Arts & Culture

Ruben Studdard, who won the second season of “American Idol” in 2003 and followed up with two chart-topping albums that went gold and platinum, will perform at Symphony Hall as the “Special Guest Star” of singer/pianist Jim Brickman’s Comfort and Joy Holiday Celebration, at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 23.

The owner of Smartivities Showcase has opened a second location at the Promenade Saucon Valley.

The event is organized by Interlace Cultural y Desarrollo Integral de Lehigh Valley in partnership with the Baum Art School and the City of Allentown.

Drake Bell, who is best known for his starring roles on Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show” with Amanda Bynes from 1999-02, and “Drake & Josh” from 2004-07, will perform at 7 p.m. Jan. 17 at Signature Event Center, 137 Erin Lane, Brodheadsville.

11Fest will be from 5-11 p.m. Nov. 11 (11/11) inside the Main Library at 11 W. Church St., Bethlehem.

A four-man crew has been making haste since Oct. 1 in putting up the decorations, with most of the wreaths, ribbons, light wraps, trees and stars currently hanging on light poles above streets in South Bethlehem and along the city’s bridges.

The Indoor Auto Racing Series, in which the cars compete on the concrete floor, will drive into the area Jan. 3-4 for the ninth running of the Ironton Global Allentown Indoor Races.

The festival, which features which retailers, artisans and food in heated tents on the SteelStacks campus, will open for its 32nd year on the weekend of Nov. 15.

Easton's Frank Pintabone announced Wednesday that a Hispanic Resource Day, catering to the needs of the city's Hispanic population, will be hosted at the Easton Area Community Center in November.

About 48,000 people attended the two-weekend Oktoberfest festival Oct. 4-6 and 11-13, ArtsQuest said.

The 2024 Lehigh Valley Flower and Garden Show returned on Friday, with vendors, flower displays, educational speakers, baby goat snuggling and, for the first time, a butterfly exhibit from Folk’s Butterfly Farm.

Considered by friends and colleagues a staple of the Lehigh Valley theater scene, 60-year-old Bill Mutimer died earlier this week. Tributes are pouring in from former students and local theater aficionados.

Piano-pop rock icon Ben Folds will make an appearance at Wind Creek Event Center this April, drawing from his most recent album "What Matters Most" in addition to decades of hits.

Five local women spoke about how they overcame bullying and racism in the workplace during an International Women's Day program at Ben Franklin TechVentures.

Sample beer from local breweries, plus Irish eats and other drink specials at these pub crawls in the Lehigh Valley.

More than 1.7 million people attended ArtsQuest's festivals, concerts and events last year, the organization's president told a Northampton County Council committee Thursday.

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center announced Wednesday that Lehigh Valley Pride 2024 will be located at the SteelStacks in Bethlehem for a second year. The festival will also remain free.

Sangriafest, which includes food, vendors, lawn games, live music and — of course — that namesake wine-and-fruit beverage, will be 4-7 p.m. June 15 at Grange Park in Upper Macungie Township.

Greta Van Fleet, who have been widely compared to Zeppelin with its his rock hit "Highway Tune," "Safari Song" and "You're the One," will headline the festival’s main Steel Stage on a preview night Aug. 1, the festival announced.

Commissioners from the Governor's Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs held a meet-and-greet on the SteelStacks campus on Tuesday night.

Bruce Hornsby, best known for his hits chart-topping hits "The Way It Is," "Mandolin Rain" and "The Valley Road" in 1986-87, will perform at 7 p.m. July 2 at Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center.

Sublime With Rome, the version of the ska band Sublime that reformed with new lead Rome Ramirez in 2009, will perform 8 p.m. Aug. 22 at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem.