Arts & Culture

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.

The free tribute concert honoring two prominent members of the Lehigh Valley's music scene takes place at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 8 at Central Moravian Church.

The Celtic Cultural Alliance, presenter of the Celtic Classic Highland Games & Festival, vows to do "everything possible" to continue the event. Rainy weather severely impacted attendance and revenues during last month's event, casting uncertainty over its future.

The German-inspired festival kicks off on Friday, Oct. 6 at SteelStacks.

Weekends from now until November will be filled with pumpkins, beer, bacon and more in the Lehigh Valley. Check out this guide to fall events.

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.

Dave Goddess Group will play songs from its new album, "Back in Business," and other from his past, at an "unplugged" show by his Dave Goddess Group at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24 at Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. 4th St., Bethlehem. Tickets remain available at $20.50 advance and $25.50 day of show at www.godfreydaniels.org.

So your vegan family member is coming by for Thanksgiving, and you're at a loss. Relax! It's easier than ever to accommodate your plant-based pals this holiday season with just a few tips, tricks and advice.