Arts & Culture

The crowd at Allentown Fair for Cheap Trick and Blue Oyster Cult was there to hear the hits of their youth and — for the most part — got what they wanted.

For the first time, Robbie Furman will showcase his work at the Allentown Fair.

The oppressive heat did not deter folks from making their way to the 172nd Great Allentown Fair at the Allentown Fairgrounds on Wednesday. Great food and drinks, amusement park rides and a variety of events will take place at the fair through Monday, Sept. 2.

Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour hits the grandstand stage at Allentown Fair at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Tickets, at $30 each, remain available at the fair website.

Nearly 50 years later, Blue Öyster Cult still is performing, and this year even released "Ghost Stories," its first album of new material in four years and only second in 23 years. The group also will open for fellow 1970s rockers Cheap Trick as the grandstand feature for opening night at Allentown Fair at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28.

The wartime lost portrait by German artist Lucas Cranach the Elder, entitled "Portrait of George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony," has hung at the Allentown Art Museum since 1961.

Bethlehem's SouthSide Arts District has joined with the city and Wawa stores to create what it calls a "Gateway sign" — "a vibrant public art piece that enhances the entrance between Route 412 and SouthSide downtown."

The 2024 Great Allentown Fair runs Wednesday, Aug. 28 through Monday, Sept. 2. We've got a rundown on what you can expect, from the grandstand headliners to the Iron Chef competition and more.

The Lehigh Valley Zoo is hosting its annual Brew at the Zoo again in 2024. This year, it falls on Saturday, Sept. 14, and will feature more than three dozen craft beers and ciders.

Jayna Elise, who auditioned on "Idol" in both Season 21 in 2023 and Season 22 the past spring, recently was chosen for the role of Turner in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, which performs at Easton's State Theatre on Oct. 1-2.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Bethlehem's Craig Larimer will head a team brewing up some old-fashioned ale at the Bethlehem Blueberry Festival this July 15 and 16, utilizing the classic copper pot technique.

Participating restaurants are offering prix fixe menus and other deals on meals starting Sunday, July 16.

Indie-pop trio AJR, which will headline the main stage at Bethlehem's Musikfest festival's opening night Aug. 3, as of Wednesday was showing no seats available on the festival's ticket buying site.

"American Idol" winner David Cook, who after the show had a platinum album and two platinum singles, will perform at Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem.

Musikfest will hold a three-day sale to give buyers tickets to four SteelStage headliners for just $25 each.

Morgan James will bring the modern R&B style of her new disc 'Nobody's Fool' to Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks in Bethlehem on Friday.

The theatre is looking for locals to submit their favorite places and people that make the city shine.

The soon-to-open HangDog Outdoor Adventure, a four-story outdoor ropes course, is conducting job interviews almost every day, every 15 minutes, after a crush of job applicants.

The classic rocker brings his tour to Bethlehem on Saturday July 15.

The Bethlehem landmark is nominated for best historic hotel for the third time.

Alt-rockers Switchfoot performed Saturday at the Univest Performance Center in Quakertown.