Entertainment News

It's still more than a month before the 37th annual Celtic Classic takes over downtown with kilts and kegs, but contests for the festival that celebrates all things Irish, Scottish and Welsh already are starting.

Diana Ross, who with The Supremes had a dozen No. 1 hits in the 1960s, then a half dozen more as a solo artist in the 1970s and ’80s, will perform at the center at 8 p.m. Oct. 18.

ArtsQuest, in partnership with Trans-Bridge Lines and Penn State University, on Monday announced a new satellite parking lot will be established at Penn State Lehigh Valley.

The opening night (the fest continues 2-11 p.m. today) offered New York gospel-blues trio The Harlem Gospel Travelers as headliners, and they offered an enthusiastic set. But it was some of the supporting acts that elevated the experience.

It's been two weeks since rock band Heart canceled its opening-night headline concert at Allentown Fair, and it looks like the fair is set to announce a replacement.

Over 80 comics signed up for the first round of a new competition at the Emmaus Theatre that looks to seek the funniest in the Lehigh Valley.

For the first time, the two-day festival will feature a barbecue competition, along with 11 blues performers. It will take place Friday, July 19 and Saturday, July 20 at SteelStacks.

Through this month, the symphony is offering a 10% discount on tickets to its popular Holiday Pops concert on Dec. 21 and Repertory Dance Theatre's "Nutcracker" on Dec. 7-8, both at Miller Symphony Hall at 23 S. 6th St., Allentown.

Michael W. Smith, who has won three Grammy Awards and 45 Dove Awards and has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21.

The Linny Awards, presented to individuals from the region for longtime commitment and dedication to the arts, will be held later this year in Musikfest Cafe at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks.

Lehigh Valley indie-rockers Slingshot Dakota are kicking off Musikfest at the Air Products Americaplatz at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks stage at 5 p.m. Thursday, bringing their unique and creatively energetic punk rock sans guitar.

Peach Day is coming back to Scott Park this Saturday, offering Eastonians and visitors plenty of tasty peaches, as well as baked goods and beverages featuring the summer fruit.

Welcome to LehighValleyNews.com's Fest in Show, a daily offering of some of the can't-miss acts on the stages of Musikfest.

Musikfest, a 10-day festival of music, food, refreshments and more, celebrates its 40th year beginning on Thursday.

The classic & antique car festival is expected to bring thousands of visitors and hundreds of cars to the park, dating back to the early 1900s.

The Musikfest show will be the first day — and second stop — in Allman’s See It All American Tour with Donovan Frankenreiter. The tour will be an attempt by Allman and Frankenreiter to set the official world record by playing 50 shows in 50 states in 49 days.

Philadelphia psyche-pop master Kurt Vile and The Violators, who topped the Adult Album Alternative charts with the 2015 song “Pretty Pimpin’” and have had three albums in the overall Top 50, will headline a concert with the late jazz great Sun Ra’s band The Sun Ra Arkestra at Allentown’s Miller Symphony Hall.

The opening acts for Musikfest's main stage headliners have been announced. They include several Lehigh Valley favorites.

A completely dry stretch of weather is almost unheard of this time of year, said meteorologist Bobby Martrich of EPAWA Weather Consulting, the official forecaster of Musikfest.

The Lower Macungie Township Historical Society is set to raise money for and produce a historical docudrama film focused on the 1799 Fries Rebellion, which led to a federal crackdown in the Macungie area during the John Adams administration.

ArtsQuest announced Monday that the Old World Wine Dinner will be at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20 in the Fowler Blast Furnace Room on the second floor of the ArtsQuest Center. And the two-session Fall Winefest & Market will be on Oct. 29 at the Banana Factory in Bethlehem.

As Musikfest kicks off next week, some notable figures in its history shared their perspectives on the humble beginnings and what it's become. Join in the action in Bethlehem from Aug. 3-13.