition and history between these cities.


For 109 years, Easton Area High School (Pennsylvania), and Phillipsburg High School (New Jersey) have had a football game every thanksgiving day morning. Throughout the years the game became so popular that the high school stadiums could not host the game anymore. The game is now hosted at Fisher Field which is located on the Lafayette College campus in Easton, PA. The Easton fans are so dedicated that some refuse to eat turkey at Thanksgiving dinner if we lose.
                                                        

In 2011, the game was aired on ESPN. ESPN televised this game live on Thanksgiving morning throughout the country. During this time, ESPN named the rivalry as the best high school rivalry in the country.

                                           

This game has become  the most important games of the football season. Easton and Phillipsburg are not in the same division due to being in different states, but that's what makes the game so special. All other sports in the high schools have the chance to battle themselves throughout their respected seasons.     
                                                

To prepare for this game, Easton has a week dedicated to traditional activities. Most citizens refer to this as the "Turkey Week festivities".

Turkey Week Schedule 

On the Monday before thanksgiving, the Firefighters of Easton play the Firefighters of Phillipsburg in a football game. Following the firefighter football game, is the annual powder-puff tournament between the seniors of each high school. This is when girls play the game and boys sign up to be the cheerleaders. The high schools' varsity cheerleading squad coaches the male cheerleaders and the student section boys teach the female football players.
                                


Tuesday of thanksgiving week is the Easton Senior classes favorite day. On this school day the seniors are dedicated to build a huge bonfire instead of going to class. Starting of the school year
students receive donations of wood and look for people to sponsor the bonfire. Seniors are separated into colorful teams and form assembly lines to create a sturdy pile of wood. This is not the typical beach bonfire, these bonfires are around 30-50 feet high. Once the school day is over, the seniors must stay to guard the wood pile. That night, the seniors have their annual sleep out which is when they all set up tents around the bonfire to protect it through the night. There has been cases before where P'burg students will try to light the bonfire or destroy it to mess with our tradition.
                                              


On Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday), is the annual pep rally. The pep rally is hosted in the Easton Area High School Gymnasium where all the students and outside spectators come to watch. The pep rally starts off with senior football players walking in escorted by cheerleaders while the marching band plays. During the pep rally there is multiple speeches from the coaches, past football players, one football captain and the principle. There is performances from the powder puff cheerleaders, football players moms, Rover Nations mothers, Dance Team and the Varsity Cheerleaders.

At night is the parade followed by the lighting of the bonfire. The parade consists of the marching band and cheerleaders and starts from Cottingham stadium all the way to the high school. Throughout the parade people join in the celebration as we walk to the high school. As the parade reaches the entrance of the high school, the football players join in to walk to the bonfire. The captains of the football team, captains of the cheerleading team, and a few band members light the bonfire. 
                                  


And of course there is Thanksgiving day. At the stadium you'll find hundreds of people tailgating and others inside the stadium watching the pregame show. Throughout the game there is various of friendly (or not so friendly) fights between the fans, mainly throughout the student sections. At the end of the game, if Easton wins (most likely happens) the buses of cheerleaders, football players and the band take victory laps around Centre Square. The victory laps consist of one lap per point we win by. After the game the fans return to their side of the river to gather around their family and say thanks for being apart of the greatest high school rivalry in the country.

"It’s an amazing experience to have been a part of. To get that many people to a high school football game and just how the energy of the towns and the entire area shifts. It brings the two towns together and has been a big part of the identity of the area." -Jared Holley, Easton Football Alumni