Arts & Culture

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs flipped the switch on Illumination during a preview event Thursday. Getting to Opening Day involved significant staff efforts, with 12-15 part-time staff and 30-40 people on peak days over a four-week period.

The announcements continue a trend at Musikfest Cafe to book tribute acts and cover bands. In June, ArtsQuest announced more than a dozen shows for the venue's lineup.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will host the Tri-City Chili Peppers, a college summer team from Colonial Heights, Virginia, that plays in the Coastal Plain League, on May 17 at Coca-Cola Park.

Aaron Lewis, who with Staind sold 10 million copies of the group's first five albums, three of which hit No. 1, will perform with his solo band The Stateliners, at 8 p.m. April 10.

The Symphony is looking for volunteers for its March performances of Vaughn Williams' "Dona Nobis Pacem."

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms Youth U8 Development Program will present free games Nov. 23 and Penguin Figure Skating Club will presents a holiday-themed skating show Nov. 24 at ArtsQuest's Ice Rink at SteelStacks.

Lewis Black, who is known for his angry-face comedic style and also is an author, playwright, social critic and actor, will bring his Goodbye Yeller Brick Road tour to the venue at 8 p.m. Oct. 10.

Roberts was coached by guest mentor Jennifer Hudson and Michael Bublé on "The Voice" Knockout Rounds on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

A sale is scheduled to close in the coming months to Wilkes-Barre-based D&D Realty Group, which has plans for the holiday lights to continue, albeit in a new fashion.

Addison Agen, who finished second to Chloe Kohanski on the show's 13th season, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at the center at 30 E. Belvidere St., Nazareth.

DBA manager says people aren't drinking as much anymore, so it's time to change things up.

Lehigh Valley Salsa Social meets monthly in the Lehigh Valley to practice salsa and bachata. The dances are making a comeback among younger people thanks to TikTok and artists like Bad Bunny.

Ashley Rodrigues, a Moravian University student, recently attended Super Bowl LIX with Living Sport, a sports experience company. As a communications major, with a dream to go into sports broadcasting, she said it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Bailey Spinn, who has nearly 16 million followers on TikTok and nearly 5 million subscribers to her YouTube channel — and viral YouTube pop-punk songs, as well — will perform at 6 p.m. June 18. Party Iconic: Hot to Go — a dance party named after Chappell's 2023 double-platinum hit and featuring music by the Grammy Awards' Best New Artist — will be at 8 p.m. March 29. And Let’s Sing Taylor — A Live Band Experience Celebrating Taylor Swift will perform at 2 and 6:30 p.m. p.m. April 5.

Citing its lease ending, south Bethlehem paint-your-own pottery shop will reopen in the lifestyle center where it first opened 15 years ago.

Local artists teamed up to dispense their artwork from a vending machine at the Easton Public Market.

Arrival From Sweden: The Music of ABBA will perform July 18 at the venue, 301 W. Mill St., Quakertown, as part of the Sounds of Summer Concert Series.

Hollywood Undead, best known for the 2008 hit "Undead" and 2009's "Everywhere I Go," will perform a paid-ticket concert at the venue at 7 p.m. May 13, it was announced. The show also will feature gold-selling rock band Set It Off and charting rap-rocker Zero 9:36.

Attendees will receive a piece of artwork during the benefit, which takes place Friday at the JuxtaHub.

The 26th annual Lehigh Valley Auto Show will be held March 20-23 at Lehigh University. More than 400 vehicles, domestic and imported, will be on display.

Sting, who topped the charts with such songs as "Every Breath You Take" as bassist and vocalist of The Police, then with "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" as a solo artist, will perform Nov. 20-21.

Live Nation head of club programming Molly Warren said the Archer is viewed as a resource being built where there's already a "thriving community" for music — the Lehigh Valley — that embraces artists of many genres.