Arts & Culture

With Allentown Fair opening its 173rd year today, music critic John J. Moser has 25 years of reviewing grandstand shows behind him. These are the best he's seen, ranked in order.

Heart will perform a grandstand show at 7 p.m. Aug. 27 on the opening night of Allentown Fair. Tickets remain available.

The 173rd Great Allentown Fair opens Wednesday, Aug. 27, through Labor Day, Sept. 1. The fair features rides, food, concerts, and family fun at one of Pennsylvania’s oldest fairs.

The 2025-26 season will feature innovative performances, including a modern "Alice in Wonderland" and an adaptation of "Medea." Part of the new UnBound Year-Round series, the season will run from Oct. 8 through June 30 in Bethlehem.

A few authors have brought books into Moravian Book Shop with AI-generated covers or art. That was enough for the staff to formally announce online that the bookstore would not support the use of technology that may replace creative jobs.

Coalition for Appropriate Transportation outside its headquarters on Friday announced it was awarded $634,122 to further its educational programming across the Lehigh Valley.

Recently retired linebacker Brandon Graham was the star turn at Dorney Park's tailgate party, where more than 100 fans celebrated the NFL season’s imminent start.

ArtsQuest's Cold Brew Hullabaloo, a cold coffee convention that debuted at Musikfest Café at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks last year, will return Sept. 14, it was announced.

This year's honorees are abstract artist Michael Freeman, Lehigh University producer Steven Lichak, museum accessibility advocate Elise Schaffer, and members of the IceHouse Performing Arts Collaborative. The group will be honored at an awards ceremony in September.

The Struts performed Wednesday night at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks. The focus of the concert was a celebration of the 10th anniversary U.S. release of their debut album, "Everybody Wants."

The team from LehighValleyNews.com lost — just barely — to a trash-talking team of 'movers and shakers' that included Mayor Matt Tuerk and County Executive Phillips J. Armstrong.

The rapper and social media sensation performed his hits "Mr. Clean" and "Betty (Get Money)" on Saturday night at the Allentown Fair grandstand.

Davenport's spin on Christmas pudding wowed the judges at the competition, which is part of the fair's farm-to-table series.

Early-aught hip-hop hitmakers Nelly and Chingy performed Friday at third night of the Allentown Fair grandstand.

Yung Gravy on Saturday night brings his maddeningly catchy — but absurdist — raps about wooing your girlfriends ("Oops!") and your moms ("Betty (Get Money)" and "Mr. Clean") to Allentown Fair's grandstand.

Lehigh County 4-H Livestock Club members are the biggest winners at the Great Allentown Fair, which runs through Labor Day on Monday.

The Northampton Area Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the 34th year of the Uptown Northampton Street Fair on Saturday, Sept. 9.

The Great Allentown Fair crowned its queen on opening night Wednesday, Aug. 30. Kamryn Fink, of Germansville, succeeded 2022 fair queen Allison Emanuel, of Laurys Station.

1980s hitmakers Styx and REO Speedwagon performed a co-headlining show Wednesday at the opening night of the Allentown Fair grandstand.

The 171st Allentown Fair held opening ceremonies on Wednesday. The fair, which will run through Monday, Sept. 4, is expected to attract some 200,000 visitors over all six days.

Attendees can sample 12 different types of sangria and test their cornhole skills at the 21-and-over event on Saturday. Tickets start at $44.

The Allentown Fair kicks off its 171st year on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Allentown Fairgrounds. The fair, which will include entertainment, rides, food, refreshments, exhibits and more, runs through Monday, Sept. 4 at 9 p.m.