Arts & Culture

Next year marks 250 years since the colonists produced a bold declaration of freedom and self-governance that still echoes today. It will be an occasion celebrated and recognized across the land — and we at Lehigh Valley Public Media are no exception.

In addition to live music, there will be more than a dozen local vendors, businesses and crafters, as well as trail and outdoor demonstrations, and group walks.

Steel Panther, which has had five albums top Billboard's Comedy chart, will perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 11 at Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, it was announced.

In the spirit of Shakespeare, Saturday's celebration will feature entertainment for all ages, including musical performances by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, alpaca and ponies, and a student-led Latin band.

From 8 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. Friday, June 27, you'll be able to buy tickets for five of Musikfest's 11 headline shows, two paid-ticket Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks shows and nine Musikfest Cafe shows without paying any service fees.

Howie Mandel, who since 2010 has been a judge on “America’s Got Talent,” will perform with fellow comedian Brad Garrett at 8 p.m. Aug. 24. And Alan Parsons Live Project, which continues the work of Alan Parsons Project, will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 2.

Now in its 14th year, the festival honors Puerto Rican culture in the city. The three-day celebration starts on Thursday with a documentary screening, a tribute to the women of salsa, and a flag-raising on Friday, and more Latin music and food on Saturday.

Lehigh Valley Dodgeball is building an inclusive, community-driven space for players of all skill levels in Easton. Open gyms are now underway every Monday night.

Shankweiler’s, renowned as the oldest continuously operating drive‑in theatre in the country since 1934, will soon be showcased to millions across the country on "Good Morning America."

Allentown Fair's first Mullet Contest will be held at 7 p.m. Aug. 30 at the Farmerama Theater.

Bring an appetite to these food related events happening this weekend in the Valley.

Easton's Karl Stirner Arts Trail is an ever-popular destination for locals and travelers seeking a quaint and quick trip through a museum set along a strip of wilderness in the city.

Bethlehem's annual Fourth of July fireworks were fired from Sand Island and drew a crowd to several points across the city, including the SteelStacks campus.

Switchfoot on Saturday, July 8, will perform at Quakertown's Univest Performance Center.

The Freedom high school alum was sent home after a kissing challenge went amiss.

The new carousel, built in 1928, is the latest milestone in Bushkill Park's resurrection, after a series of floods closed the Easton-area attraction for more than a decade.

A cappella singing group Straight No Chaser will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 6, at Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N. 6th St., Allentown. Tickets, at $49.50-$69.50, are available at www.millersymphonyhall.org or 610-432-6715.

Hundreds attended the festival, which featured ska, reggae and dancehall performances, on Saturday, July 1.

The annual Kazoo Parade in Nazareth on Saturday celebrated America's military veterans, including Parade Grand Marshal and borough councilman Charles Donello.

ArtsQuest hosted its second annual Draggin' With The Divas event Friday night. The show received some social media backlash earlier this month.

Check out these four Lehigh Valley events happening the first weekend of July.

The repairs are being rolled out in two phases, with the first to be completed in the coming weeks. Other historic buildings are also seeing these changes as World Heritage reviews get closer by the day.