Arts & Culture

The crowd at Allentown Fair for Cheap Trick and Blue Oyster Cult was there to hear the hits of their youth and — for the most part — got what they wanted.

For the first time, Robbie Furman will showcase his work at the Allentown Fair.

The oppressive heat did not deter folks from making their way to the 172nd Great Allentown Fair at the Allentown Fairgrounds on Wednesday. Great food and drinks, amusement park rides and a variety of events will take place at the fair through Monday, Sept. 2.

Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour hits the grandstand stage at Allentown Fair at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29. Tickets, at $30 each, remain available at the fair website.

Nearly 50 years later, Blue Öyster Cult still is performing, and this year even released "Ghost Stories," its first album of new material in four years and only second in 23 years. The group also will open for fellow 1970s rockers Cheap Trick as the grandstand feature for opening night at Allentown Fair at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28.

The wartime lost portrait by German artist Lucas Cranach the Elder, entitled "Portrait of George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony," has hung at the Allentown Art Museum since 1961.

Bethlehem's SouthSide Arts District has joined with the city and Wawa stores to create what it calls a "Gateway sign" — "a vibrant public art piece that enhances the entrance between Route 412 and SouthSide downtown."

The 2024 Great Allentown Fair runs Wednesday, Aug. 28 through Monday, Sept. 2. We've got a rundown on what you can expect, from the grandstand headliners to the Iron Chef competition and more.

The Lehigh Valley Zoo is hosting its annual Brew at the Zoo again in 2024. This year, it falls on Saturday, Sept. 14, and will feature more than three dozen craft beers and ciders.

Jayna Elise, who auditioned on "Idol" in both Season 21 in 2023 and Season 22 the past spring, recently was chosen for the role of Turner in Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, which performs at Easton's State Theatre on Oct. 1-2.

After Easton Space Fest was canceled due to weather in 2019, the organizers are coming back with something even bigger for the spring.

Some of the bigger trends these “food forecasters” are eyeballing for 2023 have already arrived in the Lehigh Valley.

A popular music venue that offered national touring acts in downtown Easton for the past five and a half years is closing. It will have its final show on Saturday — an open-to-the-public New Year's Eve party with Loudmix and DJ June.

The staff at Bethlehem Area Public Library has released its list of favorite books for 2022.

The family-friendly two-day event from ArtsQuest and Just Born Quality Confections celebrates the New Year with candy, performances, games and the Peeps Chick Drop.

There isn’t a waitlist for tickets, but there will be a livestream of the Peeps Chick Drop.

Activities are scheduled throughout Saturday at The Crayola Experience on Centre Square in Downtown Easton.

Representatives from ArtsQuest, organizers of this year's Peepsfest at SteelStacks, are warning the public that there could be fake tickets out there. They say the only official tickets are available directly from ArtsQuest.

A team effort stretched across the Lehigh Valley to design, assemble and transport the world's largest hockey puck. It will be dropped outside of the PPL Center in downtown Allentown to ring in the New Year on Saturday night.

The hottest and most family-fun places to celebrate the New Year.

Before his four Super Bowl championships and Hall of Fame career, Harris played at Penn State with Bethlehem native and Liberty High great Tom Donchez, who recalls his backfield mate fondly.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms host a game Saturday night, then will take part in a celebration outside the PPL Center at Hamilton Street Plaza.