Arts & Culture

A new grant is leading to an eco-friendly makeover for Bethlehem's Payrow Plaza, just in time for the official kickoff to the holiday season.

This week, the LehighValleyNews.com digital desk has handpicked three events for you to enjoy, including a comic book exhibit by a Lehigh Valley artist, wooden huts in Downtown Bethlehem and Winter Light Spectacular at Lehigh Valley Zoo.

USA Today has a competition for the best holiday market in the country. Bethlehem's Christkindlmarkt is currently winning.

The annual concert to raise money for Bethlehem Area Library expands this year—to at least a dozen acts. The show is Friday at Studio 11 in the main branch.

The very fate of the event – now in its 26th year – gave way to speculative fiction earlier this year. Rumors swirled, as they often do, following media reports and social media posts in September that Lights in the Parkway could end. Not so, says the City of Allentown.

The Lehigh Valley ranked first in hotel occupancy rates across the state, according to 2021-2022 Smith Travel Research. The news was shared during Discover Lehigh Valley’s Board of Directors Breakfast and Annual Report on Tuesday.

Beer is a year-round reward but in the fall, special flavors make for heartier nectar at Shangy's in Emmaus.

State Senator Pat Browne has secured funding from PA's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program for three local projects — including $1 million for the new downtown Allentown Da Vinci Science Center project.

The new work by Bill George tackles a work close and impactful to him takes stage Wednesday at the Bethlehem theatre.

Pop-punk singer Taylor Acorn, who attended Kutztown University, plays Allentown's Archer Music Hall on Saturday, Nov. 8. Tickets, at $33 each, remain available.

The Vegan Chef challenge was organized by Vegan Outreach and Animal Defenders Greater Lehigh Valley, and the challenge drew more than 400 community reviews between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15. Winners were honored at an awards ceremony Tuesday, Nov. 4, inside Swift at the Wilbur Mansion.

The My Generation Tour, led by The Lovin' Spoonful, will perform at 7:30 p.m. March 13 at Easton's State Theatre. Also on the bill are Gary Lewis and The Playboys — best known for its 1965 chart-topping hit "This Diamond Ring" — and The Hollies Greatest Hits starring Hollies guitarist Terry Sylvester.

Tickets for the 17th PeepsFest, at $5 per person, will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7 at the ArtsQuest website or the box office at ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, 101 Founder Way, Bethlehem.

Country singer Dylan Gossett will perform at Wind Creek Event Center on Thursday, March 5. The Temptations, who from 1965-89 had 45 Top 10 R&B hits, will perform with The Four Tops, who from 1965-72 had 15 Top 10 hits on the R&B chart, on Friday, April 10. Tickets are on sale at the event center website and its box office at 77 Wind Creek Blvd.

Biohazard plays Allentown's Archer Music Hall, with Swollen Teeth, Bayway and Onyx, at 5:30 p.m. today, Oct. 31. Tickets, at $59.50 for general admission standing, remain available at the Archer website and at the box office at 939 Hamilton St.

Leadership, mentorship and empowerment were themes at the 2025 ATHENA Awards held Oct. 30 at ArtsQuest. This year's honorees included Susan Wild, Veronica Gonzalez and MKSD Architects.

Theresa Caputo, known as the Long Island Medium, is making two appearances in the Lehigh Valley this weekend. The television personality described the show saying it's "probably the most amazing and touching show you will probably ever attend."

Charley Crockett, whose 2022 album "The Man From Waco," 2024's "$10 Cowboy," and this year's "Lonesome Drifter" and "Dollar a Day" all hit the Top 200, will perform Saturday, March 7.

The five-story, 78,500-square-foot facility will replace the Banana Factory as a hub for creativity and learning. The construction is expected to be completed in late 2026.

"Cut Loose," an exhibition by local artists Anthony Smith Jr. and Marie Belle, will be on display through Thursday at Eagle Nest Gallery. The two creatives also will be among the 31 artists participating in the Allentown Art Museum's annual fall fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 8, and free-to-attend art fair on Sunday, Nov. 9.

The Korean-born, French-inspired Paris Baguette franchise is looking to expand its footprint in the Lehigh Valley as it chips away toward its goal of opening more than 1,000 cafes across the country before 2030. The bakery-cafe chain is specifically taking interest in the Allentown-area market.