Arts & Culture

The Allentown Repertory Dance Theatre and Allentown Symphony Orchestra are seeking dancers for its celebrated annual production of The Nutcracker. Auditions for the performance are scheduled for Aug. 25 at Repertory Ballet Academy, 6426 Memorial Road, Allentown.

Jonny Craig, the singer who led indie bands Dance Gavin Dance, Emarosa and Slaves, will perform at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, at Northampton's Gin Mill & Grille.

The Pen Argyl restaurant was brought into the limelight by Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy several months ago. Now it'll join Portnoy for his one-day One Bite Pizza Festival.

Allentown Rescue Mission began its art therapy program during the pandemic. It has since become one of the favorite classes among the men who temporarily reside at the shelter.

Dorney Park's Halloween Haunt, which features haunted mazes, elaborate scare zones and more, will return, the park announced.

Musikfest, the largest non-gated music festival in the country, said it still had record crowds for its headline Steel Stage, and the most sold-out headline shows in its history.

State Sen. Nick Miller said he hopes the federal funds drive more people to Miller Symphony Hall.

If you missed the fireworks display that brought Musikfest 2024 to a close, you can catch a time-lapse of it here, recorded from the Univest Public Media Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem. The 11-day festival ended Sunday night.

Rod Stewart, who in his 55-year recording career has sold more than 40 million albums in the United States alone and had nearly 30 Top 25 hits, will perform at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23.

While memories still are fresh, the reviewers at LehighValleyNews.com have ranked their favorites of Musikfest's 11 headline shows this year.

Hawaiian singer Camile Velasco, who came in ninth place on the third season of "American Idol" in 2004 and now performs under the name Eli-Mac, says she'll perform at ReggaeFest at SteelStacks on July 5.

The Kutztown University junior, from Bethlehem, talks about her role as station treasurer, why she does it, and how it fits into her studies in animation, television and film.

Boston band Guster, who has had nearly a dozen songs hit the Top 40 in the Adult Alternative chart, will perform at 6 p.m. July 29. Opening the show will be The Mountain Goats, which from 2015-19 had three Top 10 albums on Indie chart.

This year's Greater Lehigh Valley Film Festival will feature 27 short films by some of the areas greatest talent, as well as student pieces from The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts.

311, which blends rock, reggae, hip hop and funk, is making a stop in Bethlehem in June. The Decemberists also are slated to perform at the venue in late July.

Brian Krajewski, who a release described as a live entertainment industry veteran, has replaced Gunnar Fox, who had been the venue's general manager since it opened.

Judy Collins, best known for her 1968 hit "Both Sides Now" and 1975's "Send in the Clowns," will perform at 7:30 p.m. July 20.

Fiesta on Hamilton will take over Hamilton Street from 9th Street to 11th Street 1 to 7 p.m. May 18, the Chamber announced.

O.A.R., which most recently played Musikfest in a co-headline show with Goo Goo Dolls in 2023, will perform at the event center at 8 a.m. Aug. 21.

The Black Keys, best known for its double-platinum hits "Lonely Boy" and "Gold on the Ceiling," will headline Musikfest's Steel Stage on Aug. 10.

WWE was once a near-annual staple in Allentown and throughout the Lehigh Valley. But the company has not returned since a holiday tour stop in 2023.

Celtic Thunder, known for its eclectic, theatrical show, backed by the Celtic Thunder Band, will bring a brand-new show, "An Intimate Evening with Celtic Thunder," to Easton's State Theatre. The group will perform at Saturday, Sept. 13.