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The Head and The Heart Coming to Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks

Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA., February 27, 2025 – ArtsQuest is thrilled to announce that The Head and The Heart will be playing a gated show at the Levitt Pavilion at SteelStacks on July 27, 2025, at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m. Joining the band will be special guests Wild Rivers and Marfa. Please note that chairs and blankets are not permitted.

Ticket access begins Friday, March 7 at 10 a.m. Ticket prices run from $50 (in advance of show date) to $55 (day of show). Please note there is a ticket limit of six per customer. For more exclusive ticket access and advance purchase opportunities, become an ArtsQuest Circle donor today.

After five albums together, The Head and The Heart have journeyed their way through a lot of different terrain. Aperture, The Head and the Heart’s sixth and newest album, is the affirming sound of the band’s restart after their 2022 Every Shade of Blue tour. Jonathan Russell, who up till then led much of the songwriting, ceded that role to everyone, shooing away siloed work for a highly collaborative approach where everyone hatched tunes together in a room or passed ideas between coasts. With every song fortified by the sense of beginning again, Aperture is The Head and the Heart’s most vital and poignant album, sounding like the work of a band reaching unimagined levels of camaraderie and mutual risk as one.

A spirited homage to honesty and love, “Jubilee” is like the sun suddenly bursting from the clouds. It bounces like a piece of pop-punk and arcs like a Springsteen classic. During “Beg Steal Borrow,” The Head and The Heart’s trademark harmonies conjure communal aspirations. And there may be no better summary of this fellow feeling than the mighty “Arrow,” a shout-along song about sometimes needing the space to roam and fail on your own or guided and helped by those around you. The Head and The Heart has finally found a way for its six members to find their own ideas and then build them, together, into something magnificent.

About ArtsQuest
ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, of which nearly 50 percent are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region.

Spring Beer is Finally Here: Spring Beerfest III Returns on March 29

Taste the best beers in the Lehigh Valley at the Musikfest Café this March!

Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA, February 25, 2025 – For a third year, ArtsQuest and the Lehigh Valley Brewers’ Guild (LVBG) are teaming up to host an unforgettable Spring Beerfest III. The festival, taking place on March 29 at the Musikfest Café in the ArtsQuest Center, will feature unlimited sampling of craft brews from 25+ local breweries. Beer fans can enter raffles to win exciting, exclusive prizes from their favorite breweries. A portion of raffle proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity, courtesy of LVBG.

The fun continues on the fourth floor of the ArtsQuest Center with the Lehigh Valley Homebrewers. With an additional 10 to 20 experimental beers to share with attendees, Spring Beerfest III will have about 50 to 75 beers to sample from between the Homebrewers and the Guild.

Tickets are on sale now at steelstacks.org. This is a 21+ event. Pricing starts at $35 for General Admission and $50 for VIP Access. ArtsQuest Member pricing starts at $30 for General Admission and $45 for VIP Access. For exclusive ticket access and advance purchase opportunities, become an ArtsQuest Member today. Act fast! Ticket prices will increase on March 24.

General Admission tickets are separated into two sessions.

Session One: 2-4 p.m.
Session Two: 5-7 p.m.

VIP Access ticket holders will enjoy exclusive perks, such as:

Early access to the first hour of the event at 1 p.m.
One complimentary raffle ticket for the VIP Exclusive ArtsQuest Raffle

“We are thrilled to be partnering with ArtsQuest for the third year on this amazing beer fest. It is unique that every beer you will taste was brewed right here in Lehigh or Northampton County,” commented Chris McCall, representative of the Lehigh Valley Brewers’ Guild. “We will have 25 members on hand and an additional 10+ home brewers sampling some of the best beer, cider and mead the Valley has to offer in the most picturesque location in the Valley. It is a perfect partnership of Lehigh Valley businesses, and we can’t wait to welcome all of our beer enthusiasts.”

Breweries include

Allegheny Creek Brewing Co.
Birthright Brewing Co.
Bru Daddy’s Brewing Co.
Colony Meadery
Country Club Brewing
Fegley’s Brew Works
Five Maidens Cider
Funk Brewing Co.
Hawk Mountain Brewery
Hijinx Brewing Co.
Hop Hill Brewing Co.
Iron Hill Lehigh Valley
Lost Tavern Brewing
McCall Collective
Red Balloon Cider
Rising River Brewing Co.
Sage Alley Brewery & Grille
Seven Sirens Brewing Co.
Sherman Street Beer Co.
Taylor House Brewing Co.
Two Rivers Brewing Co.
Vault Brewing Co.
Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Yergey Brewing

Sponsor Spotlight with Andrea Reid, Vice President, Corporate Events Manager, for Provident Bank

By Caroline Bischof, Sponsorship Coordinator

Provident Bank has been a partner of ArtsQuest since 2015. In that time, Provident Bank supported Musikfest as the title sponsor of Main Street and, since 2021, the presenting sponsor of Main Street Marketplace which promotes shopping on Main Street businesses during Musikfest. In addition to Musikfest, they have sponsoredYouth Programming, Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks,and the SteelStacks Ice Rink. In 2024, they were the recipient of the Marcincin Award, which recognizes ArtsQuest partners that have played integral roles in helping Musikfest continue to grow over the years while remaining free for all to enjoy. Now, with the construction of the ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL, our programming is expanding and going back into the community, with classes being held at our partners’ locations. With the community being so involved, we are excited to chat with Andrea Reid, Vice President, Corporate Events Manager, about the importance of supporting these community programs.

Q:Being from the Lehigh Valley and attending ArtsQuest events, like Musikfest, what does it mean to be working for Provident Bank, who has been a partner for 10 years now? How have you seen the partnership grow through that time?

A: As a lifelong local, it was an honor to be here to introduce Provident Bank to the Lehigh Valley when they entered the market in 2014! It was like connecting two friends with common interests; I knew both organizations would learn and gain from each other. We opened doors as Provident in the Valley in June 2014, with Musikfest right around the corner, so we seized the opportunity (literally hung our banner across Main Street) to welcome Lehigh Valley residents with an introduction to our brand. And in that 10+ years we have continued to support and engage the community via the ArtsQuest lineup of programming – including virtually in 2020.

Q: AQ hosts Teen Takeover, Toddler Storytime, ArtSmart, and other youth art and education programs. Why is it important for the community to have access to these types of programs? Why is it important for Provident Bank to support these types of initiatives?

A: The hallmark of our brand is Commitment. And that starts with community. I am a proud product of the Bethlehem Area School District (Go Freedom Patriots!) and now employed in a creative position. These promising writers, performers, and makers developing in our area schools are going to be the employees that region companies will be hiring down the road. But first, a community needs to support access to this educational programming across its footprint, and the earlier the introduction of the arts to our youth can begin, the better. And that is where partners like us come into play!

Q: How does Provident Bank see the impact of creative expression on the development of young people in the community? Were there any particular creative experiences or moments that stand out to you during your childhood or teenage years?

A: There are undeniable benefits of creative expression, especially in 2025 – it’s unifying, inclusive, productive, healing – the list goes on. And isn’t that ultimately how we want our workplaces to function, our schools to function, our communities to function? I was reared on the arts as a child in Bethlehem – through dance, through weekends spent at Chapter One bookstore on 191, through the inspiring educators in BASD (if you were at Freedom during the Jen Wescoe era of the FHS Theatre Company, you know!) and exposure to just an exceptional roster of arts “influencers” before that was even a term. Jody Miller’s lights-out classroom read of The Crucible; his using lyrics of a chart-topper at the time, The Corrs’ “Leave Me Breathless”, as a metaphor for the relationship between Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter – these memories live rent-free in my mind…even 20 years later!

Q: What can being a sponsor of youth programs and education do for the community?

A: Our ongoing commitment to numerous Valley youth programs – whether supporting the arts through ArtSmart and the Freddy Awards, or growing youth sports opportunities through IronPigs and Phantoms Charities – the collective focus is to remove barriers to participate. Sponsors and partners help to level the playing field, even the stage, and fill everyone’s palette. These programs produce cultured, educated, and motivated individuals who go on to succeed in their chosen fields, and hopefully end up sharing that back in the Valley and teaching or sponsoring for the next generation! It’s a very productive and uplifting cycle to manifest! It also creates a very extensive network of mutually beneficial relationships for the participants. We connect with our customers and other partners through this very impact. A few years ago, we “treated” (emphasis on treat!) an ArtSmart class to a candy making lesson with Chocolate Works, a customer of the bank, as part of the annual Volunteer Challenge. We supported each other as bank and business, while also churning out a fun night of learning for the ArtSmart Wonkas-in-training! To me, that is the best thing about living in the Lehigh Valley: relationships are grown at every turn.

Q: The ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL will have expanded capacity for classes, camps, artist studios, and year-round free programs and events. What are you excited about with the new Creative Factory powered by PPL?

A: It’s no different than a gym providing a space for athletes to train and compete – the Creative Factory will be its own arena for the ArtsQuest Arts-letes! We all watched our local heroes win the Superbowl; what successful Tony Award winner or museum curator will the Creative Factory produce? Everyone needs to have a space where they feel seen, worthy and capable; first and foremost, our youth. Thousands of kids in our area will choose clay over cleats, or stage over stadium, and the Creative Factory will provide that space. I am proud that, historically, the Lehigh Valley has been supportive of growing the arts in youth, alongside the strong focus athletics – but today’s emphasis on nurturing arts in education is profound. I am tremendously excited for “curtain up” at the Creative Factory!

Hollywood Undead Coming to Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks

Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA., February 19, 2025 – ArtsQuest is excited to announce that Hollywood Undead will be jamming at The Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks on May 13, 2025, with opening acts Set It Off and Zero 9:36 for a gated show on the lawn! Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the show will begin at 7 p.m.

Ticket access begins on Friday, February 21 at 10 a.m. at steelstacks.org. Ticket prices range from $45 to $50 (day of show). For more exclusive ticket access and advance purchase opportunities, become an ArtsQuest Circle donor today.

Since the release of Hollywood Undead’s RIAA platinum-certified 2008 debut album, Swan Songs, their distinctive and infectious music has incited a cult audience of millions of fans, resulting in sold-out shows across the globe, in addition to receiving nods in the press from the likes of Consequence of Sound, Billboard, Alternative Press, Rolling Stone and Revolver. The quintet has also garnered massive mainstream appeal, with their 2011 sophomore record, American Tragedy, going gold and hitting #4 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Now, with over 3.1 billion cross-platform streams,1 billion YouTube views and 4.1 million monthly Spotify listeners, they have firmly cemented their place as one of the most influential bands of the 21st century. Now signed to Sumerian Records and with the release of their brand new single, ‘Hollywood Forever’, Hollywood Undead are poised for their most exciting chapter yet.

The sound of Hollywood Undead bears a resemblance to that of renowned metal rock bands such as Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Five Finger Death Punch, Papa Roach and I Prevail, among others.

The Future of Jazz Shines Bright at the Musikfest Café

Don’t miss your chance to enjoy musical excellence at the 13th annual SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Showcase!

Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA, February 12, 2025 – ArtsQuest is proud to present the 13th annual SteelStacks High School Jazz Band Showcase sponsored by King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, LLC. The competition will feature 26 bands and take place over five separate events from February 23 to March 23 at the Musikfest Café in the ArtsQuest Center. Finals showcasing the top scoring schools from the preliminary competition will be held on Sunday, March 23 at 2:00 p.m.

“KingSpry is thrilled to partner with ArtsQuest to present this festival again this year,” said Matthew Tranter, Deputy Managing Partner of King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, LLC and a board member of the Friends of Levitt Pavilion. “Our education practice serves many of the schools represented in the competition, so we especially enjoy cheering for these incredible students on the ArtsQuest stage.”

Scholastic jazz groups from Pennsylvania and New Jersey will perform in front of a live audience and a judging panel comprised of music educators. Each school will have a private session with a judge after their performance to provide feedback and specific insight on their performance. The competition is a music-in-education program of ArtsQuest and Moravian University’s Music Department Jazz Studies Program. Tickets for the preliminary rounds are $7 plus fees and can be purchased at www.steelstacks.org or by calling 610-332-3378.

Sunday, February 23 at 12 p.m.

Southern Lehigh School District Jazz Trane
Wilson Area High School
North Penn High School Columbia Jazz Band
Southern Lehigh School District Jazz Society
Kutztown High School
North Penn High School Navy Jazz Band

Sunday, February 23 at 4 p.m.

Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts
Freedom High School
Saucon Valley High School
La Salle College High School Lab Band
North Hunterdon High School
Pennridge High School
La Salle College High School Comp Band

Sunday, March 2 at 12 p.m.

Warren Hills High School
Delaware Valley Regional High School (NJ)
Upper Moreland High School Jazz One
Pocono Mountain East High School
The Hill School (Pottstown, PA)
Upper Moreland High School Jazz Two

Sunday, March 2 at 4 p.m.

Easton Area High School
Phillipsburg High School
Quakertown Community High School
Bangor Area High School
Plymouth Whitemarsh High School
Council Rock North High School
Delaware Valley High School

Discover Local Music with Palette & Pour’s Open Mic Nights, Jazz Jams and More

Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA., February 11, 2025 – At ArtsQuest’s full-service bar and quick-service kitchen, Palette & Pour, located on the first floor of the ArtsQuest Center, guests can enjoy live music Thursdays through Saturdays!

Members of the community are invited to showcase their talents on the Williams Brew Stage during open mic nights every second and fourth Thursday of the month. Sign up for open mic nights here. Jazz Jam sessions will take place every first and third Thursday of the month. You don’t need to be a professional musician to participate! Sign up for Jazz Jam’s here.

Diners can also enjoy a wide variety of talented local acts throughout the fall and winter, including Danny’s Caribbean Jam, BC Blues, Hayley Jackson and many more. Favorites, like the beloved Beatles tribute band The BriTles will bring their acoustic versions of the timeless classic to the Williams Brew Stage on February 22. And K-Pop Nights with DJ Sakura leave attendees singing and dancing the night away every single time.

Heading to a Musikfest Café show? Check the schedule below to see a handful of evenings where music begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Williams Brew Stage, perfect timing to grab a drink before heading upstairs to the Café.

The February/March Palette & Pour Schedule is as follows:

February 13 – Open Mic Night 7-10 p.m.

February 14 – Jamie Chesson 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Scott Marshall 8-11 p.m.

February 15 – Tim Harakal 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

The ColourSound 8-11 p.m.

February 21 – BC Blue 7-10 p.m.

February 22 – Hayley Jackson 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

The BriTles 8-11 p.m.

February 27 – Open Mic Night 7-10 p.m.

February 28 – Rocky Steady 7-10 p.m.

March 1 – K-Pop Party with DJ Sakura 7-10 p.m.

March 6 – Jazz Jam 7-10 p.m.

March 7 – Pat Foran 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Ginger Coyle 8-11 p.m.

March 8 – Chasing Daylight 7-10 p.m.

March 13 – Open Mic Night 7-10 p.m.

March 14 – Chuck Rissmiller 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Island Time Lite 8-11 p.m.

March 15 (Irish-themed performances) – Steve Walker 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

The Jolly Tars 8-11 p.m.

March 20 – Jazz Jam 7-10 p.m.

March 21 – Danny’s Caribbean Jam 7-10 p.m.

March 22 – Scott Marshall 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

We3 Band 8-11 p.m.

March 27 – Open Mic Night 7-10 p.m.

March 28 – Zaire 7-10 p.m.

March 29 – The BriTles 7-10 p.m.

2025 Festival Vendor Applications are Open!

Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA., February 10, 2025 – ArtsQuest is excited to announce that vendor applications for the 2025 festival season are now open! Local artisans, food vendors and makers of all kinds are invited to showcase their products and services at one (or more) of our many events that take place throughout the year. The application process is now available here, and vendors are encouraged to submit their applications early to secure their spot.

Each year, ArtsQuest hosts an impressive lineup of festivals and events that brings thousands of visitors to celebrate great food, music, art and culture. The 2025 festival season will include favorites like Tacofest, Sangriafest, Ginvitational, Blast Furnace Blues presented by Highmark Blue Shield, ꜟSabor! presented by Highmark Blue Shield, Soccerfest and so much more, including Musikfest, Oktoberfest presented by Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) and Christkindlmarkt presented by Univest Financial, of course!

These events offer a unique opportunity for vendors to showcase their products to an enthusiastic and diverse crowd of festival attendees. ArtsQuest’s festivals and programming offer vendors a prime opportunity to connect with the community.

Please note: Musikfest, Oktoberfest and Christkindlmarkt have separate retailer, artisan or crafter applications and vendors interested in these events should apply online at the respective links on or before May 2. Find your festival-specific applications here.

Souper Bowl XV Winners

People’s Choice: Palette and Pour: Purple Sweet Potato Tapioca Soup

People’s Choice Runner Up: Northampton Community College: Tomato Tikka Masala

Judges’ Favorite: Purple Sweet Potato Tapioca Soup

Best Vegan: Northampton Community College: Tomato Tikka Masala

Best Seafood – Based: Palette and Pour: Chorizo Crab Chowder

Most Unique: Palette and Pour: Purple Sweet Potato Tapioca Soup

Best Meat Based: La Maya: Tortilla Soup

Best Cream Based: Molly’s Irish Grille: Cheezy Chicken Chowder

Tribute Shows Take Center Stage at ArtsQuest’s Musikfest Café

Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA., January 30, 2025 – Get ready to relive the magic of music’s greatest legends! ArtsQuest is excited to host an unforgettable series of tribute band performances, bringing the sounds of iconic artists straight to the stage. From classic rock anthems to melodic emo hits, these talented tribute bands are ready to transport audiences back to unforgettable eras of music history.

Music lovers can mark their calendars and get tickets now at steelstacks.org.

Super Trans AM
February 7, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Super Trans AM is the most unique and innovative theme band on the market today, playing all of your favorite arena anthems and chart-topping radio hits of the 1970s.

Dirty Deeds – The AC/DC Experience
February 8, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Dirty Deeds – The AC/DC Experience celebrates the thunderous energy of the Bon Scott and Brian Johnson era delivering a power-packed performance that takes the audience on a journey through the story that is AC/DC.

Face 2 Face – A Tribute to Elton John & Billy Joel
February 14 and 15, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
The USA’s 1^st and longest-running tribute to Billy Joel and Elton John.

Life After Dead: Grateful Dead Tribute
February 15, 2025, at 8 p.m. in the Fowler Blast Furnace Room*
Life After Dead is a tribute to the improvisational, indescribable music of The Grateful Dead.

Luke Combs UK
February 17, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
The world’s leading tribute to Luke Combs, endorsed by Luke Combs and his management team.

YAS Queen! A Celebration of the Music of Queen with Remember Jones
February 21, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
A new 10-piece band celebration of Freddie Mercury and the music of Queen starring Remember Jones + horns, strings and a choir!

EMO KIDS – A Live Band Tribute to Emo
February 22, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
EMO KIDS are the best emo cover band in the country, and what separates them is their dedication to not only playing as close to album-perfect as possible, but also being able to play for hours non-stop, while bringing the intense energy with which this music was created.

Dwayne Gretzky
February 28, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Dwayne Gretzky are Canada’s reigning champs of nostalgia and a can’t miss live music experience; a curated nostalgia trip that captures the unique joy of turning a radio dial and being surprised by the familiar. Celebrating classic pop and rock from Fleetwood Mac to Fatboy Slim, Dwayne Gretzky has delivered electrifying renditions of over 800 songs from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s.

Unknown Planet Mystery Screening Series

Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA., January 27, 2025 – ArtsQuest’s Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas has a few mysteries up its sleeve with their updated Unknown Planet Mystery Screening Series. The mission of The Unknown Planet Mystery Screening Series is to screen a wide range of bold, dynamic and underseen films from around the world.

The Unknown Planet Mystery Screening Series aims to bring together a community of film enthusiasts keen on expanding their cinematic horizons. Curated by Frank Banko Alehouse Cinema programming staff and a rotating lineup of special guest curators, this mystery screening series maintains the element of surprise by revealing the film only when it starts playing on the screen. In the spirit of exploration, curators aim to select a wide variety of films that audiences may have never had the opportunity to see, in cinemas or otherwise.

“Unknown Planet really highlights the possibilities of the cinema as a radical space of collective experience, imagination and world-travelling,” said Sarah Bess, Programming Assistant. “I hope the lineup we have planned for 2025 will introduce adventurous moviegoers to new ideas, new perspectives and maybe even their new favorite film.”

The program will include additional content to keep screenings fresh: including moderated talkbacks, live Q&As and pre-recorded interviews. This is not only a chance to see films that are rarely screened in the Lehigh Valley, but also to join a community of curious filmgoers who share their passion for the theatrical experience.

For the first time, we’re revealing the title of the first Unknown Planet screening of 2025. Join us for a special presentation of Take Out. The screening will include a special pre-recorded video introduction by director Sean Baker before the film. Baker was just nominated for Best Director at this year’s Academy Awards for his new film Anora, which received five additional nominations, including Best Picture.

Screening Dates/Times:

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