Spring Festivals in the Valley

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A close-up of a saxophone held by one of the band members during a jazz concert

See what the Valley has to offer this Spring!

Spring is here! While it’s been a cold start, warmer days are to come and so are festivals and events! The Lehigh Valley has a diverse lineup of fun activities, musical acts, breweries, and more!

The SouthSide Music & Arts Festival kicks off on Friday, April 20th in SouthSide Bethlehem. It’s a celebration of music and visual arts! The two-day festival will take place on April 20th and April 21st. Country and rock band, Delta Rae will be performing along with bluegrass group the Infamous Stringdusters, and folk-pop singer Dar Williams. For the full experience, grab a single-day wristband for $30 or a two-day wristband for $50!

On Wednesday, May 2 to Thursday, June 7 SteelStacks in SouthSide Bethlehem will host a monthlong music series. RiverJazz will include Blues Traveler frontman John Popper, swing revival band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and singer Lisa Simone. Lisa Simone will give a Q&A accompanying a screening of the acclaimed documentary “What Happened, Miss Simone?”, about her mother, the legendary jazz singer Nina Simone. You can find the full lineup here.

On May 4th to Sunday, May 6th the Emmaus Theatre will host the 2018 Emmaus Film Festival. The festival will highlight both local and international filmmakers and also women of independent cinema. The theme of the festival is “The Masks We Wear.” Afterward, film lovers can join the afterparty over at Yergey Brewing. The program also features a Women in Film discussion panel, workshops and table reads of screenplays. You can get tickets here.

Mayfair Festival of the Arts is also right around the corner! The festival has been a staple in the Lehigh Valley and will return this year after a cancellation in 2017. From Friday, May 25th to Sunday, May 27th, Cedar Crest College will host this celebration of art, music, community, and crafts!

SoccerFest at SteelStacks

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SoccerFest Celebrations in Bethlehem

Following successful runs in 2014 and 2015, SteelStacks in Bethlehem will host Soccerfest again this summer! Bethlehem Steel FC, professional soccer team in historic Bethlehem, is partnering with ArtsQuest to present the 2018 Lehigh Valley SoccerFest. The festival will kick off with the World Cup in Russia on June 14th and run through July 15th. The festival will feature soccer clinics, game viewings, presentations, music, and celebrations of current and former Bethlehem Steel FC players.

During SoccerFest, the SteelStacks campus will air the World Cup matches on the Levitt Pavilion and PBS39 outdoor screens. On June 16, Bethlehem Steel FC will offer a free soccer clinic for children ages 5-12, and on June 23rd Lehigh Valley United will offer a multi-lingual soccer clinic that includes coaches and staff from the region’s soccer and youth soccer programs. On June 16, Bethlehem Steel Football Club historian Daniel Paul Morrison will offer a free presentation on how the Bethlehem Steel attracted players from England, Scotland, Wales and other European countries in the 1910s and ’20s.

SoccerFest will also celebrate original Bethlehem Steel Football Club, which played from 1907–’30, and its most well-known player, Archie Stark. Archie Stark scored 67 goals in the 1924 – 1925 season. That record remained in place for 87 years until Argentinian star Lionel Messi broke the record during the 2011-’12 season for FC Barcelona. Other activities and attractions planned for SoccerFest include family and arts programming, soccer tennis games, live music, entertainment, and more. Complete details on the 2018 event will be announced later this spring! You can find out more information about this event here.

Earth Day in the Lehigh Valley

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Earth day is coming up on April 22nd! The Lehigh Valley is coming together in the weeks to come for events that focus on taking care of our environment. The events include cleanups, festivals, tree plantings, and parties.

Cleanups in the Valley

The Spring South Side Bethlehem Cleanup will take place on April 14, in South Side Bethlehem from 10 AM-Noon. Volunteers shout meet at Farrington Square, formerly Campus Square on Morton Street. Breakfast will be provided 9:30 AM. This cleanup is rain or shine. This event is sponsored by the mayor’s Southside Task Force and Lehigh University Community Affairs.

April Trail Tenders will hold a cleanup at Hugh Moore Park and Lehigh Drive Cleanup on April 14th from 9 AM-Noon. Volunteers should meet at the National Canal Museum in Hugh Moore Park at 9 a.m. to break into groups for litter clean-up on trails and Lehigh Drive, prepping for educational field trips, clearing branches, planting flowers and more. Wear appropriate clothes for outside, closed-toed shoes, long pants, and long sleeve shirts. This is a Great American Clean Up of Pa. registered event. For more information, you can contact the Trail Programs Manager, or call 610-923-3548, ext. 234. The rain date will be April 21st.

The Downtown Bethlehem Association will have their cleanup on April 21st from 8 AM – 11 AM. Volunteers should meet at the Sun Inn Courtyard on 556 Main St. for refreshments and equipment. Groups will be assigned to areas of the Historic District to pick up litter and clean out planters. Gloves, trash bags, and safety equipment will be provided. For more information call 610-739-1175.

Festivals, Parties, and Tree Planting

The Earth Day Festival at the Bucks County Audubon Society at Honey Hollow, 2877 Creamery Road, in New Hope will take place on April 24th from 11 AM – 4 PM. There will be wildlife presentations, vendors, native plant sales, creek exploration, bird walks, bug hunts, information tables with local organizations, and more. This event is free. You can find more information here.

Earth Matters Open Mic Night will take place on April 19th from 7 PM –  9 PM. Nurture Nature Center, 518 Northampton St., Easton. Read poetry, play music, or tell stories, anecdotes, or rituals that celebrate Earth and its various forms of nature!

You can find out more information about these events here.