Celebrate Fourth of July in Bethlehem

If you are staying in town over the long Fourth of July Holiday weekend, the ArtsQuest SteelStacks campus is one good destination for free family entertainment—including concerts, fireworks and a kids summer party Saturday on the Levitt Pavilion lawn.

This, of course, includes the annual Bethlehem Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza.

The pyrotechnics—shot off from Sand Island—begin at 9:15 p.m. Thursday and are visible from numerous places around the city. This year, the show will be synchronized with patriotic music that you can tune into at WDIY, 88.1-FM.

If you are viewing the fireworks from SteelStacks, the show will be preceded by a concert by the Allentown Band at the Levitt Pavilion at 8 p.m. At Payrow Plaza, the Bethlehem Municipal Band will play a free concert at 7 p.m. The synchronized music broadcast will be played through loudspeakers at both locations

If you are interested in seeing other fireworks displays around the Lehigh Valley, check out our handy guide to them here.

If your idea of Fourth of July fun is time at a swimming pool, the city’s municipal pools will be open Thursday, though little else that is government-run will be open locally for the holiday.

The National Weather Service forecast on Thursday calls for partly sunny skies, a high temperature of 89 degrees and a chance of showers. High temperatures are expected to reach about 90 degrees for the rest of the weekend with a chance of thunderstorms each day.

At SteelStacks, the party continues on Friday with the music of the Caribbean Steel Rhythms, BC Combo and Alice Tan Ridley.

Ridley, who will perform at the Levitt Pavilion at 7 p.m., is perhaps best known for her moving performances on the fifth season of America’s Got Talent. She also earned an Emmy in 2007 for her part in the documentary Military Families.

On Saturday, things get started at 11:30 a.m. with a Peas & Qs performance by kids’ rock band StarFish followed by a Peas and Qs summer party at 12:30 p.m. Summer party events and activities include a sprinkler party on the Levitt Lawn, as well as kids’ blueberry and apple pie eating contests, an Uncle Sam/Betsy Ross look-a-like contest, and fun family activities like water balloon tosses, sack races and arts & crafts.

Other attractions include a display of muscle cars presented by GTO Association of Pennsylvania, as well as music by Sing for America, Kenny Dale Sifter, Dina Hall & Christine Harvrilla, the Craig Thatcher Band and The Sofa Kings.

Here’s the full schedule of free activities at SteelStacks this weekend:

Thursday
4:30 p.m.: James Supra Band
Air Products Town Square

8 p.m.: Allentown Band and Fireworks
Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks

Friday
3 p.m.: Caribbean Steel Rhythms
Air Products Town Square

5 p.m.: BC Combo
Air Products Town Square

7 p.m.: Alice Tan Ridley
Levitt Pavilion

9:30 p.m.: Craig Bickhardt
Air Products Town Square

Saturday
11:30 a.m.: Peas and Qs – StarFish

12:30-2 p.m.: Peas & Qs Summer Party
Levitt Pavilion Lawn and Air Products Town Square

1-5 p.m.: Muscle Car Display
Air Products Town Square

1 p.m.: Sing for America
Air Products Town Square

2:30 p.m.: Kenny Dale Sifter
Air Products Town Square

5 p.m.: Dina Hall and Christine Harvrilla
Air Products Town Square

7 p.m.: Craig Thatcher Band
Levitt Pavilion

9 p.m.:  The Sofa Kings
Levitt Pavilion