Laini’s List of 9 Things to Do This Weekend in the Lehigh Valley
By Laini Abraham and Katie Vogel
1. Riverside Festival of the Arts
Saturday, 10am to 5pm, & Sunday, 10am to 4pm, Scott Park, Larry Holmes Dr., Easton
It’s a great time for all things art at the Riverside Festival of Arts! With art, music, and literature you’ll surely find your creative release here. Think you can paint? Enter the plein air painting competition for a chance to win $500. Listen to some of the area’s local musicians, and take in a story or two read aloud by members of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, all while taking in the view the scenic rivers.
2. Blast Furnace Blues Festival
Friday, 4pm-11pm, Saturday & Sunday, 12pm-11pm, SteelStacks Campus, Bethlehem
If you love jazz, or want to check some out for the first time, then the Blast Furnace Blues Festival will keep your weekend packed with entertainment. With a huge line-up of artists you’ll definitely find the sound you’re looking for. Don’t forget to try the food specials going on just for this event, including brunch for the earlier risers.
3. Black & White Party Opening Celebration for “The Moment”
Saturday, 4pm to 7pm, Mercantile Home, 140 Northampton St., Easton
Come out and celebrate the opening Mercantile’s newest photography collection: The Moment, featuring the photography of Larry Fink with additional work by Diane Stiglich and Ian Summers. This classy affair will be an all black and white party so you won’t even have to worry about what to wear. If you have the itch for photography, then this is your chance to be really inspired.
4. Mini Golf for the Red Cross
Two T’s Miniature Golf & Driving Range, 3521 Sullivan Trail, Easton
Like mini-golf and supporting a good cause? This weekend you can do both at the Mini Golf for the Red Cross outing. Bring your friends and challenge them to ageless classic of putting through caves, tunnels, and watery hazards at Two T’s Miniature Golf and Driving Range. Not only will you be competing for bragging rights, but you’ll be helping the Red Cross too!
5. Party on the Deck
Friday, 5pm to 8pm, Top Level of the Spiral Parking Deck, 8th and Linden St., Allentown
Due to the popularity of the previous roof deck parties, the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce has decided to host another one! Join them on the upper deck of the Spiral Parking Deck for music, refreshments, and incredible scenery from the top. Our warm days will be disappearing soon so get out and enjoy this outdoor fun while the sun is still shining!
6. 7th Annual Pennsylvania Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival
Sunday 9am to 4 pm, Kempton Community Center, 83 Community Dr., Kempton
We just can’t get enough of our festivals in this area, and this one is not only fun, but informative too. At the Pennsylvania Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival people will learn about renewable energy production, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through meetings, workshops, educational materials, and energy fairs. There is plenty to do for the whole family at this event including a bike show with some very unique bicycles, and even demos on how to cook with an outdoor solar cooker.
7. Jake Heck, Rian Carr & Ian Walters
Saturday, 10 pm, Porter’s Pub, 700 Northampton St., Easton
Everyone has a local band or musical group that they love to see and Porters’ Pub certainly does their best to support our native musicians. This Saturday they will host Jake Heck, Rian Carr, & Ian Walters as they fill the bar with their upbeat sound. Not only is Porter’s a great place to hear good music, but they also have a wide variety of beers and good food too.
8. Forms / Gods
Saturday, 5pm to 10 pm, Soft Machine Gallery, 725 North 15th St. Suite 7, Allentown
Come check out the work of Eric Tonzola and Carolyn Hesse at Forms/Gods this weekend. These two accomplished artists use two very different kinds of media for their artistic creations. From graphic design and hand- drawn illustrations exploring the fictional worlds of historical civilizations, to the quest for a straight line that does not exist in nature using reclaimed wood and other found materials, this is a unique exhibit that shouldn’t be missed.
9. Allentown Public Library Book Sale
Thursday, 1pm to 8pm, Friday & Saturday, 10am to 4pm, Allentown Public Library, 1210 Hamilton St., Allentown
With e-readers taking over the world these days, one must not forget how nice it is to have an actual book where you can smell the ink and mark your pages. At the Allentown Public Library Book Sale, you can increase your collection of physical literature and will surely get a bargain at the same time. It’s a great chance to stock up on these printed treasures as testaments to your own reading accomplishments.