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.

These local businesses are gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday by offering some Eagles-themed eats.

Win or lose in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is viewed as a champion in his hometown of Whitehall and throughout the Lehigh Valley.

Faculty from the high school's visual arts department will hold a free reception and artists talk from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday.

During the NFL Honors ceremony, Saquon Barkley took home Offensive Player of the Year honors after amassing more than 2,000 rushing yards.

For the first time in its 122-year history, Crayola is bringing back retired colors in a special, limited edition 8-pack this spring.

Scott Bradlee’s Post Modern Jukebox, which reinterprets contemporary hit songs as jazz, ragtime and swing music, will perform at 8 p.m. July 26. And "Dancing with the Stars Live," featuring 2024 Mirrorball winners Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson, show co-host Stephen Nedoroscik special guests, will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 17.

The a cappella group will scheduled to perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb.7 at Zoellner Arts Center.

Napalm Death, the English band credited as pioneers of the grindcore genre, will perform Tuesday, May 6, with The Melvins, the Washington band often credited with helping form Nirvana.

Join the City of Bethlehem and Celtic Cultural Alliance's annual St. Patrick's Day event happening on March 15.

Sabrina Carpenter won two Grammy Awards on Sunday: Best Pop Solo Performance for her chart-topping hit "Espresso," and Best Pop Vocal Album for "Short n' Sweet," and also performed on the awards broadcast.

The aptly named Lehigh University Pub — located on the third floor of Clayton University Center, just off the Great Room — will welcome the public for the first time on Tuesday.

Souper Bowl XV, this year's edition of the annual contest hosted by ArtsQuest, named a tapioca and purple sweet potato soup the best in show.