Arts & Culture

Check out a roundup of activities, places, and times to see the fireworks as the Lehigh Valley celebrates Independence Day.

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."

The veteran comic book artist who penned characters like 'The New Mutants' will have his work on display in the framing shop until Dec. 2

The annual concert to raise money for Bethlehem Area Library expands this year—to at least a dozen acts. The show is Friday at Studio 11 in the main branch.

This classroom disguised as a restaurant is an innovative space for students to create gourmet meals

The Ice Rink at SteelStacks presented by Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital will be open daily on the SteelStacks campus, including holidays, beginning Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, through Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023.

Shankweiler's, the country's oldest drive-in theatre located in Orefield, is under new ownership. It will resume its 2022 season this month, with a grand reopening planned for the spring.

The very fate of the event – now in its 26th year – gave way to speculative fiction earlier this year. Rumors swirled, as they often do, following media reports and social media posts in September that Lights in the Parkway could end. Not so, says the City of Allentown.

This week, the LehighValleyNews.com digital desk has handpicked three events for you to enjoy, including the play "Odysseus" by Touchstone Theatre, Bacon Fest and "All Hands Hold" at the Bradbury-Sullivan Center.

The museum is set to use the funds towards key updates in the Kress Gallery, which houses the museum's renaissance works, and throughout the building.

The Bradbury-Sullivan LGBTQ Community Center is featuring a new exhibit, "All Hands Hold," by Philadelphia-based interdisciplinary artist Kara Mshinda. Mshinda said she came up with the idea of the exhibit while watching the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol unfold, and she was also inspired by the TV show "Pose."

Weekly neighborhood West Ward Market sees success and shares plans to return in 2023. Organizers value inclusivity with ideas for every age group from tots to seniors.

The Lehigh Valley ranked first in hotel occupancy rates across the state, according to 2021-2022 Smith Travel Research. The news was shared during Discover Lehigh Valley’s Board of Directors Breakfast and Annual Report on Tuesday.

Beer is a year-round reward but in the fall, special flavors make for heartier nectar at Shangy's in Emmaus.