Arts & Culture

The Kutztown Folk Festival, known as the oldest continuously operated folk festival in America, is no more.

Sophie Vandecasteele is hoping to open Sophistiqué before Thanksgiving, with a soft opening set for Friday, Nov. 22, at 924 Walnut St.

"Saint Nick of Bethlehem" is screening at the Frank Banko Alehouse Theatre and Shankweiler's Drive-In. Actor Danny Roebuck will also appear at ArtsQuest as Santa Claus on Sunday, Dec. 1.

The owner of Board to Death Games at 338 Main St., just off the Emmaus Triangle, said he wants to be a space for both classic board games and more hardcore hobbyist games. Just down the road, on the same side of the Triangle, Let's Go Coffee Co. is set to open at 358 Main St.

The warm weather, albeit part of a drought, gave more visitors more time to visit Lehigh Valley Zoo and learn about its purpose in 2024. Nearly 185,000 guests visited. The 11th annual Winter Light Spectacular opened this weekend.

"New Conversations: Renaissance and Baroque Art" opens on Saturday, Nov. 16 at the museum located at 31 N. Fifth Street.

The German-inspired holiday market opened on Friday, Nov. 16 at ArtsQuest's SteelStacks campus.

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.

Barley Creek Brewing Company is planting roots in the Lehigh Valley, opening a taproom at the Promenade Saucon Valley. The Pocono-based brewing company expects to serve customers with "100% Pennsylvania products" this fall.

Halloween Haunt at Dorney Park kicked off the fall season Friday. A park spokesman said several attractions have been upgraded to make them scarier and more engaging for park visitors.

Bagpipes, kilts and Highland Games traditions returned Friday as Celtic Classic returned to Bethlehem's Historic District. The festival will run through Sunday.

Yacht rock, the phenomenon that has musical acts once again sharing soft rock songs from decades past, again will take the event center stage when Yacht Rock Revue performs at 8 p.m. March 27, the venue announced.

Phillips, Grier & Flinner will perform at 2 p.m., with doors at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, 130 E. Swamp Road, Doylestown, Bucks County.

Be on the lookout for some colorful and crafty public art Friday, as Easton's Downtown district sees 11 artists custom-paint fire hydrants to spruce up the neighborhood.

The Wilbur Mansion transforms with Swift, a rebranded dining experience in the Fountain Hill District of Bethlehem, offering seasonal menus, handmade cocktails, outside dining, and historical flair.

Tickets, at $46.05 for general admission standing and $96.75 for seated, are available at the Archer website and the box office at 939 Hamilton St., Allentown.

Palmer Township has been recognized with a historic marker from the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, commemorating the spot where the famous Crayola crayon was born.

Cosmic baseball — a baseball game played under black lights with a glowing ball, bats, bases and even uniforms — will return to the stadium, it was announced.

Gabby's Dollhouse Live, a live stage show with puppets based on the popular preschooler Netflix series, will perform at Easton's State Theatre on Jan. 27, it was announced.

This marks the third year where the Lehigh Valley IronPigs have donned the best attendance record in minor league baseball.