Arts & Culture

Bethlehem Oktoberfest wrapped up its first weekend Sunday, with one more weekend of beer, German culture and wiener dog racing to go

It's in our coffee, our baked goods, our savory dishes, our beer... It's everywhere! Pumpkin spice season is in full swing, and we're here for the haters to hear why it's so awful.

The 13th Oktoberfest opened Friday night at SteelStacks in Bethlehem. The German-inspired festival will be held Friday, Oct. 6 through Sunday, Oct. 8, and Friday, Oct. 13 through Sunday, Oct. 15. It features polka and other music, a variety of beer, food and entertainment.

LehighValleyNews.com gathers a list of local Halloween events this year, ranging from ghost tours and parades to trick or treat.

NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet will hold auditions for children ages six to 17 this Friday, Oct. 6 at the Pennsylvania Classical Ballet Academy.

The Large Flowerheads will perform on a stage erected near home plate on the field at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7. General-admission seating will be in the stadium bowl, on blankets on the field or in lawn chairs in designated areas.

Easton's Garlic Fest is coming back for its 20th year, offering up savory and sweet garlic dishes, drinks, memorabilia and more.

Hip hop, widely believed to have started in the Bronx borough of New York City, quickly spread to the nearby Lehigh Valley, says organizer Michael A. Frassetto.

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center is holding its first annual Ghouls & Glitter Pride Night at Dorney Park.

The East Penn area is getting a multitude of Halloween festivals in events in October. New festivals return and set off, while traditional events return.

Drake Bell, best known for his starring roles on Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show” with Amanda Bynes from 1999-02, and “Drake & Josh” from 2004-07, will perform at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at Gin Mill and Grille, at 1750 Main St., Northampton.

George Gray was the founder of the U.S. Coast Guard Art Program and a combat artist during World War II and in Vietnam. Gray painted 233 murals for hotels across the country. Historic Hotel Bethlehem is the only hotel that still retains Gray's work, and has gained national recognition.

A group of entertainers held their first-ever AfroBeats celebration with dance classes, DJ sets and West African and Caribbean eats on Saturday, June 28 at the Wooden Match.

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.