Rick Nichols recounts the story of Fishtown and the shad that gave the area it’s name.

It was 28 years ago that Lambertville threw a Shad Fest to mark the turnabout. And this year on the same date, April 25, in Penn Treaty Park off Delaware Avenue, Fishtown is getting into the act with a Shad Fest of its own.

Last week a big banner featuring the silvery fish went up outside Johnny Brenda’s, one of Fishtown’s new wave of gastropubs. Chef-owner Paul Kimport, who also heads the local business association, was getting a griller-smoker rig fabricated. And designing a shad sandwich with fish (probably from off North Carolina), Groff’s double-smoked bacon, and garlicky spring ramps, and roe with Amish brown butter, lemon, capers, and toast points.

A fish town once more [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Fishtown Shad Fest [Official Site]