Arts & Culture

The Christmas City tree lighting took place at Payrow Plaza on Friday, with Mayor J. William Reynolds and a group of children coming together to flip the switch around 5:30 p.m. following an enthusiastic countdown from the crowd.

Lehigh Valley Health Network is providing free parking in Downtown Bethlehem for the fourth consecutive year.

Construction started on the ice rink at SteelStacks just after Halloween. Workers are now putting the finishing touches on the venue, which opens Nov. 22. We captured the process, featured in a time lapse video.

With visitors set to weave through the open-air stalls of Bethlehem's Christkindlmarkt, many will be looking for seasonal items to purchase for friends and family. But not all are aware of the history and symbolism of the objects they’ll purchase.

This week, the LehighValleyNews.com digital desk handpicked three events for you to enjoy, including Easton Winter Village, Christkindlmarkt and Steelworkers’ Archives Walking Tours.

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center met its funding goal to build a new Pride Café through donations and state budget funding.

The Office of Attorney General is now encouraging frustrated Swifties—Taylor Swift fans—to file complaints to the office.

Käthe Wohlfahrt of America sells German inspired and handcrafted holiday and seasonal décor at Bethlehem's Christkindlmarkt. They offer Nutcrackers, incense smokers, pyramids and ornaments reflecting skills of artisans that have flourished in the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) of Germany for over 200 years.

A songwriting workshop at Broughal Middle School stems from a partnership between the Any Given Child program and Icehouse Tonight.

Boston band Guster, who has had nearly a dozen songs hit the Top 40 in the Adult Alternative chart, will perform at 6 p.m. July 29. Opening the show will be The Mountain Goats, which from 2015-19 had three Top 10 albums on Indie chart.

This year's Greater Lehigh Valley Film Festival will feature 27 short films by some of the areas greatest talent, as well as student pieces from The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts.

311, which blends rock, reggae, hip hop and funk, is making a stop in Bethlehem in June. The Decemberists also are slated to perform at the venue in late July.

Brian Krajewski, who a release described as a live entertainment industry veteran, has replaced Gunnar Fox, who had been the venue's general manager since it opened.

Judy Collins, best known for her 1968 hit "Both Sides Now" and 1975's "Send in the Clowns," will perform at 7:30 p.m. July 20.

Fiesta on Hamilton will take over Hamilton Street from 9th Street to 11th Street 1 to 7 p.m. May 18, the Chamber announced.

O.A.R., which most recently played Musikfest in a co-headline show with Goo Goo Dolls in 2023, will perform at the event center at 8 a.m. Aug. 21.

The Black Keys, best known for its double-platinum hits "Lonely Boy" and "Gold on the Ceiling," will headline Musikfest's Steel Stage on Aug. 10.

WWE was once a near-annual staple in Allentown and throughout the Lehigh Valley. But the company has not returned since a holiday tour stop in 2023.

Celtic Thunder, known for its eclectic, theatrical show, backed by the Celtic Thunder Band, will bring a brand-new show, "An Intimate Evening with Celtic Thunder," to Easton's State Theatre. The group will perform at Saturday, Sept. 13.

The former reality star was the first DJ to spin at the new upscale lounge on the lower level of the historic hotel.

SangriaFest, which includes food, vendors, lawn games, live music and, of course, the namesake wine-and-fruit beverage, will be 2 p.m. June 21 on the SteelStacks campus in Bethlehem.