- Harvest Fest returns to Bethlehem on Saturday, Oct. 14
- The event features free live music by pop star Ryan Cabrera and local bands We're From Antarctica and Cunningham & Associates
- The street festival will also feature soup, beer and wine trails and discounts at shops and restaurants
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Downtown Bethlehem Association will hold its annual Harvest Fest starting at noon Saturday, Oct. 14.
The street fair will feature free concerts with 2000s pop star Ryan Cabrera, and local acts such as Cunningham & Associates, We're From Antarctica, The Audio Files and Seth Witcher.
In addition, there will be beer, wine and soup trails that showcase small businesses on Main and Broad streets.
A downtown tradition
The street festival started in 2006 as a small wine- and beer-tasting event organized by the Downtown Bethlehem Association to kick off autumn.
While entry and entertainment is free, tickets for the trails start at $35 for the Soup Trail (as of Monday, only 12 tickets were left) and $40 for the beer and wine trails (patrons can only register for one of the 21-and-over drinking trails). Day-of ticket prices cost $5 more.
For each trail, attendees will be provided with a map and "passport" with directions on where to pick up drink and soup samples on a stroll through the historic district.
After taste-testing, you can vote for your favorites on DBA's website. The winners will be announced later in the day.
In total, there are 45 bars, restaurants and shops participating in this year's event.
For a list of businesses, click here.
Free music, Ryan Cabrera
This year, organizers have brought in their first headliner, pop star Ryan Cabrera, as part of an effort to draw more tourists to the area.
"Year over year we see familiar faces," said Tammy Wendling, senior vice president of Bethlehem Initiatives for the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. "However, this year we anticipate newcomers due to new musical acts including [Ryan] Cabrera."
He's slated to perform at 4 p.m. on the South Stage in front of Historic Hotel Bethlehem at 437 Main St.
Cabrera rose to fame in the early 2000s and is known for his hits "True," and "On the Way Down."
His debut album "Take It All Away" in 2004 broke the Billboard Top 10 and sold platinum. It features another hit, "Let's Take our Time."
His most recent LP was 2008's "Moon Under Water," which also charted in Billboard's Top 200.
The 41-year-old hitmaker and TV star also made appearances on MTV's "The Hills," and on Ashlee Simpson's reality show.
Harvest Fest will have a Cabrera look-alike contest. You can register here.
The opening acts include We're From Antarctica at 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m.
Over by Lost Tavern Brewing, Cunningham & Associates perform at noon on the North Stage (449 Main St.), followed by the Audio Files at 2:30 p.m.
After party
The street fair is expected to end at 5 p.m., but participating retailers will top off the festivities with discounts on food, drink and shopping.
Promoter Tom Taylor of Tom Taylor Presents said Cabrera also will perform that night at Wind Creek Casino's Molten Lounge for a free, special After Harvest Fest party at midnight.
To learn more, click here.
