Arts & Culture

A basketball hoop, lines and benches have been restored at the Wood Street Playground in Whitehall Township after a PennDOT plan to expand Route 22 was put on hold.

The Wheels of Time August Rod Run and Jamboree is returning to Macungie Memorial Park this weekend. The event brings thousands to view over 1,500 classic street rods and custom cars on August 25-27.

Dr. Lee Riley treats cancers at St. Luke’s University Health Network, but in his free time, he sculpts. He is the recipient of ArtsQuest’s Linny Award for Visual Artist of the Year.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will host the Bacon and Brews Festival at Coca-Cola Park on Sept. 30. There will be brewers, ciders, distilleries, wineries and bacon items from IronPigs Concessions and select food vendors.

The Weight Band, featuring former The Band guitarist Jim Weider, will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, at Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks.

Several theaters in the Lehigh Valley will offer discounted tickets on Sunday, Aug. 27. Close to 20 films will be shown throughout the region, including summer hits "Barbie," "Oppenheimer," and "Little Mermaid."

The Hooters, who combined ska and folk-rock on 1980s hits such as “Day By Day” and “And We Danced,” will perform at 8 p.m. at Univest Performance Center, 301 W. Mill St. Gates open at 6, and an opening act will go on at 6:30 p.m.

Starting Wednesday, gates at the Allentown Fairgrounds will close between Liberty and Chew Streets, the north and south borders of the grounds.

The Macungie family has other notable works around the Lehigh Valley and tri-state area, including the artwork for the most recent Musikfest.

While the Lehigh Valley IronPigs’ stadium again will have music emanating from its baseball diamond — and will look to do more — it doesn’t mean the park is likely to become a steady stop on the concert circuit, General Manager Kurt Landes said.

The Black Crowes, best known for its No. 1 hits "Hard to Handle" and "She Talks to Angels" will perform on the festival's main Steel Stage at 7 p.m. Aug. 4.

Alabama, which has sold more than 75 million albums and charted 43 No.1 hits to become the most successful band in the history of country music, will headline the Allentown Fair's Grandstand stage on Thursday, Aug. 28.

William Donner, an anthropology professor at Kutztown University, led a presentation over the weekend on the history of what was once known as the country's oldest folk festival. He lectured at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum.

Surrounded by family, friends and fans, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley addressed an enthusiastic and raucous crowd at the PPL Center. It came a month after winning the Super Bowl and days after signing a contract extension that made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

Cavalera is taking its music with Sepultura back to fans in a tour that stops tonight, March 8, at Allentown's new Archer music hall — the first national act to perform at the venue.

Friday evening welcomed the reopening of The Gap Theatre in Wind Gap, where Harry Guerro launched the event with a showing of the first two Indiana Jones films.

Formed in 2008, local weekend event in May features separate day of beer and wine tastings, followed by a for-kids-only day of art and science fun.

Americus Nights will be on the lowest level of the Americus Hotel at Sixth and Hamilton streets. It will hold a grand opening at 8 p.m. March 14 with DJ Jon Gosselin, formerly a star of the reality TLC TV show, "Jon and Kate Plus 8."

Archer Music Hall, Allentown's downtown entertainment venue is brand new — so new, it had its official ribbon-cutting and first concert Thursday. But its roots in the city go extremely deep, officials said in a ceremony to open the venue.

Daryl Hall, who with John Oates made up Hall and Oates, a vocal duo that had 19 songs hit the Top 10 on various charts, will perform at 7:30 p.m. July 19.

Alan Doyle's music is heavily influenced by his Irish heritage and the Celtic sea shanties, filled with the sounds of accordions, whistles, fiddles and barons. He will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at Musikfest Café at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

Partnering with Moravian University, ArtsQuest will hold summer art camps on the south campus of the college.