Arts & Culture

In what it calls "a gastronomic spectacle," the fair will have its first Scrapple Eating Contest at 3 p.m. Aug. 31 in the fairground's Farmerama Theater.

The Puerto Rican reggaeton superstars, who came on the scene in the early 2000s, performed a medley of their hits like "Loco" "Bonita" at Musikfest on Aug. 4.

Musikfest organizers have already eliminated paper food and beverage tickets, and started using renewable energy sources to power tents, vendors and beer trucks – but the work continues to make the event more environmentally-friendly.

Welcome to LehighValleyNew.com's Fest in Show, a daily offering of some of the can't-miss acts on the free stages of Bethlehem's Musikfest festival.

Marlo Shankweiler, guitarist for Melt, talks about her homegrown roots before her performance at Musikfest on Sunday.

In a rain-delayed concert of 16 songs in 97 minutes, Shinedown put on a virtual master class on how to please fans, playing a breadth of hits from the band's 21 years, connecting with the crowd and putting on a display of staging, with explosions, fire and images on a big screen.

Thunderstorms that Musikfest called "pesky" closed the festival for more than 3 1/2 hours on what is typically one of its busiest days Saturday. The festival also was delayed on the SteelStacks campus as Bethlehem police discovered what they called "a commercial grade firework" at SteelStacks.

Welcome to LehighValleyNew.com's Fest in Show, a daily offering of some of the can't-miss acts on the free stages of Bethlehem's Musikfest festival.

After chatting through an online dating app, Lehigh Valley natives Stu Elsenbaumer and Jess Madzik had their first date at Musikfest 2021. Now, attending the festival will be a cherished tradition for the newlyweds for years to come.

With the growth of Musikfest comes an ever-growing number of parkers in Bethlehem during Musikfest, one parking official told LehighValleyNews.com. Here's a look at some of your options.

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.