Arts & Culture

The five-story, 78,500-square-foot facility will replace the Banana Factory as a hub for creativity and learning. The construction is expected to be completed in late 2026.

"Cut Loose," an exhibition by local artists Anthony Smith Jr. and Marie Belle, will be on display through Thursday at Eagle Nest Gallery. The two creatives also will be among the 31 artists participating in the Allentown Art Museum's annual fall fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 8, and free-to-attend art fair on Sunday, Nov. 9.

The Korean-born, French-inspired Paris Baguette franchise is looking to expand its footprint in the Lehigh Valley as it chips away toward its goal of opening more than 1,000 cafes across the country before 2030. The bakery-cafe chain is specifically taking interest in the Allentown-area market.

Daniel Seddiqui told LehighValleyNews.com on Thursday the region’s two biggest cities aren’t short of charm, friendly residents or traffic.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, best known for its 1970 Top 10 hit "Mr. Bojangles" and its 1987 platinum Country chart hit "Fishin' in the Dark," will perform Friday, April 10.

The Indoor Auto Racing Series, in which the cars compete on the concrete floor, will roar back into the arena Jan. 9-10 to kick off the 2026 series.

The classical music performance begins at 4 p.m. Sunday in Baker Hall. Tickets cost $45–$55.

The annual event is named in memory of philanthropist and arts champion Linny Fowler, who was known for her philanthropy and community engagement. The ceremony was held Thursday night at ArtsQuest's Musikfest Cafe.

With ArtsQuest's 33rd Christkindlmarkt opening in three weeks, construction of its new Winter Wonderland area is underway on the SteelStacks campus. And ArtsQuest has announced additional details of the German-themed holiday market, which will open Nov. 14.

Dog Man: The Musical, a live stage production of the popular children's graphic novel series, will perform at Easton's State Theatre on March 26. Tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 24.

Pizzafest, which ArtsQuest calls "a celebration of all things pizza," will be held Sunday, Sept. 29, at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

Terry Bradshaw, who is an NFL Hall of Famer, will perform in Bethlehem as part of a four-city, seven-performance tour. He said the Lehigh Valley stop is part of "Steelers Country."

All-female band Plush stops at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at Maingate Nightclub in Allentown as part of its first headline tour. Tickets are available at www.ticketweb.com.

The 7th iteration of the Nazareth Adult Soap Box race brought many celebrating the legacy of racing in the borough, while others came to celebrate the childlike silliness of the event and the creative cars.

June is Pride Month, an annual celebration of the LGBTQ community. There are many Pride events in and around the Lehigh Valley this year.

The Bayou, a southern food restaurant in Easton and Bethlehem, features food flights twice a week. The restaurant embraces Fat Tuesday each week with its mac and cheese flight, and celebrates Waffle Wednesday with chicken and waffle flights.

It's hard to miss the new mural on Third Street in South Bethlehem. The artists, William Nieves and Jermel Fountain, painted and designed the mural with help from seven fifth-graders from Donegal Elementary School.

Chris Nee’s Comedy to Break the Stigma will be performed at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 1, at Civic Theatre of Allentown, 527 N. 19th St.

Allentown businesses and high school students were honored at the Allentown Chamber of Commerce annual awards reception at the Renaissance Allentown Hotel on Thursday.

Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail has returned for its 7th year, taking Pennsylvanians on a tasty tour of the Keystone State.

The sale, which will be offered in person only, will be noon to 1 p.m. for ArtsQuest Circle donors and ArtsQuest members. It will open to the general public from 2-5 p.m.

Leaders in the arts discussed the cultural and economic impacts of the industry at the Lehigh Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance's 2024 conference at Lafayette College.