Peeps' 60th Birthday Celebrated at Chamber Dinner

96th Annual Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce Dinner will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of Musikfest and contributions by former Mayor Gordon Mowrer, others.

  The Peep, which has held a unique place in the American candy landscape and been an integral part of Easter celebrations for 60 years, will be celebrated Wednesday night as the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce holds its 96th annual dinner. Just Born, the Stefko Boulevard candy maker, will receive a "Milestone" award from the chamber for the Peep's longevity. The dinner will be held 5 p.m. Wednesday at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks—the home of one of the other honorees—ArtsQuest, which also gets a “Milestone” award as the 30th anniversary of Musikfest is feted. Former Mayor Gordon Mowrer, tireless anti-poverty advocate Alan Jennings and longtime city economic development professional Tony Hanna will also be celebrated for their …

• Photos (1)

Mother's Day in Bethlehem: Flowers, Brunch at SteelStacks This Weekend

Bethlehem Garden Club presents a flower and gardening show, while Musikfest Cafe offers a special brunch menu on Sunday.

  The ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks celebrates spring and Mom this weekend with a flower show and a special Mother’s Day brunch at the Musikfest Café on Sunday. Among the menu options from which to choose are challah French toast, smoked salmon, cheese tortellini, herb-roasted turkey and roast beef. The menu also includes a variety of appetizers and desserts. Seating reservations—which must be made in advance—were limited but still available as of Thursday afternoon. To make a reservation, call 610-332-3378 or visit www.artsquest.org. Prices are $29.95 for adults ages 13 and over, $11.95 for ages 6-12, and free for ages 5 and under. Presented by the Bethlehem Garden Club, “The Magic of Flowers” is a weekend-long celebration that includes…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Daryl Nerl

10:19 am on Friday, May 10, 2013

Everything in this story is concentrated at or right outside of the ArtsQuest Center, which is right at the corner of First Street and Founders Way.   more ›

Fight Night at SteelStacks Coming to Musikfest Cafe

ArtsQuest and a boxing promoter schedule a 7-fight card and a chance to meet Larry Holmes and one of the champ's former opponents.

  Professional boxing is coming to the Musikfest Café. ArtsQuest announced Wednesday that it will host the first Fight Night at SteelStacks on Thursday, June 6 at 7 p.m. The night’s main event will have the grandson of Easton’s own former heavyweight champion, Larry Holmes—Jeffrey Dorsey Holmes—stepping into the ring against fellow Eastonian Marquis Pierce. The champ will also be on hand for the proceedings along with onetime nemesis Gerry Cooney, who lost to Holmes in a much-ballyhooed 13-round title fight in 1982. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $100 each and include a photograph and autograph session with Holmes and Cooney prior to the event, as well as a dinner buffet and a private area in the Café’s balcony to watch …

• Photos (1)

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Coming to Musikfest Cafe

Veteran swing/big band scheduled to appear on May 23. Tickets for this and other recently announced shows to go on sale Tuesday.

  Swing/big band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Tony Award winner Faith Prince, George LaMond and comedian Doug Benson are among the recently announced acts scheduled to appear at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. Tickets for these shows will go on sale Tuesday at 10 a.m., to ArtsQuest Members and Friday at, 10 a.m., to the public. They’ll be available at artsquest.org and 610-332-3378.   Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - May 23, 7:30 p.m. (Musikfest Café) Part of RiverJazz Tickets: $39 and $49 Since its arrival on the music scene in 1993 in a legendary residency at Los Angeles’ Brown Derby nightclub, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has entertained listeners throughout the nation with its fusion of classic American sounds including jazz, swing, Dixieland and big band…

• Photos (1)

ArtsQuest to Auction Autographed Grand Piano

Musikfest piano signed by 52 stars that appeared at festival will be centerpiece of anniversary party and auction to raise money for Bethlehem arts nonprofit.

  ArtsQuest plans to auction off a grand player piano autographed by 52 artists who played at Musikfest between 1998 and 2002. The piano will be on display as the nonprofit arts organization hosts its second-annual ArtsQuest Anniversary Party at SteelStacks, on April 26 from 6 to 10 p.m., at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. In addition to celebrating the second anniversary of the ArtsQuest Center, the party will also be a celebration of 30 years of Musikfest in Bethlehem Anniversary party guests will be able to bid on one-of-a-kind Musikfest memorabilia and items throughout the evening including front-row tickets to Musikfest 2013 main stage shows including Ke$ha, Carly Rae Jepsen, Darius Rucker and more, as well as framed official …

• Photos (2)

See 7 Baseball Films at Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas

Summer Baseball Film Series will include 7 cinema classics centered on the National Pastime.

  Baseball, which has its professional opening day today, has for years been depicted in great and, more often, not-so-great films. The Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks will be celebrating the meeting of two great American cultural phenomena in the Summer Baseball Film Series, which will run from June 16 until July 28. What’s your favorite baseball movie? Tell us in the comments. Tickets for the seven-film series are on sale now at artsquest.org and 610-332-3378. Series passes are $44 for ArtsQuest members, $48 for seniors and students, and $60 for the public. Individual film tickets may also be purchased at $7.50 for ArtsQuest members, $8 for seniors and students, and $10 for public. The complete film …

• Photos (1)

Crime News

ArtsQuest Employee Accused of Stealing $3,025

Upper Macungie woman allegedly entered fake returns and pocketed $3,025, Bethlehem police say.

  An Upper Macungie Township woman has been charged with stealing more than $3,000 from her employers at Bethlehem’s ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, according to court papers. Tynesha Marie Gilmore, 20, of 5321 W. Tilghman St., allegedly entered fake returns and pocketed the cash from those fake returns, according to arrest papers filed by Det. Bradford Jones of the Bethlehem Police Department. It is unclear from the affidavit where in the ArtsQuest Center Gilmore worked, though based on the description of the thefts, the gift shop appears likely. In a verbal confession to police, Gilmore said that she stole because of family medical issues and to help pay debt, the arrest affidavit says. Gilmore said she began stealing in May and …

• Photos (1)

Graham Parker, The Fixx Coming to SteelStacks

ArtsQuest Center announces new slate of shows, including Graham Parker & The Rumour, The Fixx and comedian Marc Maron.

  Graham Parker & The Rumour, comedian Marc Maron and The Fixx are among the new concerts announced for the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. Tickets for the shows will go on sale today at 10 a.m. to ArtsQuest Members and at 10 a.m. Friday to the public. They’ll be available at artsquest.org and 610-332-3378. The complete list of newly announced ArtsQuest Center performances is: I Am King - Feb. 22, 8 p.m. Fowler Blast Furnace Room Tickets: $10 in advance; $12 day of show I Am King offers a message of truth and hope with its music, with lyrics that are as important as the music. The group’s self-titled debut EP, recorded with Taylor Larson, is currently available on iTunes.   AmeDeus - March 2, 7 p.m. Fowler Blast Furnace Room Tickets: $7 …

• Photos (3)

PEEPSFEST is Bethlehem's Warm-Up to New Year's Eve

Celebrate PEEPSFEST in Bethlehem Dec. 30-31 with music, arts and a Giant Peep-Drop at ArtsQuest Center.

PEEPSFEST™, the family festival that takes place Dec. 30-31, returns for its fourth year at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem. The event, which is free to attend, features two days packed with live music, arts and PEEPS®-related programming. It culminates Dec. 31, 5:15 p.m. with the dropping of a 4.5-foot tall, 85-pound, lit PEEPS® Chick and fireworks to welcome in the New Year. Matt Pye, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Just Born, said, “PEEPSFEST™ 2012 will be a magical extravaganza that will continue to make this relatively new event an annual holiday destination for the whole family. PEEPSFEST™ celebrates the fun and passion consumers have for the beloved PEEPS® Brand which is produced right here in Bethlehem.  …

• Photos (1)

Convention Center Envisioned as Sands Neighbor

Bethlehem and Northampton County officials plan to hire a consultant to study the feasibility of building a large convention center next door to Sands and SteelStacks.

  Bethlehem and Northampton County officials are hoping to bring a convention center – perhaps one as large as 3½ NFL football fields – as a new neighbor for the Sands Casino Resort complex and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. County and city officials announced Thursday that they will hire a consultant to conduct an analysis to determine the appropriate size and configuration of a center, the proper placement of such a facility on the former Bethlehem Steel site and the financial feasibility of the project. There seems to be little doubt about the answer the third part of the analysis will yield. “We believe there is a market for a major exposition and convention facility in the Lehigh Valley and we believe we have the perfect …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (6)