Arts & Culture

Across Pennsylvania, hundreds of students are representing their schools in gaming competitions. While not sanctioned by the PIAA, students are making a name for themselves, gaining college scholarships and acquiring skills beyond just hand-eye coordination.

A new workshop for protective hairstyles is coming to Allentown. It will be hosted by Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center on May 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.

The family-friendly festival will take place over Memoral Day weekend, Friday, May 26 to Sunday, May 28 at Cedar Crest College.

The festival, which runs May 31 - Aug. 6, features free performances of "A Midsummer's Night Dream" and ticketed classical and contemporary shows.

Looking for something to do to celebrate the unofficial kick off to summer? You can take advantage of these events happening right here in the Lehigh Valley.

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

The enchanted fairy tale will be performed by 100 cast members at the Zoeller Arts Center.

Bluesy rocker Boz Scaggs, best known for his 1970s hits "Lowdown" and "Ledo Shuffle," performs at 7 p.m. Sunday at Miller Symphony Hall in Allentown.

Greenway Pride will be held 1-4 p.m. Saturday, May 20, on the Greenway between Taylor and Adams streets.

The Water Lantern Festival is coming to Allentown; the event has a non-refundable ticket policy customers should be aware of.

The Bethlehem Running Festival has added a half-marathon relay to its inaugural event on Oct. 21-22.

Allentown's 19th Street Theatre has been nominated to be on the National Register of Historic Places.

Workers battled oppressive heat while breaking down venues at the recently concluded 171st Allentown Fair on Tuesday, Final attendance figure for the six-day festival is expected to be released by next week.

Total attendance figures won't be released until later in the week, but they likely were helped by a week of splendid weather. The six-day fair started last Wednesday and wrapped up, as usual, with the demolition derby at the grandstand on Labor Day.

Keith Urban at the Allentown Fair grandstand played an astounding 13 gold or platinum hits — or was it 16? — on a night that cooled off a "Long Hot Summer" day.

The Great Allentown Fair's final day is Monday. Sunday hosted the Barnyard Olympics, a homemade chocolate cake competition and a Keith Urban concert.

The team from LehighValleyNews.com lost — just barely — to a trash-talking team of 'movers and shakers' that included Mayor Matt Tuerk and County Executive Phillips J. Armstrong.

The rapper and social media sensation performed his hits "Mr. Clean" and "Betty (Get Money)" on Saturday night at the Allentown Fair grandstand.

Davenport's spin on Christmas pudding wowed the judges at the competition, which is part of the fair's farm-to-table series.

Early-aught hip-hop hitmakers Nelly and Chingy performed Friday at third night of the Allentown Fair grandstand.

Yung Gravy on Saturday night brings his maddeningly catchy — but absurdist — raps about wooing your girlfriends ("Oops!") and your moms ("Betty (Get Money)" and "Mr. Clean") to Allentown Fair's grandstand.

Lehigh County 4-H Livestock Club members are the biggest winners at the Great Allentown Fair, which runs through Labor Day on Monday.