Tag Archives: Downtown Bethlehem

Bethlehem’s 29th Annual Celtic Classic is Underway

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In Bethlehem, the Fall Classic doesn’t happen in October, and it does not involve bats, gloves, and pinstripes. Instead, it occurs as soon as the new season kicks off, and the participants in this event are clad in plaid kilts as far as the eye can see.

Sure, it may not feel too much like fall — in fact, the weather on Friday hearkened us back to an earlier festival — but one thing is unmistakable: this year’s Celtic Classic has arrived.

The Celtic Cultural Alliance’s flagship event is a sure-fire hit every September, featuring, among other things, internationally-renowned musicians, authentic Celtic cuisine, tons of unique vendors and, of course, the annual U.S. Highland Games Championship. It goes all weekend, continuing today and lasting into the night with live music on Sunday.

LVU was on-hand Friday evening to capture some of the early action, both in photos and on Facebook Live. Take a look below, and make sure you stop by this weekend!

#ThanksMusikfest

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As you know from reading Lehigh Valley Underground, this year’s Musikfest was not my first rodeo. However, it was the first go-round for LVU at the nation’s largest free outdoor music festival, and we are beyond grateful that A) this thing happens in our backyard and B) we had the opportunity to take part.

We saw and heard some amazing musicians – some good friends of LVU, while others were completely new discoveries for us. We ate good food, we filled our mugs, and we even got to hang in the Sands Steel Stage pit and get some pretty cool photos of X Ambassadors. We got to see this entire community come together to celebrate music, summer, and the Lehigh Valley – and we were fortunate enough to join in.

So, with that, I personally want to thank a few people and organizations for making our first Musikfest as an organization one for the ages.

First, thank you to the team at ArtsQuest who, in addition to being SUPER supportive of LVU, take weeks out of their summer every year to ensure that you and I have a good time in downtown Bethlehem for 10 days. You all were the first folks I met when I came back to the Valley, and I look forward to working with you all for years to come.

Thank you to amazing teammates like Lisa, Ambrose and, of course, our fellow Mega Power Dustin Schoof for covering what I couldn’t. Next year, I promise that I won’t book any vacations before knowing the dates of Musikfest (not that I regret fulfilling my lifelong, bucket list dream of finally seeing my Cubs play at Wrigley Field, because that place is amazing and I WILL be going back – just not from Aug. 4-13, 2017).

Thank you to our partners at the Greater Lehigh Valley Music Association for the honor and privilege of introducing Another Day Dawns, Doubting Thoma$, The Cherrybombs, and Social Call at the Lehigh Valley Music Awards Rock Showcase on Aug. 7. This night was easily a highlight of 2016 so far, both for LVU and for me personally. We can’t wait to work more with you to create opportunities, large and small, for everyone on the music scene.

Also, special thanks to Lisa and my wonderful girlfriend, Meg, for volunteering their time to LVU at the event and believing in this hare-brained scheme of mine.

Thank you to all of the musicians, who use their talents to make Musikfest and, as always, the Lehigh Valley’s music scene what it is. Without you, there would be no ‘Fest or LVU, and this place would be a lot less vibrant.

Finally, thank you, the readers, for making last week by far the most successful week in LVU history. We shattered records for page views and unique visitiors during our Musikfest coverage, and it’s because you all care so much about your music scene. We couldn’t do it without your support.

#ThanksMusikfest, for being you. See you in 2017!

Bethlehem’s Boyd Theatre: A Live Music Destination?

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By now, many of you have probably seen recent updates on Bethlehem’s historic Boyd Theatre. First, we found out that the property had a buyer for the price of $1.35 million. Then, just yesterday, lehighvalleylive.com reported that the theatre has been classified as a “blighted” property.

While many details about the property and its future are unclear, we know two things: 1) Somebody, somewhere in the Valley has at least a loose plan to do something with it and 2) many on the music scene hold the opinion that the Boyd would make a great live music venue, right in the heart of Historic Bethlehem.

Think of the possibilities: A music venue on the North side, similar in transformation to Easton’s State Theatre, where musicians – local, regional, and even national touring acts – could come to play. The Boyd could cater to an entirely different kind of artist (imagine hard rock, alternative, or even hip hop showcases) than many of the region’s other established venues, offering a little more color, variety and opportunity to the Valley’s original music scene. More of the region’s lesser-known, but wicked talented artists could be featured, and therefore prevented from heading to the seemingly-greener, nearby pastures of Philadelphia and New York.

Imagine turning the Boyd into a venue that could attract a national touring act – veteran bands with respectable followings, like Death Cab for Cutie, Breaking Benjamin, Volbeat or, my personal favorite, Our Lady Peace. Then, imagine the opportunity local artists would have to open for them. The headliners would attract a crowd, and our local artists could attract larger followings, and have their hard work noticed by larger audiences, simply by being on the bill.

Then, there are the potential implications for Main Street’s businesses. More foot traffic on nearby Broad Street bodes well for the shops and restaurants that populate downtown, especially amid concerns that the re-zoning of Martin Tower may cause those businesses to take a hit once the land is re-developed. A performance space in an arts-rich community could be the remedy to that, as it gives folks a brand-new reason to visit Main Street.

With all of that being said, there are certainly challenges that lie ahead for the Boyd Theatre, and there is a lot more of this story to be told before all is said and done. In the meantime, we can still dream.

So, dream on and let us know what you think should become of the Boyd in the comments!