...there's always something going on in south bethlehem.
South Side celebrates theater, music and visual arts
By LAUREN KELLY
The South Side of Bethlehem, Pa. has so much to offer when it comes to arts and entertainment.
ArtsQuest is one of the driving forces celebrating art in the South Side and throughout the Lehigh Valley. ArtsQuest is a nonprofit arts organization that is focused on the community, according to its Web site. The organization was established in 1984 and has since acquired 2,000 volunteers who help ArtsQuest reach out to over 1.2 million people per year through the arts.
ArtsQuest began as the Bethlehem Musikfest Association, according to the ArtsQuest Web site, and Musikfest was the association’s first community event. The Web site explains: Musikfest was an event meant to instill pride in the Bethlehem community and help attract people to the city in an effort to boost the local economy. The first Musikfest, in 1984, had an attendance of nearly 182,000 people who had the opportunity to see 295 performances across six stages, according to the ArtsQuest Web site. In recent years, more than one million people come to Bethlehem to see the 10-day music festival that has grown to include more than 500 performances on 13 different stages.
This year’s edition of Musikfest will take place from Aug. 6 to Aug. 15 and will feature headliners such as Counting Crows, Norah Jones, Martina McBride, Adam Lambert, Lynyrd Skynyrd and more, according to Musikfest’s Web site. There is also supposed to be food and drink at every turn, and beverage mugs that keep drinks cold in the August weather. The Web site claims the mugs are infamous.
The Banana Factory is another product of ArtsQuest’s goal to celebrate art in the South Side. The factory is an educational and dynamic cultural arts center on Bethlehem’s Third Street, according to its Web site. The Banana Factory is home to three galleries, studios for 28 resident artists, a digital imaging center, an art and education center, and the area’s only hot glass studio. According to its Web site, The Banana Factory’s goal is to make art accessible to everyone by providing everything from after-school programs and classes across a number of genres, to community demonstrations.
The three galleries of The Banana Factory have held a variety of shows this year, including The Red Show. The Red Show is on display from now until May 31 on the third floor of factory, and is an opportunity for artists with studios on the third floor to show off the two- and three-dimensional work they’ve done, according to the Web site.
First Friday is another large event held monthly at The Banana Factory, where the Web site says, “South Bethlehem comes alive in a community celebration. Local merchants, restaurants and galleries open their doors to celebrate our awesome community.”
Christkindlmarkt is another artistic attraction in Bethlehem. Christkindlmarkt is a holiday market, which showcases handmade pieces from “the nation’s finest artisans,” according to the Christkindlmarket Web site. There is also live Christmas music, a courtyard where ice-carving demonstrations take place and a craft tent, the Web site said. The Banana Factory contributes to Christkindlmarkt by having its glass artists transform glass into holiday ornaments and festive art.
Kathe Wohlfahrt anchors the Christmas Tent. Wohlfahrt is an expert with German ornaments, collectibles, nutcrackers and smokers. The Christmas Tent is where official Christkindlmarkt apparel and merchandise can be purchased, according to the Web site.
Christkindlmarkt has been a tradition since 1993, and has since been recognized by Travel and Leisure Magazine as “one of the top holiday markets in the world,” according to the Web site. The market now attracts more than 60,000 annual visitors.
Lehigh University’s Zoellner Arts Center is a large site for theater and visual art on the South Side. Zoellner Arts Center, on East Packer Avenue, includes three theaters, a two-story art gallery, a costume shop, a recording studio and much more, according to its Web site. Zoellner opened for the 1997-1998 season and its mission is “to create an environment where artists and students of the arts develop and learn,” the Web site said. For the 2009-2010 season at Zoellner, Bobby McFerrin, Garrison Keillor and TAO were featured along with many other guests.
There are many others sites around South Bethlehem that provide art for the community year around. The Wildflower Café & Gallery, located on South New Street, is one of them. The Wildflower Café & Gallery’s mission is “to provide a space for musicians, artists, activists and all those seeking a positive atmosphere,” according to its Web site. The café invites the community of South Bethlehem to share their art and help the cafe grow by giving support to local artists and music.
For the month of April, every Monday and Tuesday night is “Open Mic” night at the Wildflower Café. There are also performances by The Subtle Experience, a Latin jazz band, every Wednesday and “Open Jazz Night” on Thursdays hosted by Peter Fritz, according to the Wildflower Café Web site. Many other artists and bands have visited the Wildflower Café throughout the month of April, and the café is advertising Rodney Holmes’ visit on June 25.
There are other locations throughout the South Side where it is possible to see live music. One of these locations is The Funhouse on East Fourth Street. There is also The Firehouse on Broadway Street. According to The Firehouse’s Web site, there are “two floors to party on, food, music and lots more.” For the month of April, The Firehouse hosted “Three Alarm Thursdays” with DJ Cap Cee, “Farenheit Fridays” with DJ $weetlife and “Blazing Saturdays” with DJ Cyn of Audio Dynamikz, according to their Web site. The Bookstore on Adams Street is another place to see live music in Bethlehem. The Bookstore has featured The Midnight Society of Philadelphia and The Hot Sardines of New York City many times throughout the month of April.
The Touchstone Theatre is a spot for a different kind of art – theater. The theatre has had a home in South Bethlehem for 25 years and “is dedicated to being an active force in the renewal of theatre as a vital art form,” according to their Web site. The theatre is a not-for-profit organization for producing and presenting, which offers educational programs along with a wide variety of performances. For the 2009-2010 season, the performances at the Touchstone Theatre included “The Tempest,” “Universes’ Live from the Edge” and “The Pan Show.”
The South Side of Bethlehem, Pa. has so much to offer when it comes to arts and entertainment.
ArtsQuest is one of the driving forces celebrating art in the South Side and throughout the Lehigh Valley. ArtsQuest is a nonprofit arts organization that is focused on the community, according to its Web site. The organization was established in 1984 and has since acquired 2,000 volunteers who help ArtsQuest reach out to over 1.2 million people per year through the arts.
ArtsQuest began as the Bethlehem Musikfest Association, according to the ArtsQuest Web site, and Musikfest was the association’s first community event. The Web site explains: Musikfest was an event meant to instill pride in the Bethlehem community and help attract people to the city in an effort to boost the local economy. The first Musikfest, in 1984, had an attendance of nearly 182,000 people who had the opportunity to see 295 performances across six stages, according to the ArtsQuest Web site. In recent years, more than one million people come to Bethlehem to see the 10-day music festival that has grown to include more than 500 performances on 13 different stages.
This year’s edition of Musikfest will take place from Aug. 6 to Aug. 15 and will feature headliners such as Counting Crows, Norah Jones, Martina McBride, Adam Lambert, Lynyrd Skynyrd and more, according to Musikfest’s Web site. There is also supposed to be food and drink at every turn, and beverage mugs that keep drinks cold in the August weather. The Web site claims the mugs are infamous.
The Banana Factory is another product of ArtsQuest’s goal to celebrate art in the South Side. The factory is an educational and dynamic cultural arts center on Bethlehem’s Third Street, according to its Web site. The Banana Factory is home to three galleries, studios for 28 resident artists, a digital imaging center, an art and education center, and the area’s only hot glass studio. According to its Web site, The Banana Factory’s goal is to make art accessible to everyone by providing everything from after-school programs and classes across a number of genres, to community demonstrations.
The three galleries of The Banana Factory have held a variety of shows this year, including The Red Show. The Red Show is on display from now until May 31 on the third floor of factory, and is an opportunity for artists with studios on the third floor to show off the two- and three-dimensional work they’ve done, according to the Web site.
First Friday is another large event held monthly at The Banana Factory, where the Web site says, “South Bethlehem comes alive in a community celebration. Local merchants, restaurants and galleries open their doors to celebrate our awesome community.”
Christkindlmarkt is another artistic attraction in Bethlehem. Christkindlmarkt is a holiday market, which showcases handmade pieces from “the nation’s finest artisans,” according to the Christkindlmarket Web site. There is also live Christmas music, a courtyard where ice-carving demonstrations take place and a craft tent, the Web site said. The Banana Factory contributes to Christkindlmarkt by having its glass artists transform glass into holiday ornaments and festive art.
Kathe Wohlfahrt anchors the Christmas Tent. Wohlfahrt is an expert with German ornaments, collectibles, nutcrackers and smokers. The Christmas Tent is where official Christkindlmarkt apparel and merchandise can be purchased, according to the Web site.
Christkindlmarkt has been a tradition since 1993, and has since been recognized by Travel and Leisure Magazine as “one of the top holiday markets in the world,” according to the Web site. The market now attracts more than 60,000 annual visitors.
Lehigh University’s Zoellner Arts Center is a large site for theater and visual art on the South Side. Zoellner Arts Center, on East Packer Avenue, includes three theaters, a two-story art gallery, a costume shop, a recording studio and much more, according to its Web site. Zoellner opened for the 1997-1998 season and its mission is “to create an environment where artists and students of the arts develop and learn,” the Web site said. For the 2009-2010 season at Zoellner, Bobby McFerrin, Garrison Keillor and TAO were featured along with many other guests.
There are many others sites around South Bethlehem that provide art for the community year around. The Wildflower Café & Gallery, located on South New Street, is one of them. The Wildflower Café & Gallery’s mission is “to provide a space for musicians, artists, activists and all those seeking a positive atmosphere,” according to its Web site. The café invites the community of South Bethlehem to share their art and help the cafe grow by giving support to local artists and music.
For the month of April, every Monday and Tuesday night is “Open Mic” night at the Wildflower Café. There are also performances by The Subtle Experience, a Latin jazz band, every Wednesday and “Open Jazz Night” on Thursdays hosted by Peter Fritz, according to the Wildflower Café Web site. Many other artists and bands have visited the Wildflower Café throughout the month of April, and the café is advertising Rodney Holmes’ visit on June 25.
There are other locations throughout the South Side where it is possible to see live music. One of these locations is The Funhouse on East Fourth Street. There is also The Firehouse on Broadway Street. According to The Firehouse’s Web site, there are “two floors to party on, food, music and lots more.” For the month of April, The Firehouse hosted “Three Alarm Thursdays” with DJ Cap Cee, “Farenheit Fridays” with DJ $weetlife and “Blazing Saturdays” with DJ Cyn of Audio Dynamikz, according to their Web site. The Bookstore on Adams Street is another place to see live music in Bethlehem. The Bookstore has featured The Midnight Society of Philadelphia and The Hot Sardines of New York City many times throughout the month of April.
The Touchstone Theatre is a spot for a different kind of art – theater. The theatre has had a home in South Bethlehem for 25 years and “is dedicated to being an active force in the renewal of theatre as a vital art form,” according to their Web site. The theatre is a not-for-profit organization for producing and presenting, which offers educational programs along with a wide variety of performances. For the 2009-2010 season, the performances at the Touchstone Theatre included “The Tempest,” “Universes’ Live from the Edge” and “The Pan Show.”
Take our Gowalla tour!
Our walking tour leads you to the best sites for art in South Bethlehem. Check it out!
Gowalla is a new multimedia tool that can be downloaded on any smart phone or from its Web site. (Gowalla.com)
Gowalla is a new multimedia tool that can be downloaded on any smart phone or from its Web site. (Gowalla.com)
Zoellner Arts Center presents Bobby McFerrin
Bobby McFerrin performed in Baker Hall at Zoellner Arts Center on February 28 at 7 p.m. McFerrin also held a workshop in the Diamond Theater of Zoellner at 2 p.m. McFerrin is a 10-time Grammy winner with a four-octave range. He is an expert when it comes to classical and jazz music. McFerrin has appeared on NBC's The Sing Off and in a PBS documentary titled "The Music Instinct: Science and Song."
The Banana Factory
The Banana Factory is a culture arts and education center in the Southside of Bethlehem, Pa. The factory houses studios for 28 resident artists, 3 galleries, a digital imaging center and the area's only hot glass studio. The Banana Factory aims to make the arts accessible to everyone by hosting lectures, demonstrations and more than 200 classes availiable for people of all ages.
The Red Show at The Banana Factory
The Red Show featured two and three dimensional art from the artists whose studios are located on the third floor of The Banana Factory. The Red Show held their opening reception on April 9 from 6 to 9 p.m. The opening reception allowed guests to mingle with the featured artists and other members of The Banana Factory faculty. The Red Show remained on-display at The Banana Factory from April 9 through May 31.