Arts & Culture

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.

The final weekend of Musikfest is upon us, and while the festival is perhaps its best-know attractions, its "spectacles" — as Musikfest calls them — and street performers have become important to the environment of the ‘Fest.

Recently retired Parkland art teacher Linda La Due said her students were her greatest masterpieces.

Alt-rock band Wheatus, known for its 2000 hit "Teenage Dirtbag, will play Musikfest's Americaplatz stage at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks at 9:30 p.m. Aug. 11

Participants can learn to hand-blow a glow-in-the-dark jellyfish orb or paperweight.

As the third comedian to headline Musikfest, the Mexican-American jokester didn't disappoint.

Here are the Musikfest acts and more you should see today, Friday, Aug. 11. One of them is "probably the best free-stage show at Musikfest this year," says John J. Moser.

Musikfest is operating under a new code of conduct this year after an antisemitic incident at Christkindlmarkt in December. The nonprofit organization's CEO said it wants to create a welcoming environment but can't outright ban hate speech.

The ArtsQuest annual fête has an estimated 900 volunteers in 2023.

Tommy Castro, who has won the Blues Foundation B.B. King Entertainer of the Year four times, will perform with his band The Painkillers on Feb. 27. And Low Cut Connie, the Philadelphia retro-piano-rock band that has shown up on Barack Obama's Spotify Summer Playlist and gotten effusive praise from Elton John, will perform March 5.

During the hourlong drive through Christmas City, a guide shares facts about the Moravian traditions and the Star of Bethlehem.

Social media rumblings this week included a number of people saying they weren’t able to mail Christmas cards from the Bethlehem Post Office using the special Christmas City postmark. Postal service officials have said there’s no cause for concern.

Eric Hutchinson, whose 2008 song “Rock & Roll” topped that chart, and who also hit the chart with 2009’s “OK, It’s Alright With Me” and 2012’s “Watching You Watch Him,” will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 23.

Marblehead Chowder House on William Penn Highway in Palmer Township has been in operation since 1996. The ownership says the business has changed with the times and owes its success to loyal customers and staff.

As the owners of Smartivity Showcase cut the ribbon Thursday night on their new store, they prepared to close the art market's original home in Easton.

"Ready, Set, Glow" premiered on Thursday with host Wes Brown's trip to Bethlehem where he stopped at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem and Christkindlmarkt.

"Disney on Ice Presents Into the Magic," which continues through Sunday at Allentown's PPL Center showcases characters from the Disney movie "Tangled," Flynn Rider and Rapunzel, who fall in love. Turns out that the actors who play those parts — Jason Marsh as Flynn and Taylor Steele as Rapunzel — are real-life husband and wife.

The Four Phantoms in Concert, featuring Brent Barrett, John Cudia, Franc D’Ambrosio and Ciarán Sheehan, will perform "iconic hits from Broadway and beyond" on Saturday, March 29.

The Bethlehem singer, who placed second on season 26 of the NBC singing competition, reveals to LehighValleyNews.com what she learned from the show.

The Allentown nonprofit is gearing up to break ground that would add around 6,000 square feet to its art school located at 510 Linden St. The state awarded $1 million through an LSA grant to the project, which is expected to cost around $5.5 million.

Archer Music Hall, which developers have called a state-of-the-art entertainment venue at 935-939 Hamilton St., now has an operational website.