BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Musikfest is what calls Patrice Longo back home.
Seven years ago, Longo, a Whitehall Township native, and her husband, Jeffrey, bid the Lehigh Valley goodbye. A job in the petroleum industry in The Woodlands, Texas, awaited him.
- Musikfest opens today with a preview night, celebrating the music festival's 40th year
- The event is billed as the nation’s largest non-gated free music festival
- Musikfest consists of free and ticketed music, food, refreshments, and more
Life in the upscale town near Houston is wonderful, Longo said gushingly while in Bethlehem this week: Plenty to see, plenty to do; life in a hammock, as she described it.
Yet Longo admits to being nagged by a Texas-size palpable longing.
It’s an emptiness that Musikfest fills.
“We’ve come back every year except the COVID year,” Longo, 57, said this week in Bethlehem. “The ’Fest is the biggest reason. In all the years I lived around here, I think I’ve only missed one of them.
“Musikfest is a 10-day advertisement for what it’s like to live in the City of Bethlehem."J. William Reynolds, Bethlehem mayor
“When I come back for Musikfest — seeing old friends, having a blast listening to the music, eating and drinking — it serves as a reminder of what a special place this is.
“The ’Fest makes me feel like I’m part of something special.”
That specialness returns to Bethlehem today.
Spread throughout the city
For a 40th year, Musikfest again will showcase a multitude of music performances from a variety of genres, today through Aug. 13.
The festival is spread throughout the city, on the north side covering the Historic Moravian District, and on the South Side at the SteelStacks campus in the arts district.
Much like Longo and her family, folks look forward to experiencing the joy of Musikfest. Last year, a record-breaking 1.2 million people attended what is billed as the nation’s largest free, non-gated music festival.
While the majority of the performances are free, each night will feature one ticketed, headlining show on the main Steel Stage at SteelStacks.
Among the performances on the Steel Stage are Grammy Award-winning artists Train, Goo Goo Dolls, AJR, Maren Morris and Dan + Shay, and comic Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias.
But don’t discount the hundreds of free performances. Stages will be brimming with local artists and nationally recognized acts such as Igor and the Red Elvises, Jimmy and the Parrots, Hayley Jackson, Philadelphia Funk Authority, The Sofa Kings, Seth Wicher, We Banjo 3, local acts Slingshot Dakota, Red McFly and Kendal Conrad, and many more.
The music serves as an incredible backdrop for a festival replete with an array of award-winning food vendors, craft beers and other refreshments, desserts, kids’ bounce houses and a bungee trampoline, artists at work, and even a gaming trailer provided by Wind Creek casino.
At Musikfest, you’ll find everything from your traditional fair favorites such as deep-fried Oreos to more unique eats. Classic choices include delicious grilled kebabs from Hogar Crea, bratwurst, halupki, Aw Shucks! roasted corn, Take a Taco, Island Noodles, Theo's Gyros and The Flying V.
The selections are so mouthwatering and varied, the surprise is one's tongue does not snap off its roller.
Feel the vibrancy
As one walks among the smiling crowds, it is nearly impossible not to feel the vibrancy of Musikfest. The sights and sounds are omnipresent.
"You can't help but feel good when you're at Musikfest."Jamie Ripley of Bethlehem
"You can't help but feel good when you're at Musikfest," Jamie Ripley of Bethlehem said. "It's like you're there, with all the crowds and the waiting in line for some food, but there's nowhere you'd rather be."
Nothing is cooler than grabbing a cold brew and running into old friends — except perhaps enjoying the refreshing coolness of misting fans at the Cool Zone on First Street behind the entrance of the Steel Stage.
How incredibly enjoyable an experience is Musikfest? As one festival-goer described it: It’s every other music festival in the region on steroids.
Musikfest is a festival that reflects the energy, mood and continued revitalization of Bethlehem.
As Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds noted: “Musikfest is a 10-day advertisement for what it’s like to live in the City of Bethlehem."
Musikfest's preview night opens at 5 p.m. today with a performance by Slingshot Dakota at Americaplatz, at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks. See a full schedule here.
Headliners AJR will kick off shows at the main Steel Stage at 7 p.m. (gates open at 6). The show, previously sold out, has released limited tickets.
