Arts & Culture

Sophie Vandecasteele is hoping to open Sophistiqué before Thanksgiving, with a soft opening set for Friday, Nov. 22, at 924 Walnut St.

"Saint Nick of Bethlehem" is screening at the Frank Banko Alehouse Theatre and Shankweiler's Drive-In. Actor Danny Roebuck will also appear at ArtsQuest as Santa Claus on Sunday, Dec. 1.

The owner of Board to Death Games at 338 Main St., just off the Emmaus Triangle, said he wants to be a space for both classic board games and more hardcore hobbyist games. Just down the road, on the same side of the Triangle, Let's Go Coffee Co. is set to open at 358 Main St.

The warm weather, albeit part of a drought, gave more visitors more time to visit Lehigh Valley Zoo and learn about its purpose in 2024. Nearly 185,000 guests visited. The 11th annual Winter Light Spectacular opened this weekend.

"New Conversations: Renaissance and Baroque Art" opens on Saturday, Nov. 16 at the museum located at 31 N. Fifth Street.

The German-inspired holiday market opened on Friday, Nov. 16 at ArtsQuest's SteelStacks campus.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs flipped the switch on Illumination during a preview event Thursday. Getting to Opening Day involved significant staff efforts, with 12-15 part-time staff and 30-40 people on peak days over a four-week period.

The announcements continue a trend at Musikfest Cafe to book tribute acts and cover bands. In June, ArtsQuest announced more than a dozen shows for the venue's lineup.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will host the Tri-City Chili Peppers, a college summer team from Colonial Heights, Virginia, that plays in the Coastal Plain League, on May 17 at Coca-Cola Park.

Aaron Lewis, who with Staind sold 10 million copies of the group's first five albums, three of which hit No. 1, will perform with his solo band The Stateliners, at 8 p.m. April 10.

The museum opened its winter season with a new exhibition that celebrates Puerto Rican artists, as well as the female workforce in the region.

Upper Macungie Township has announced several new indoor programs for this winter, including Zumba, youth soccer, arts classes and a science camp. Several of these classes have been offered outdoors during other seasons, but have never been offered during the winter months.

Rapper Ludacris, best known for the hits "Stand Up" (featuring Shawnna)" and "Money Maker" (featuring Pharrell), is the first headliner announced for next year's Musikfest.

Museum Store Sunday gives the nonprofit shops attached to cultural institutions a spot in the post-Thanksgiving shopping calendar. Three Lehigh Valley museums are joining in.

From the Bach Choir to the Central Moravian Church, celebrate the season through song at these local concerts.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Dave Goddess and his Dave Goddess Group played the spectrum of his career songs at his first-ever appearance at Godfrey Daniels on Friday – an hour-and-45-minute show of 24 songs (plus an intermission).

The theater's Christmas City Follies performance is now in its 24th year.

When Double Decker made the announcement online, hundreds of longtime, loyal customers filled the shop, some spending thousands of dollars to stock up for life on vintage LPs.

Allentown Fairgrounds is hosting its 2nd annual Winter Wonderland Extravaganza Craft Show on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 25-26, that includes more than 70 craft vendors.

The Christmastime tradition features a mix of modern and classic choreography at the State Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 29.

Dave Goddess Group will play songs from its new album, "Back in Business," and other from his past, at an "unplugged" show by his Dave Goddess Group at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 24 at Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. 4th St., Bethlehem. Tickets remain available at $20.50 advance and $25.50 day of show at www.godfreydaniels.org.