Food & Drink

For the 172nd fair, which kicks off Aug. 28 and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 2, fair President Daryl Urmy has challenged concessionaires to come up with new treats at their stands. Eighteen concessions have responded, hoping fair-goers will belly up to their counters and try something new.

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.

Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed House Bill 829 and Senate Bill 688 into law. Both expand on the state's unusual and complex liquor laws, including an increase in happy hour and combo meal opportunities.

A couple retailers told LehighValleyNews.com they rely on a few things up their sleeve, including specials each day, a plethora of flavor combinations and a variety of inventory to choose from.

Bethlehem's Austin Shaffer downed five ears of corn in just over four and half minutes to win the Aw Shucks Corn Eating Contest at Musikfest on Wednesday night.

In what it calls "a gastronomic spectacle," the fair will have its first Scrapple Eating Contest at 3 p.m. Aug. 31 in the fairground's Farmerama Theater.

Tuesday, Aug. 6, is opening day for the Lehigh Valley's first Raising Cane's, in Lower Macungie Township. It's the 11th Raising Cane's to come to the Keystone State, but not without celebration. A soft opening was held Monday.

While mid-afternoon rain on Friday forced postponement of Musikfest opening ceremonies, it did not deter folks from attending the festival — just as many food vendors expected.

The 41st Musikfest kicked off at SteelStacks with a preview night on Thursday. The 11-day, citywide festival features live music and a wide range of foods and drinks.

After over 90 years of business on Lehigh Street in Allentown, The Brass Rail will soon open doors in another part of the city. This time, it'll be at another location familiar to loyal customers: the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market.

The 2024-25 Pennsylvania State Budget introduced updates to the state's complex liquor laws, including extended happy hours and ready-to-drink cocktails. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board already received over a thousand RTDC applications and has begun permitting with the law effective Sept. 16.

Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 in Forks Township celebrated the grand opening of Colonial Cafe 71, a coffee shop which helps teach employment and life skills.

The Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market officially added The Brass Rail to its list of merchants Thursday morning — the first time the eatery has been in operation since it shuttered on Lehigh Street in June 2022.

The North Street spot has been known locally for its affordable, yet classic, early morning and lunchtime eats, including pork rolls, pancakes, cheesesteaks and more. The news of the sale comes after 41 years of business.

South Whitehall Board of Commissioners on Wednesday heard a proposal for a new PJ Whelihan’s in Ridge Farms, a mixed use housing development at the intersection of Cedar Crest Boulevard and Walbert Avenue.

Organizers of the beer festival have teamed up with Allentown Mural Arts for a day of craft beer tasting, mural unveilings, live music and local eats on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Chef Ryan Lukow of the Savory Grille unseated reigning champion Chef Courtney Davenport on Sunday to win the Allentown Fair’s annual Iron Chef cooking competition.

The scrapple contest was held on Saturday, Aug. 31 at the Great Allentown Fair.

Baseball, food and fun family offerings are out there if firing up the grill is not your thing.

The Lehigh Valley's newest bagel shop is officially in full swing, holding its grand opening Wednesday Aug. 28. Customers have continuously raved about the bagel spot since its soft opening mid-July.

The 10th anniversary of Clam Jam, the Easton festival held by Third and Ferry Fish Market, brought hundreds of seafood devotees to the city Sunday and crowned new chowder and homebrew champions.

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.