Arts & Culture

The Allentown Art Museum hosted performances celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Sunday, setting alongside its works by Black artists.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day has become a day of service each year, as people come together to take action and make their communities better. Here are volunteer opportunities and events taking place in the Lehigh Valley.

Celebrations are set to take place throughout the Lehigh Valley while volunteer efforts focus on forming an ongoing connection with the community.

Nkasso, a West African family-owned eatery, held a ribbon-cutting and grand opening on Friday at 44 N. 8th Street in Allentown. It offers bissap, a drink made out of the flowers of the Roselle plant (a variety of Hibiscus), along with other cultural staples.

This week, the LehighValleyNews.com digital desk handpicked three events for you to enjoy, including Easton Restaurant Week, the 'Of Portraiture & Polio' exhibition and Positively Picturesque.

The symphony is asking composers in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding area to submit works for string quartet or any combination of traditional string quartet instruments.

Sit-down dining and over-the-counter food on the menu for Easton Restaurant Week, starting Jan. 15.

Third generation Lehigh Valley resident Ashley Coleman will lead the Bradbury-Sullivan Center as it expands its programming over the next few years.

Comedian Gabriel Iglesias, best known for his Comedy Central channel specials “I’m Not Fat … I’m Fluffy,” will headline the main stage at Bethlehem's Musikfest festival in August, it was announced Monday.

Maren Morris, who has topped the country charts but may be best known for her dance music collaboration "In the Middle" with Grey and Zedd, will headline the main stage at Bethlehem's Musikfest festival in August, it was announced Monday.

Charley Crockett, whose 2022 album "The Man From Waco," 2024's "$10 Cowboy," and this year's "Lonesome Drifter" and "Dollar a Day" all hit the Top 200, will perform Saturday, March 7.

The five-story, 78,500-square-foot facility will replace the Banana Factory as a hub for creativity and learning. The construction is expected to be completed in late 2026.

"Cut Loose," an exhibition by local artists Anthony Smith Jr. and Marie Belle, will be on display through Thursday at Eagle Nest Gallery. The two creatives also will be among the 31 artists participating in the Allentown Art Museum's annual fall fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 8, and free-to-attend art fair on Sunday, Nov. 9.

The Korean-born, French-inspired Paris Baguette franchise is looking to expand its footprint in the Lehigh Valley as it chips away toward its goal of opening more than 1,000 cafes across the country before 2030. The bakery-cafe chain is specifically taking interest in the Allentown-area market.

Daniel Seddiqui told LehighValleyNews.com on Thursday the region’s two biggest cities aren’t short of charm, friendly residents or traffic.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, best known for its 1970 Top 10 hit "Mr. Bojangles" and its 1987 platinum Country chart hit "Fishin' in the Dark," will perform Friday, April 10.

The Indoor Auto Racing Series, in which the cars compete on the concrete floor, will roar back into the arena Jan. 9-10 to kick off the 2026 series.

The classical music performance begins at 4 p.m. Sunday in Baker Hall. Tickets cost $45–$55.

Dress as your favorite demon hunters to skate and slay at the Steel Ice Center’s "KPop Demon Hunters" public skate from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26.

The annual event is named in memory of philanthropist and arts champion Linny Fowler, who was known for her philanthropy and community engagement. The ceremony was held Thursday night at ArtsQuest's Musikfest Cafe.

With ArtsQuest's 33rd Christkindlmarkt opening in three weeks, construction of its new Winter Wonderland area is underway on the SteelStacks campus. And ArtsQuest has announced additional details of the German-themed holiday market, which will open Nov. 14.

Dog Man: The Musical, a live stage production of the popular children's graphic novel series, will perform at Easton's State Theatre on March 26. Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 24.