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.

The Pointer Sisters, known for the gold hits "Fire" and "He's So Shy" and "Slow Hand," will perform a dual-headline show with Billy Ocean, best known for his hits "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)," "Loverboy" and "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)," at 8 p.m. Oct. 24.

David Archuleta, who at 17 finished second behind David Cook on the seventh season of "American Idol" in 2008, will be the supporting act at the show, at 7 p.m. Aug. 31.

Singer Tom Jones, who has had more than two dozen Top 30 hits on pop, rock, R&B, country and dance charts, will perform at 8 p.m. Sept. 13 at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethehem.

B Social, a state-of-the-art, multi-entertainment center and event venue, will hold its grand opening on July 15 at Saucon Square shopping center on Route 378 in Lower Saucon Township.

James Bartolacci, an Easton-area artist and grant-winner, is working on new pieces intended for an art exhibition in Germany.

A feature film, "The Next Play," is set to be shot in the Lehigh Valley in July 2025. The field hockey-themed drama also touches on pressure and suicide concerns that student-athletes face.

An early concept for a new mural planned for the plaza at Seventh and Hamilton streets in Allentown has left some asking why it doesn't showcase native species.

A show about vampires and a haunted magic show, just in time for Halloween, have been announced for October presentations at Easton's State Theatre. Also announced for October are shows focused on a popular children's character and a tribute to two iconic piano men.

ArtsQuest announced that it has dropped paid admission to the festival, set for noon July 20 on PNC Plaza on the SteelStacks campus during ArtsQuest's Blast Furnace Blues Festival.

Reminiscing on Pride Party Palooza 2023, which was also the inaugural event, organizer Scottie Prime said seeing smiling faces all around was his favorite part.

All Elite Wrestling came to the PPL Center in Allentown Thursday, with nearly four hours of high-energy matchups featuring legends of pro-wrestling and more.

The festival is now in its 16th year and will feature close to 20 blues acts, including Nikki Hill, Ghost Town Blues Band, Craig Thatcher Band and Dustin Douglas.