Arts & Culture

The oppressive heat did not deter folks from making their way to the 172nd Great Allentown Fair at the Allentown Fairgrounds on Wednesday. Great food and drinks, amusement park rides and a variety of events will take place at the fair through Monday, Sept. 2.

Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour hits the grandstand stage at Allentown Fair at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Tickets, at $30 each, remain available at the fair website.

Nearly 50 years later, Blue Öyster Cult still is performing, and this year even released "Ghost Stories," its first album of new material in four years and only second in 23 years. The group also will open for fellow 1970s rockers Cheap Trick as the grandstand feature for opening night at Allentown Fair at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28.

The wartime lost portrait by German artist Lucas Cranach the Elder, entitled "Portrait of George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony," has hung at the Allentown Art Museum since 1961.

Bethlehem's SouthSide Arts District has joined with the city and Wawa stores to create what it calls a "Gateway sign" — "a vibrant public art piece that enhances the entrance between Route 412 and SouthSide downtown."

The 2024 Great Allentown Fair runs Wednesday, Aug. 28 through Monday, Sept. 2. We've got a rundown on what you can expect, from the grandstand headliners to the Iron Chef competition and more.

The Lehigh Valley Zoo is hosting its annual Brew at the Zoo again in 2024. This year, it falls on Saturday, Sept. 14, and will feature more than three dozen craft beers and ciders.

Jayna Elise, who auditioned on "Idol" in both Season 21 in 2023 and Season 22 the past spring, recently was chosen for the role of Turner in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, which performs at Easton's State Theatre on Oct. 1-2.

Allentown Fair’s main Grandstand stage is inarguably one of its biggest draws — offering top music, performances and other acts in the Lehigh Valley’s largest-capacity arena. Here's how we rank this year's headliners.

Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte and accompanying pumpkin-flavor coffee customizations are set to return Thursday. Local coffee shops plan to bring back — or already have — seasonal favorites, too.

Portnoy's "One Bite" series features a rave review of the Pen Argyl pizzeria.

The museum opened its winter season with a new exhibition that celebrates Puerto Rican artists, as well as the female workforce in the region.

Upper Macungie Township has announced several new indoor programs for this winter, including Zumba, youth soccer, arts classes and a science camp. Several of these classes have been offered outdoors during other seasons, but have never been offered during the winter months.

Rapper Ludacris, best known for the hits "Stand Up" (featuring Shawnna)" and "Money Maker" (featuring Pharrell), is the first headliner announced for next year's Musikfest.

Museum Store Sunday gives the nonprofit shops attached to cultural institutions a spot in the post-Thanksgiving shopping calendar. Three Lehigh Valley museums are joining in.

From the Bach Choir to the Central Moravian Church, celebrate the season through song at these local concerts.

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.

Dave Goddess and his Dave Goddess Group played the spectrum of his career songs at his first-ever appearance at Godfrey Daniels on Friday – an hour-and-45-minute show of 24 songs (plus an intermission).

The theater's Christmas City Follies performance is now in its 24th year.

When Double Decker made the announcement online, hundreds of longtime, loyal customers filled the shop, some spending thousands of dollars to stock up for life on vintage LPs.

Allentown Fairgrounds is hosting its 2nd annual Winter Wonderland Extravaganza Craft Show on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 25-26, that includes more than 70 craft vendors.

The Christmastime tradition features a mix of modern and classic choreography at the State Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 29.