Music

From lack of parking and gridlock traffic to the increased prices for headliner tickets, as well as upticks in costs for food and beverages, there are plenty of reasons why some of the Lehigh Valley’s residents don’t like — with a contingent even going so far as to actively avoid — Musikfest.

Here are the Musikfest acts and more you should see today, Wednesday, Aug. 9.

Six years ago today, local noted musician Sal Ritz Jr. passed away shortly after performing at Musikfest. His widow, Laurie Ritz Dragotta, says a return to Musikfest is still too emotional for her.

Dan + Shay, a country duo from Nashville, played to a roaring crowd on the main stage at Musikfest 2023 on Sunday night. The two are just returning to touring as they've been recording a new album due out this fall.

Here are the Musikfest acts and more you should see today, Monday, Aug. 7.

Rapper G-Eazy performed at Musikfest on Saturday night.

Here are the Musikfest acts and more you should see today, Sunday, Aug. 6.

With an indefinite hiatus on the horizon and only a handful of shows left to play, Walk the Moon's performance at Musikfest's Steel Stage reminded us they're more than their biggest single.

Opening ceremonies for the 40th Musikfest were held on Friday evening. The nation's largest open-gate music festival will continue through Aug. 13 in south Bethlehem.

New to the Musikfest experience? Keep in mind these helpful tips and hacks to avoid breaking the bank during the Lehigh Valley's premier festival this week.

5XW Wrestling will make its Lehigh Valley debut at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9 at Country Club Brewing with an outdoor parking lot party that also will include bands, drinks, food and a party DJ.

Guster, with opening act The Mountain Goats, 6 p.m. today, July 29, Archer Music Hall, 939 Hamilton St., Allentown. Tickets $68.50 general admission standing, available at www.archermusichall.com or at the box office.

Here are our Top 6 main Steel Stage shows at Musikfest, which opens with a preview night Thursday, July 31.

Beatles tribute act Rain performing a Christmas tribute at 8 p.m. Dec. 5.

Country music hitmaker Riley Green has no tickets left for his Aug. 1 Steel Stage concert, Musikfest presenters ArtsQuest said on its Facebook page.

Alejandro Escovedo, a member of the musical family that has made stars of his brothers — percussionist Coke Escovedo, who played with Santana, and Pete Escovedo, father of Sheila E. — will play Tuesday, Sept. 9 in The Archer's Arrow Room.

From 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 25, you'll be able to buy tickets for six of Musikfest's 11 headline shows — and a paid-ticket Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks show — at 25% off.

Megan Moroney, who last year won the Academy of Country Music's New Female Artist of the Year, is the first artist to sell out a concert on this year's Musikfest main Steel Stage.

South African rockers Seether, who had the chart-topping songs “Broken (with Amy Lee),” “Remedy,” “Fake It” and “Country Song,” will team up with Daughtry, the “American Idol” contestant who went on to become a chart-topping rocker, to play the event center at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 5.

Zoostock, a one-day music festival that draws inspiration from the famed Woodstock music festival, is set for 5-9 p.m. Saturday, July 26, at Lehigh Valley Zoo.

At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 19, Copeland will headline ArtsQuest's Blast Furnace Blues Festival, performing on the Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks stage. The concert and festival are free.

The action ramps up Friday with Market to Go, open from 3-7 p.m., with offerings of blueberry crumb pie, coffee cake, strudel, sugar cookies and blueberry swirl ice cream. The event continues Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.