Arts & Culture

Organizers had hinted that this year's crowds were expected to break records. On Tuesday, ArtsQuest confirmed it. More than 1.3 million visited Bethlehem during the 11 nights of Musikfest 2023.

The opening line of The Band's song "The Weight" — “I pulled into Nazareth/Was feelin' about half past dead” — has again put the spotlight on the Northampton County borough with the death of its writer, Robbie Robertson.

The time-lapse was shot from the weather camera atop the Univest Public Media Center on the SteelStacks campus.

The 40th Musikfest drew to a successful close on Sunday night in Bethlehem. The nation's largest open-gate free music festival delivered more than 500 free performances, plus paid-ticket headliners. Organizers believe a record of roughly 1.25 million attended the 11-day event. An official count is expected to be announced Tuesday.

The Grammy-winning band closed out the 11-day spread with a 90-minute set of their biggest hits and covers of The Eagles and Journey.

Giuseppe Iatarola, 11, of Hellertown, is a widely known gearhead looking to make a mark on the automotive industry with his YouTube channel and MotorWeek segment.

In a stripped down production that felt custom-made for the Musikfest stage, Morris capped a 17-song set with three songs that put a rush of energy into the crowd as the skies opened up over Bethlehem.

Musikfest attracts tens of thousands of people to the city each day during its 10-day run. Officials said they’re continuously working to lessen the event’s impact on the environment.

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.

Here are the Musikfest acts and more you should see today, Saturday, Aug. 12.

Jon Gosselin will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, March 14 art the grand opening of Americus Nights, a posh nightclub at the Americus Hotel in downtown Allentown.

The Black Crowes, best known for its No. 1 hits "Hard to Handle" and "She Talks to Angels" will perform on the festival's main Steel Stage at 7 p.m. Aug. 4.

Alabama, which has sold more than 75 million albums and charted 43 No.1 hits to become the most successful band in the history of country music, will headline the Allentown Fair's Grandstand stage on Thursday, Aug. 28.

William Donner, an anthropology professor at Kutztown University, led a presentation over the weekend on the history of what was once known as the country's oldest folk festival. He lectured at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum.

Surrounded by family, friends and fans, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley addressed an enthusiastic and raucous crowd at the PPL Center. It came a month after winning the Super Bowl and days after signing a contract extension that made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

Cavalera is taking its music with Sepultura back to fans in a tour that stops tonight, March 8, at Allentown's new Archer music hall — the first national act to perform at the venue.

Friday evening welcomed the reopening of The Gap Theatre in Wind Gap, where Harry Guerro launched the event with a showing of the first two Indiana Jones films.

Formed in 2008, local weekend event in May features separate day of beer and wine tastings, followed by a for-kids-only day of art and science fun.

Americus Nights will be on the lowest level of the Americus Hotel at Sixth and Hamilton streets. It will hold a grand opening at 8 p.m. March 14 with DJ Jon Gosselin, formerly a star of the reality TLC TV show, "Jon and Kate Plus 8."

Archer Music Hall, Allentown's downtown entertainment venue is brand new — so new, it had its official ribbon-cutting and first concert Thursday. But its roots in the city go extremely deep, officials said in a ceremony to open the venue.

Daryl Hall, who with John Oates made up Hall and Oates, a vocal duo that had 19 songs hit the Top 10 on various charts, will perform at 7:30 p.m. July 19.

Alan Doyle's music is heavily influenced by his Irish heritage and the Celtic sea shanties, filled with the sounds of accordions, whistles, fiddles and barons. He will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at Musikfest Café at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.