Arts & Culture

This week Watching the Skies explores the ice giant, Uranus.

Hot temperatures and Jamaican-centric food teamed with cool music at the third annual OneEarth ReggaeFest at SteelStacks in Bethlehem on Saturday.

Scott Tournet will open for rock group The Record Company at Musikfest Cafe July 12.

Easton is set to extend the patriotic holiday season throughout the weekend with Heritage Day scheduled for Sunday, July 7, featuring historical reenactments, musical performances, food and fireworks.

Bethlehem native Ariel Torres became the first drag queen to perform at the Governor's Residence for its Pride Month Celebration Reception on June 26. Torres performed “I Was Here” by Beyoncé as his drag persona, Elektra Fierce St. James.

Duran Duran, which has 14 Top 25 hit songs including the No. 1 hits “Hungry Like the Wolf” in 1982, “The Reflex” in 1984 and “A View to a Kill” in 1985, on its Facebook page lists Allentown among seven cities in which it will announce shows "early next week."

One Earth ReggaeFest will take place at ArtsQuest's SteelStacks beginning at noon on Saturday, July 6.

For two decades, borough officials have celebrated Independence Day by handing out hundreds of kazoos and American flags to residents before parading through the streets, blaring patriotic songs the entire time. It almost didn't happen this year.

Mayor J. William Reynolds says turning the lights on at SteelStacks' blast furnaces would be costly for land owner Wind Creek, running up to as much as $1 million. But one city councilman says they need to be illuminated by the time Musikfest begins.

Childish Major, who rose to fame as the producer of the 2013 Rocko single “U.O.E.N.O,” which peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, will join the show by Ludacris at 7 p.m. Aug. 10, Musikfest’s penultimate night. Also, opening the show will be a Philadelphia rapper LG (Team Genius), best known for her song “YBM,” which also has 10 million views on Instagram.

During the hourlong drive through Christmas City, a guide shares facts about the Moravian traditions and the Star of Bethlehem.

Social media rumblings this week included a number of people saying they weren’t able to mail Christmas cards from the Bethlehem Post Office using the special Christmas City postmark. Postal service officials have said there’s no cause for concern.

Eric Hutchinson, whose 2008 song “Rock & Roll” topped that chart, and who also hit the chart with 2009’s “OK, It’s Alright With Me” and 2012’s “Watching You Watch Him,” will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 23.

Marblehead Chowder House on William Penn Highway in Palmer Township has been in operation since 1996. The ownership says the business has changed with the times and owes its success to loyal customers and staff.

As the owners of Smartivity Showcase cut the ribbon Thursday night on their new store, they prepared to close the art market's original home in Easton.

"Ready, Set, Glow" premiered on Thursday with host Wes Brown's trip to Bethlehem where he stopped at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem and Christkindlmarkt.

"Disney on Ice Presents Into the Magic," which continues through Sunday at Allentown's PPL Center showcases characters from the Disney movie "Tangled," Flynn Rider and Rapunzel, who fall in love. Turns out that the actors who play those parts — Jason Marsh as Flynn and Taylor Steele as Rapunzel — are real-life husband and wife.

The Four Phantoms in Concert, featuring Brent Barrett, John Cudia, Franc D’Ambrosio and Ciarán Sheehan, will perform "iconic hits from Broadway and beyond" on Saturday, March 29.

The Bethlehem singer, who placed second on season 26 of the NBC singing competition, reveals to LehighValleyNews.com what she learned from the show.

The Allentown nonprofit is gearing up to break ground that would add around 6,000 square feet to its art school located at 510 Linden St. The state awarded $1 million through an LSA grant to the project, which is expected to cost around $5.5 million.

Archer Music Hall, which developers have called a state-of-the-art entertainment venue at 935-939 Hamilton St., now has an operational website.

The 18-year-old Lehigh Valley singer finished in second place on the finale of season 26 of the NBC show.