Arts & Culture

On Thursday, ArtsQuest and public officials gathered for a ceremonial "brick-breaking" marking the start of construction work at the former Bethlehem Steel Turn and Grind Shop at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

Straight No Chaser will perform at the theater at 3 and 7 p.m. Dec. 5. And the stage play "Waitress" at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 and 16.

Friday's show, which started this year's lineup of 48 concerts, gave the audience its first exposure to a new state-of-the-art sound system that replaces a public address system developed 25 years ago.

Two-thirds of the way through construction, the new Creativity Center is ahead of schedule, below budget, growing in size and adding new elements of creativity, opportunity and community, officials said.

WWE will return to the Lehigh Valley this summer, bringing its 2026 Summer Tour to the PPL Center on Thursday, July 16, marking the company’s first live event in Allentown in roughly three years.

The Freddy Awards is now in its 24th year. The ceremony will take place on May 21 at State Theatre.

Country music star Martina McBride and Justin Hayward, who led The Moody Blues for more than 50 years, are among four new shows announced for the theater's 100th season.

Musikfest announced 331 music acts announced for about 500 concerts on the festival's 15 free stages during its July 31-Aug. 9 run, with a July 30 preview night.

The season will offer 48 shows and open May 15.

Hard rock band The Used will perform at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem on July 22. Tickets are available at the venue website or box office.

Famed chef Jose Garces announced Tuesday he will open two restaurants downtown this spring.

Rich Rudolph and son, Rich, opened Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls at The Promenade Center Valley this month. The Lehigh Valley natives are the first franchise owners of the chain in Pennsylvania.

The Musical Box, a Canadian band that says it recreates "historic Genesis concerts of the past," will perform the 1973 album "Genesis Live" at 7 p.m. June 15.

A staged reading of "Spit Out the Poison" will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 29. at Touchstone Theatre.

ArtsQuest has announced three new shows for Musikfest Cafe.

Join Sarah White and Tim Betz on a virtual Zoom call at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

Archer Music Hall developers City Center and operators Live Nation gave the media an early look at the venue before its scheduled March 8 opening by gold-selling Brazilian metal band Cavalera.

Comedian Gabriel Iglesias, best known for his Comedy Central channel specials “I’m Not Fat … I’m Fluffy,” will headline Allentown Fair's grandstand stage at 7 p.m. Sept. 1, it was announced Monday.

Tickets, at $119, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 31 at the fair's website or at its box office on Allentown Fairgrounds at 17th and Liberty streets.

The USA Luge Challenge is coming back to Blue Mountain Resort on Jan. 25-26. The competition previously scouted out talent at Blue Mountain and is looking to do so again, while also encouraging public participation in the sport.

The boutique hotel in Downtown Allentown opened on Jan. 15 and is already booking dates for when the Archer Music Hall opens in March.

Peter Frampton, best known for his 1976 album “Frampton Comes Alive,” which was the biggest-selling live album for more than 20 years, will play Thursday, April 3.