BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Musikfest bills itself as America's largest free ungated outdoor music festival, but that doesn't mean it's without costs or challenges.
Parking can be a nightmare, food and beverages aren't cheap, and those with discerning bladders may balk at using the many portable toilets shuttled into the city.
Fortunately, LehighValleyNews.com compiled tips and life hacks to make the most of the festivities that start full throttle Friday and run through Aug. 13.
- If you don't want to flout Musikfest rules about food and beverage, consider dining at cheap eateries close to the action
- While the Trans-Bridge shuttle is a reliable way to and from the festival grounds, LANTA just started frequent bus routes connecting Bethlehem to more communities
- Public restrooms can be hard to find on the Northside, but options are available
Getting around
Musikfest attracted more than 1.2 million visitors last year. There's no way that many people move through a city the size of Bethlehem without disrupting traffic patterns or requiring creative solutions to the limited parking situation. If rising with the sun or parking in Timbuktu isn't an attractive option, consider some alternate modes of transportation.
The D&L Trail's connection to Sand Island makes cycling to Musikfest an option. The path is shaded, and there are several trailheads within a 30-minute ride of Bethlehem. Just be aware of the tradeoffs that come with cycling. Anyone beating a path to the beer lines probably won't want to take a lengthy bike ride afterward. Plus, cyclists will want to limit their festing to daylight hours; traveling along an unlit path along the Lehigh River after dark can end poorly. Keep in mind that bikes aren't allowed on the festival grounds. Anyone who rides should consider securing their bike at Pedalplatz near the Ice House.
If cycling isn't appealing, buses are also available. Trans-Bridge will be running roundtrip shuttles to both the North and Southside campuses at $9 for adults and $7 for accompanied children. Kids aged 2 and younger ride for free but have to sit on an adult's lap. The Northside shuttle connects to 1525 Valley Center Parkway in Hanover Township, while the Southside shuttle runs to 240 Emery St. More details are available on the Musikfest website.
The better bus option, however, may be LANTA. The public transit organization recently unveiled its new Enhanced Bus Service, which provides buses every 15 minutes along its main lines between Whitehall Township and South Bethlehem (the Green Line) and between Easton and Trexlertown (the Blue Line). This provides festers more options about where to catch a bus to Bethlehem, and people living along the routes could theoretically get to and from the festival grounds without getting behind the wheel. The option may be cheaper, too — a $4 daily pass grants its holder unlimited rides for the day. More information is available at LantaBus.com.
Food and drink
Like many of the Lehigh Valley's popular festivals, Musikfest's dining options can quickly get expensive. Fortunately, people have plenty of options to stuff their gullets without busting their wallets.
Festplatz on Northside and Americaplatz on Southside boast the largest array of official food options, but festival-goers on a budget may want to check out the full list of food vendors. If someone knows they're going in with only $10 for meals, walking in with discipline and a strategy about where they want to spend it can help.
As for drinks, keep in mind Musikfest mugs are more than just a fashion statement. Those with mugs get a discount on beer purchases at official vendors, and mugs from past Musikfests are still honored. Newcomers who don't have a mug should either buy a mug immediately or bum a spare one from their friends. While second-hand Musikfest mugs are available for sale online, that's strictly for collectors. It's cheaper to buy one at the festival than a used one online.
But to truly get the most out of their budgets, festival-goers need to think outside the box, or at least outside the official boundaries of Musikfest. Longtime residents may remember a local columnist who gave tips on how to break Musikfest's rules by sneaking in outside food and drinks. My favorites included dressing a hoagie in baby clothes and doctoring Musikfest mugs to double their carrying capacity. (Hint: It involved drilling a hole on the inside of the mug.)
For those who don't want to thumb their nose quite that hard at ArtsQuest, the nonprofit group behind Musikfest, less extreme measures are open for consideration. Bethlehem is teeming with restaurants that serve great meals at reasonable prices. The SteelStacks campus is a bit secluded from the rest of Southside Bethlehem, but there are plenty of options nearby for cheap eats a few blocks away. The Goose and Lehigh Pizza are favorites among Lehigh University students for a reason. Northside, a reader suggested buying beer at the Sun Inn and stopping at Voracious Deli. Water bottle refills are available at the Visitor Center on the SteelStacks campus.
$5.00 Mug Fills at The Sun Inn Courtyard. While you're there stroll thru the tunnel & grab some cheap eats at Voracious Deli. They have a sidewalk grill setup & serve Hot dogs & delicious sausage sandwiches.
— Robert Mulrooney (@rmlrny) July 25, 2023
It's common to see people bring water bottles from home considering the summer heat and the prices — buying non-alcoholic beverages for a family can get expensive. Curt Mosel, ArtsQuest's COO, made clear the nonprofit wants all of its guests, performers and volunteers to stay safely hydrated. ArtsQuest will not discipline anyone who brings their own water bottles from home, but Mosel reminded readers that ArtsQuests spends millions to make Musikfest a reality. Its food and drink sales are how the nonprofit pay for everything.
"The economics of this don't work if folks don't understand this," Mosel said.
Bathroom breaks
Whatever you're drinking and however you acquired it, it's eventually going to require a pit stop somewhere. Those who are discerning about the loo can't be blamed if they don't want to rely on the many porta-potties available. The options are pretty straightforward on Southside. Both the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks and the Visitor Center have public bathrooms. They're right in the middle of the action and should meet guests' needs.
Things are trickier Northside. In the past, savvy festers have turned to the public restrooms in the Walnut Street Parking garage. As of Monday, however, those were locked tight and in need of repairs. That leaves the Bethlehem Public Library as one of the few permanent, accessible restrooms. However, the main library closes at 5 p.m. during Musikfest. If you're out late, the only other option may be to get dinner at a local restaurant and use their bathroom.
