Arts & Culture

Meet the man behind Hotel Bethlehem's Christmas display: Anthony Sierra's vision comes to life in this sprawling, multiroom display that pays homage to the Christmas city.

The First Friday events started in 1998. For the last celebration, students from Bethlehem Area School District and local artists will showcase their works of painting, drawings and podcasting.

The third annual Winter WonderJam, presented by the "Your Next Favorite Band" podcast, will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 at the listening room venue at 7 E. 4th St., Bethlehem. Doors open at 7.

Shye Roberts will compete on the season 26 finale of "The Voice" on Dec. 9 on NBC.

Marshall Tucker Band, which had its first hit in 1973 with “Can’t You See,” will perform Feb. 14. And The Chippendales, the 45-year-old male dance troupe best known for its striptease performances, will perform April 5. Tickets go on sale Friday.

Shye Roberts, the Bethlehem teen and graduate of Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, has a real chance to win Season 26 on NBC's "The Voice."

The Avett Brothers, which blends folk, rock and country, will headline Musikfest's main Steel Stage on Saturday Aug. 2.

Darius Rucker, who has had almost as successful a solo career as he had as frontman of Hootie and The Blowfish in the 1990s, will perform at 7 p.m. Aug. 3, making him the second headliner announced for Musikfest’s 41st year.

Popular Celtic groups, Christmas Vespers, the Allentown Symphony and church choirs help spread holiday cheer this December in the Lehigh Valley.

Bethlehem native and Hollywood actor Danny Roebuck, dressed as Santa Claus, delighted attendees of his heartwarming holiday film, shot entirely in the Lehigh Valley.

Mi Casa Restaurante in Easton serves traditional dishes from Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico.

The Coopersburg Farmer Market will be open on Sundays starting June 2 through Oct. 27.

J&J Demolition Derby, a Labor Day mainstay at Allentown Fairgrounds, will return to the fair for its closing-night grandstand entertainment offering on Sept. 2.

Blippi, whose energetic and educational antics have made him a global sensation, will bring his live show Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour to the fair on Aug. 29.

As the Pennsylvania Youth Theatre seeks a new home, the students will put on a rendition of "Wizard of Oz" at Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University later this week.

Easton Public Market will celebrate its eighth anniversary on Friday, May 17, with a special party featuring vendors, the band A Few Good Men, and a fundraiser benefiting Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital.

The rise of streaming platforms and labor unrest in Hollywood has forced Roxy Theatre in Northampton to change its business model. It started airing first-run films for the first time on Friday.

Christopher Sipos remembers his late-grandmother's love of birds but was pleasantly surprised to find her collection of antique baking soda trading cards that feature the feathered beauties.

Rockers Orgy, with opening act Cold, will play at 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 17, at Maingate Nightclub in Allentown. Tickets, at $25 in advance and $30 day of show, are available at maingatenightclub.com

Student groups fueled a good opening day for the park compared to typical rainy spring days

Kutztown University's jazz ensemble was recognized by DownBeat magazine for Outstanding Performance in its Student Music Awards. It's the 10th win for Kutztown's commercial music program but the first for the jazz ensemble.

The annual Freddy Awards will take place at the State Theatre in Easton on May 23. Bangor Area High School's "Mean Girls: the High School Version," leads in nominations this year. Find a full list of the nominees here.