Laini’s List of 9 Things To Do This Weekend in the Lehigh Valley

1. Margarita Tasting & Beer Sampling

Friday from 7 to 10 pm, Allentown Brew Works, 812 W. Hamilton St., Allentown

Come out to support Team Tweetup and help raise funds to fight Leukemia. Besides the Margarita Tasting & Beer Sampling Tour, there will be guest bartenders, including the Lehigh Valley Rollergirls! A silent auction featuring valuable gift certificates to lots of excellent Lehigh Valley restaurants and other sweet items will also be going on. Who knows? Maybe you can even bid on and win some of the very first sewer cover prints made from Laini’s Little Sewer Cover Project. 🙂

2. 31st Annual Historic Easton House Tour

Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, Tour begins at Riverside Park, Easton

One of the greatest gifts Easton has to offer is its amazing architecture. This self-guided tour features seven private homes and four unique public spaces. A portion of the House Tour proceeds will benefit EMSI and go towards facade improvement grants and other downtown revitalization projects. More info. Call: 610-330-9940.

3. SteelStacks Art & Antiques Market Grand Opening

Saturday from 12 to 8 pm, Sunday from 12 to 6 pm, Air Products Town Square at SteelStacks, Bethlehem

The SteelStacks Arts & Antiques Market is an outdoor venue which will feature artwork, antiques, vintage clothing, artist demonstrations, antique appraisals, live music, wine tastings, themed weekends and more on the SteelStacks campus located at the base of the historic Bethlehem steel factory.

4. Paul Rishell & Annie Raines Live

Friday at 8 pm, Godfrey Daniels, 7 E. 4th St.,  Bethlehem

If you like blues harmonica, this is a performance you won’t want to miss. From Godfrey’s website: “When young harmonica ace Annie Raines first sat in with veteran country blues guitarist Paul Rishell in a Boston bar in 1992, few in the crowd suspected that they were witnessing the beginning of a musical partnership that would span the next fifteen years and counting. Paul and Annie are equally passionate about their craft and devoted to the study and performance of a wide range of blues styles, from the syncopated acoustic guitar wizardry of Blind Lemon Jefferson and Son House to Chicagoan “Little” Walter Jacob’s swinging amplified harmonica.”

5. Greek Festival 2011

Friday at 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday, Mary Meuser Park, 319 S. 20th St., Easton

Many, many years ago, I was introduced to Greek food by this festival (and the Prodes family). I became completely enamored with Spanakopita (Spinach Pie) and have yet to recover. Here’s the details: “Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church is hosting its Annual Greek Festival. Eat-in or take-out of our famous homemade traditional Greek food such as Pastitio, Moussaka, Lamb, Spanakopita to name a few. Gyro carved off the spit. Desserts all homemade from our Ladies of Philoptochos.Traditional Greek dancing from our youth. Greek Night Saturday with DJ playing all the favorites starts at 8pm.”

6. “Raw Diamonds, Raw Elegance” – Todd Reed Trunk Show

Saturday throughout the day with a reception from 5 to 9 pm, Artfully Elegant, 451 Main St., Bethlehem

I was never in love with diamonds, but these diamonds? These diamonds could be a different story. They’re like nothing I’ve ever seen. From the Artfully Elegant blog: “Artfully Elegant, in conjunction with Lehigh Valley Style Magazine, is very pleased to announce our trunk show with Todd Reed. On Saturday, May 14th, Todd Reed’s wholesale manager and long time colleague, Kim Carpenter, will be on hand at Artfully Elegant with over 300 pieces never before seen in our gallery. In addition to completed designs from all of their collections, Kim is going to bring a variety of loose diamonds you can design a custom ring around or put them in a setting of your choice.”

7. Spring Fling Skatepark Fundraiser

Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm, Lower Hackett Park, Easton

One of the things I wish for most is more safe places for kids in our community to play. This includes skaters. Please help support this group who’s trying to raise money to build a skate park in Easton. This all-day event will also feature a local skateboard competition.

8. Kids & Family Jam Time

Saturday at 11 am, Musselman Arts Center, 601 W. Hamilton St., Allentown

All the drums and percussion equipment are provided and no experience is necessary. Just bring the kids and prepare for an hour of fun and fantastic rhythms! The Kids and Family Jam Time is part of the Community Hand Drumming Experience Presented by Remo, a program of the Urban Arts Center of the Lehigh Valley.

9. Kachinas: Spirit Dolls of the Hopi

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Museum of Indian Culture, 2500 Fish Hatchery Rd., Allentown

This exhibit features over 70 hand-carved and hand-painted wooden figures based on Hopi kachinas. Carved by George Melloy, a retired Bethlehem Steel Metallurgical Engineer, the sculptures reproduce with stunning color and historical accuracy the full round of Hopi ceremonies, including the Bean Dance ceremony and the Winter Solstice ceremony. Learn the fascinating history of Hopi kachinas and their pivotal role in Pueblo Indian cultures.