Arts & Culture

A record number of high schools in the Lehigh Valley and New Jersey will participate in this year's Freddy Awards — the State Theatre's annual recognition of Lehigh Valley high school musical theater.

After searching for the right space for around nine months, Maria and Alison Corradini officially opened Alchemize Pilates Community in Emmaus on Jan. 3. As the two push to build a community through their Pilates studio, almost 100 members registered before the business wrapped up its first week.

Hear firsthand the stories of a longtime family-run bakery this Saturday.

Available through early March, the private chalets seat up to six guests and are designed in an alpine décor, including seasonal treats such as hot chocolate, s’mores and optional add-on snacks, as well as access to a heated outdoor hot tub.

ArtsQuest has announced that 26 bands from Pennsylvania and New Jersey will compete over five dates in February and March, in front of live audiences and a judging panel of music educators at Musikfest Cafe at ArtsQuest Center.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed Monday, Jan. 19, with a wide range of events across the Lehigh Valley honoring the life and legacy of the civil rights leader.

Roebucks' newest film, made entirely in the Lehigh Valley, will premiere Feb. 21 with three red-carpet events before a Feb. 27 national release.

Jessica "Jess" Lee, 67, served PBS39 viewers in the Lehigh Valley for nearly a half-century. The Bethlehem native and Liberty High alum died Thursday after a battle with cancer. She joined the station in 1980.

Scranton rock band Tigers Jaw will perform at Allentown's Archer Music Hall as part of the venue's Pennsylvania's Own series of Keystone State musical act. Tickets went on sale Friday.

A new addition at Steel Ice Center will house the facility's now third 200-by-85-foot ice rink, along with a new fitness center, stretch-and-recovery lab and other amenities.

The Idobi Radio Summer School Tour will undertake its "junior" (as in third year of high school) year with performances by five "independent artists and bands on the verge of breaking out," the tour said in a release.

Steve Earle, best known for his 1998 Top 10 Mainstream Rock hit "Copperhead Road," will perform a show titled "51 Years of Songs & Stories" Friday, Aug. 21, at Musikfest Cafe.

Let Freedom Sing will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, at Allentown’s Coca-Cola Park. The IronPigs also will bring together adult, community and school choirs from the Lehigh Valley and surrounding counties.

Fiesta on Hamilton will return to take over Hamilton Street from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 17, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce announced.

Don McLean, whose 1971 song “American Pie” was No. 1 for four weeks and was chosen No. 5 on the RIAA's list of Songs of the Century, will perform at Saturday, May 30.

The display lines one wall of the Government Center's ground-floor lobby, welcoming all who enter for the rest of February for Black History Month.

Kane Brown, best known for his 11-times-platinum hit "Heaven" and his nine-times-platinum hit “What Ifs” with Lauren Alaina, will perform at Wind Creek Event Center at 8 p.m. April 23, it was just announced.

You can still get tickets to the show, but as of Sunday morning, just two premium balcony seats remained, and general admission floor tickets were up for resale at a 131% markup.

In his first public performance since the "American Idol" episode with him on it aired, Allentown singer Seth Witcher on Thursday was cagey about his status on the show.

Dashboard Confessional will perform at Archer Music Hall in Allentown on Tuesday, April 14. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 13.

Black Stone Cherry, which is observing the 20th anniversary of its self-titled debut album and is best known for its hits "Lonely Train" and "White Trash Millionaire," will perform at 8 p.m. July 10 on the Univest stage, at 301 W. Mill St.

Box Fest XVII, a professional boxing card, will take over the new downtown arena at 8 p.m. April 3, it was announced.