Arts & Culture

Unlike last year, when she won Best Pop Solo Performance for "Espresso," and Best Pop Vocal Album for "Short n' Sweet," Sabrina Carpenter went home empty-handed on Sunday.

Lehigh Valley native Sabrina Carpenter (shown performing at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center in 2024), is nominated in six categories at Sunday's Grammy Awards. She has a chance to tie or break five Grammy records.

Femi J. Johnson's "Like It Is" will be on display through May 9. The exhibition is open to the public noon to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and noon to 3 p.m. Fridays. Admission is free. An artist reception will be Feb. 4.

Modest Mouse, whose 2007 album “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank” topped the chart and went gold, will perform at 7 p.m. June 6.

Toad The Wet Sprocket, who from 1989-97 had eight Top 25 hits on various charts, will perform at 7 p.m. July 12, ArtsQuest announced Monday.

Alton Brown, who started the Food Network’s “Good Eats” show, will perform An Evening of Alton Brown at 7:30 p.m. April 16, the theater announced. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 30.

Cameron Whitcomb, whose songs "Medusa," "Options" and "Hundred Mile High" have hit that chart, has been added to the show by country-rock star Hardy at 7 p.m. March 26.

Just Born and its Peeps are bringing out some unique store exclusives for Easter 2026, including strawberry Pop-Tarts, SunnyD and mango chili lime.

ArtsQuest will offer its fourth annual Winter Winefest & Market on Feb. 15 in Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

On view through May at the Allentown Art Museum are solo exhibitions "The Clouds are Luminous" by Ellen Berkenblit and "Aftertouch" by Amanda Valdez, curated by Elaine Mehalakes and Claire McRee, respectively.

Now that Musikfest has completed the announcements of the headliners on its main Steel Stage, the festival still has to reveal the wide offerings on the festival's 15 free stages.

The Struts, whose style recalls bands such as The Rolling Stones and Queen and who has had the hits “Could Have Been Me” and “Kiss This,” will perform at 7 p.m. June 28 at Archer Music Hall, it was announced Monday.

Jesse Royal, a Jamaican who blends traditional roots reggae with modern influences and socially conscious lyrics, will perform at the July 11 festival on the SteelStacks campus. Royal will be among more than a dozen acts across three stages scheduled for the festival, set for noon-1:30 a.m.

Brian Regan, who has starred in several Comedy Central specials and refrains from profanity and off-color humor, will play State Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25, the venue announced. And Lewis Black, known for his cantankerous comedic style and also as an author, playwright, social critic and actor, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9.

Jessica Simpson, known for her 1999 platinum single "I Wanna Love You Forever," as well as for starring in the MTV reality show "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica" with her husband, singer Nick Lachey, will perform at 8 p.m. June 11.

The Major Arena Soccer League announced Thursday that league owners have approved a team for Allentown.

Zach Top, who in just two years has had four gold or platinum songs and is best known for his 2024 double-platinum hit "I Never Lie," will perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 21, the venue announced.

The May 22 show will kick off five monthly concerts in the second year of free, family-friendly series "with an expanded and diverse lineup designed to bring the community together through live music, culture and shared experiences in the heart of Allentown," presenter ArtsQuest said in a release.

Blues, Brews & Barbecue Festival will return, reimagined as Red, White & Blues for 2026, from noon-8 p.m. June 13 in downtown Allentown.

The festival, returning to the college campus for an eighth year, will be held 4-10 p.m. Friday, May 22, and noon-10 p.m. Saturday, May 23, and Sunday, May 24.

Night Ranger, best known for its hits “Sister Christian” and “When You Close Your Eyes,” will perform at 8 p.m. May 22.

Comedian Bobby Collins, known for his appearances on "The Tonight Show" and VH1 and Showtime comedy specials, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16. And The Fab Faux, which for more than 25 years has recreated iconic Beatles tunes and solo songs of its members behind guitarist and former "Conan" bandleader Jimmy Vivino, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30.