SteelStacks — Bethlehem, PA

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Lehigh Valley United For Puerto Rico Fundraiser Set for November 5 at SteelStacks in Bethlehem

Photo by Craig Roberts

A small group of Puerto Rican community leaders from the Lehigh Valley have joined forces to unite the entire Lehigh Valley to help family and friends in Puerto Rico who were affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in September by presenting a FREE music concert at SteelStacks in Bethlehem on Sunday, November 5.

The concert – which will be held at the Levitt SteelStacks Pavilion from 2-6 p.m. – will feature live musical performances by several popular Latin groups, including Grupo EnSecuencia, L Urban Orquesta, Orquesta Xariz, along with recorded music spun by popular DJ’s Baby J & Star.

Bethlehem realtors Sam Del Rosario and Justino Arroyo, Allentown Police Detective Luiz D. Garcia, Bethlehem Councilwoman Olga Negron and the HGSK Law Firm, in partnership with ArtsQuest, have reserved the Levitt Pavilion at SteelStacks. In addition to live and recorded music played from the Levitt stage, there also will be a live stream video feed of the event to connect Puerto Rican families here in the Valley to family and friends in Puerto Rico via Skype and Facebook Live.

While the event is FREE, the goal is to raise money for Puerto Rico hurricane relief through sponsorship and monetary donations from the public. All of the proceeds raised at the event will go directly towards Puerto Rico Disaster Relief.

Individuals and businesses also can support this fundraiser by becoming a sponsor. Sponsors will have the opportunity to have their banner visible at the event and to have their name and business announced on stage as a supporter of the citizens of Puerto Rico. “Hug Puerto Rico” sponsorship – which will allow sponsors to hang a banner up to 4 feet by 8 feet in size to advertise their business or organization – are available for a donation of $500.”Big Hug for Puerto Rico” sponsorship – which will allow sponsors to bring their own 10′ x 10′ tent on site to share information with the community (no selling), and also hang a banner larger than 4 feet by 8 feet – are available for a donation of at least $1,000. In addition to their banners appearing on the stage, the names of all sponsors also will be announced from the stage during the event.

Sponsors include HGSK Law Firm, ArtsQuest & Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley, La Mega 99.5 Lehigh Valley, LUTV Latin Unlimited, Sabroso Video, RE/MAX Unlimited and the Justino Arroyo Team.

The organizers are specifically looking for volunteers who can contact family members or friends who are still in Puerto Rico and who are able to connect online live via Skype or Facebook Live during the event so they can be shown on the big screen to those attending the event at the Levitt Pavilion to provide a live update on the real conditions throughout Puerto Rico, wherever they are.

In addition to collecting monetary donations, the Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley will be collecting items needed by families who are relocating to the Lehigh Valley from Puerto Rico. Attendees are asked to bring non-perishable food and clothing needed for the fall and winter months, including but not limited to: coats, hats, scarves, gloves, bed sheets, blankets, pillows and towels.

In addition to the organizers, sponsors and entertainers who will appear on stage, the following Lehigh Valley Mayors are expected to attend in person or send a representative who will participate in the event:

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski
Bethlehem Mayor Robert Donchez
Easton City Administrator Luis Campos
Fountain Hill Mayor Jose Rosado

All checks for monetary donations should be made payable to Concilio-Unidos PA’ PR and mailed to or dropped off at the HGSK Law Firm, 1136 Hamilton Street, Allentown, PA 18101. El Concilio is a 501 (c)(3) public charity, so all donations made to them will be tax deductible in accordance with applicable IRS regulations.

For additional information on the event, or to connect with any of the organizers, please contact Bethlehem City Councilwoman and Community Liaison Olga Negron at the HGSK Law Firm via telephone at 484-223-4743 or via email at ONegron@hgsklawyers.com.

PEEPSFEST: A Sweet Celebration!

In Atlanta, Ga. they drop a peach, in Boise, Idaho it’s a potato, cheese gets dropped in Plymouth Wis. and in Bethlehem, Penn. Just Born Quality Confections and ArtsQuest drop a 400-pound PEEPS® chick.

Calling Bethlehem home, Just Born is a third generation, family-owned candy manufacturer that has been in business since 1923 and is known for iconic brands including PEEPS® Brand Marshmallow Candies, star of the annual New Year’s celebration PEEPSFEST® at SteelStacks.

The two-day festival is a fun-filled family event that features the popular PEEPFEST® Mascot Dash, PEEPS® s’mores, plus crafts and music for kids all before the world-famous PEEPS® Chick Drop and fireworks show at the base of Bethlehem Steel’s iconic blast furnaces.

ArtsQuest spoke with Matthew J. Pye, Just Born Quality Confections Vice President of Sales & Marketing, about the evolution of Bethlehem’s sweetest festival and here’s what he had to say.

AQ: Everyone is familiar with the PEEPS® Chick at Easter, but you actually make PEEPS® year-round. How many do you produce every year?
MP: We produce two billion PEEPS® every year in all different shapes, colors and flavors for all seasons right here in our factory in Bethlehem.

AQ: Do you have a favorite kind or flavor?
MP: I love our new PEEPS® Filled Delights™ Vanilla Caramel Brownie Flavored Marshmallow Chicks, which are vanilla flavored marshmallow chicks with a delicious ribbon of creamy caramel filling inside, dipped in milk chocolate. Yum!

AQ: For the past nine years, you’ve partnered with ArtsQuest on PEEPSFEST®. Why is Just Born so committed to the event?
MP: Just Born Quality Confections is a third generation family owned company since 1923 and the makers of the iconic PEEPS® Brand, which is so much a part of family seasonal celebrations – especially Easter. We are committed to PEEPSFEST® as a way to say thank you to families and our community, and to celebrate the fun and love of the PEEPS® Brand through partnering with ArtsQuest to put on the premier kids and family New Year’s Eve festival and celebration.

AQ: The festival continues to grow in size, with more than 10,000 people attending each of the past few years? What’s the most important thing this event offers the community?
MP: Parents are looking for something to do with their kids since everyone is home for the holidays. PEEPSFEST® is a two-day festival with lots of free and fun kid-centered activities that culminates with live music, the PEEPS® Chick Drop and fireworks at the family friendly time of 5 p.m.. It has become a family New Year’s Eve tradition.

AQ: As you travel the country, do you have a lot of people point out to you that we drop a giant PEEPS Chick in Bethlehem on New Year’s Eve?
MP: Yes. Every year, more and more media outlets across the country run a story on Top 10 things dropped on New Year’s Eve around the country and the PEEPS® Chick Drop at PEEPSFEST® is always ranked in the Top 5.

AQ: Last question…what’s the coolest thing you’ve ever seen done with a PEEP?
MP: People express their Peepsonality in many cool ways like sculptures, dioramas, recipes, crafts and wacky experiments. PEEPS® Jousting in a microwave is still one of the coolest things I have seen.

peepsinfographic-final

SteelStacks Hosting Outdoor Viewing Party for Penn State-Ohio State Game Oct. 28

Few Penn State football games have the excitement of a clash between the Nittany Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes, and anyone who can’t make the trip to Ohio this year is invited to enjoy the next best thing – getting together with friends and family at the White Out Viewing Party at SteelStacks. The free event on Sat., Oct. 28, presented by Penn State Lehigh Valley and ArtsQuest, starts at 3 p.m. and includes the big game shown live on the Levitt Pavilion’s large outdoor television screen.

The fun kick offs with a 3 p.m. visit by the Nittany Lion, who’ll get the crowed pumped up and pose for photos. Penn State Lehigh Valley Chancellor Tina Q. Richardson will welcome the crowd. Following the festivities, attendees can then catch all the action from Columbus on the Levitt screen as the currently No. 3-ranked Nittany Lions take on the No. 9-ranked Buckeyes in one of their toughest tests of the year.

Fans attending the viewing party are encouraged to come dressed in white to show their support for Penn State; limited seating is available, so attendees are encouraged to bring folding chairs and blankets if they plan to sit. Food and beverages will be available for purchase throughout the afternoon at both the Levitt Pavilion’s Mack Café and the ArtsQuest Center’s MIKE & IKE Bistro; parking is available in the public parking lots on First Street, only a short walk from the Levitt Pavilion.

SteelStacks “Citizen Cope” Sweepstakes: Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. SWEEPSTAKES OPEN ONLY TO PERMANENT LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

1. How to Enter. No purchase necessary. To enter the Sweepstakes complete the online form at http://fest.formstack.com/forms/citizencope by 11:59PM on Sunday, October 22, 2017. Limit one (1) entry per person. All eligible entries have an equal chance of winning. No automated entry devices and/or programs permitted. No mechanically reproduced entries, alterations, facsimiles or forged entries. All entries become the sole and exclusive property of ArtsQuest, N.A. (“Sponsor”) and receipt of entries will not be acknowledged or returned. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, stolen, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, misdirected, postage due, technically corrupted or garbled entries, which will be disqualified, or for problems of any kind whether mechanical, human or electronic. Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor.

2. Eligibility. Participation open only to permanent legal residents of the United States who are at least 18 years of age as of October 22, 2017. Officers, directors, and employees of Sponsor, members of these persons’ immediate families (spouses, parents, children, and siblings, and their spouses regardless of where they reside), and persons living in the same households as these persons (whether or not related thereto) are not eligible to enter or win the Sweepstakes. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law.

3. Random Drawing/Odds. One (1) winner will be selected in a random drawing from all eligible entries. The drawing will take place on or about October 23, 2017. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries. By entering the Sweepstakes, entrants fully and unconditionally agree to be bound by these Official Rules, including the release and waiver of liability contained herein, and the decisions of the judges, and Sponsor, which will be final and binding in all matters relating to the Sweepstakes.

4. Prizes. One (1) grand prize (“Grand Prize”): Two (2) tickets to see An Intimate Solo/Acoustic Listening Performance by Citizen Cope in the Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling on Thursday, November 2, 2017. Total approximate retail value (ARV) of prize package is $70.00. Prizes are non-transferable. No substitutions or cash redemptions. In the case of unavailability of any prize, Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize or portion thereof of equal or greater value. All federal, state and local taxes, meals, gratuities, travel upgrades, incidentals, fees, service charges, surcharges, insurance costs or other unspecified costs or expenses associated with use of the prize are the sole responsibility of winner and/or his or her travel companion. Prize may be subject to restrictions imposed by prize sponsors.

5. Notification. Winner will be notified by email and/or phone on or about the week following the drawing and will be required to sign and return, where legal, an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability/Publicity Release within seven (7) days of prize notification. If winner cannot be contacted within three (3) calendar days of first notification attempt, if any prize or prize notification is returned as non-deliverable, if any winner rejects his/her prize, or in the event of noncompliance with these Sweepstakes Official Rules, such prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected from all remaining eligible entries. Upon prize forfeiture, no compensation will be given. Limit one winner and one prize.

6. Conditions; Waiver and Release. All federal, state and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Participation in Sweepstakes and acceptance of prize constitutes winner’s acknowledgement and acceptance of the Official Rules and winner’s permission for Sponsor to use his/her name, address (city and state), likeness, photograph, picture, portrait, voice,biographical information and/or any statements made by each winner regarding the Sweepstakes or Sponsor for advertising and promotional purposes without notice or additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. Prize awarded “as is” without any representation or warranty by Sponsor. Winner assumes all risks associated with use of the prize and participation in prize-related activities. Sponsor is not responsible if any scheduled event is delayed, postponed, or canceled for any reason. Accommodations subject to availability. Winner is solely responsible for observing and abiding by prize sponsors’ rules and regulations or terms and conditions for use of prize. By participating, entrants and winner agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, representatives, agents, successors, assigns, employees, officers and directors, from any and all liability, loss, harm, damage, injury, cost or expense whatsoever including without limitation, property damage, personal injury and/or death arising from, relating to, or which may occur in connection with, preparation for, travel, or participation in the Sweepstakes, possession, acceptance and/or use or misuse of prize, or preparation for, travel to or from, and participation in any Sweepstakes-related activity, and for any claims based on publicity rights, defamation or invasion of privacy. Each entrant hereby agrees to indemnify Sponsor against any claims, damages, liabilities, costs and expenses (including attorney fees) arising out of or resulting from and breach by entrant of these Official Rules. Entrants who do not comply with these Official Rules, or who attempt to interfere with this Sweepstakes in any way, shall be disqualified.

7. Additional Terms. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, extend or suspend this Sweepstakes should Sponsor determine, in its sole discretion, that fraud, mistake, or other causes beyond its control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes. In such case, Sponsor will select the winner from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds, in its sole discretion, to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes. Sponsor may prohibit an entrant from participating in the Sweepstakes or winning a prize if, in its sole discretion, it determines that said entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes by cheating, hacking, deception, or other unfair playing practices or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrants or Sponsor representatives.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

The Sweepstakes and these Official Rules will be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Pennsylvania. Unless expressly prohibited by governing law, entrants agree that any and all disputes, claims or causes of action in connection with this Sweepstakes shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action. Any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual, direct out-of-pocket expenses incurred, but in no event and under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to claim or obtain indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages or any other damages other than actual, direct out-of-pocket expenses.

8. List of Winner. To obtain the name of the winning individual, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope by October 22, 2017 to: ArtsQuest / “Citizen Cope” Sweepstakes Winner, ATTN: Marketing Manager: Ben Youngerman, 25 W Third St, Bethlehem, PA 18015.

9. Sponsor. ArtsQuest

SoccerFest & Viewing Party Returning to SteelStacks for World Cup Russia in 2018

Community invited to watch U.S.A.’s matches Oct. 6 & 10 at SteelStacks as the team fights for a berth in soccer’s biggest tournament

October 2, 2017

Following successful runs in 2014 and ’15, the popular Lehigh Valley SoccerFest & Viewing Party at SteelStacks will return in 2018 to showcase all the action from World Cup Russia on the giant outdoor screens at SteelStacks. And, to help the region get pumped for next year’s World Cup action, the community is invited to gather at SteelStacks later this week to cheer the U.S. Men’s National Team on to victory as it fights to earn a spot in soccer’s premier tourney.

The last two U.S.A. qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup – Oct. 6, 7 p.m., vs. Panama and Oct. 10, 8 p.m., against Trinidad & Tobago – will be shown on the large outdoor television screens at the Levitt Pavilion and PBS39 on the SteelStacks campus. Oct. 6 also marks the opening night of the Oktoberfest 2017 festival on the SteelStacks campus, with plenty of food, fun and festivities taking place throughout the evening.

Launched in 2014, the Lehigh Valley SoccerFest & Viewing Party aired the matches from World Cup Brazil that year on a giant outdoor television screen set up on the SteelStacks campus. As the U.S. battled Portugal, Ghana and Germany in the preliminary round, crowds of up to 10,000 people gathered on the campus to show their support for the team. The following year, SteelStacks also hosted a Women’s World Cup viewing party, with more than 8,500 people turning out to watch the U.S. women’s team defeat Japan on July 5.

“The Lehigh Valley SoccerFest & Viewing Party at SteelStacks brought our community together en masse for a unique celebration of sports and culture,” says ArtsQuest Chief Operating Officer Curt Mosel. “As in 2014 and ’15, we will be seeking approval to be designated as an official FIFA World Cup viewing event.”

“We were beyond thrilled how the community so readily embraced this new festival a few years ago, with more than 50,000 people attending the viewing party during its 2014 run. Their enthusiasm and their support helped garner national media attention for Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley, with coverage via ESPN, USA Today and a number of other prominent media outlets. We’ve just begun planning for 2018, and we’re hoping that everyone will come out Friday to cheer the U.S.A. on to victory and let us know how excited they are about the return of SoccerFest.”

World Cup Russia is set for June 14-July 15, 2018. During the 2018 SoccerFest & Viewing Party, SteelStacks will air all of the matches from Russia on the campus’ outdoor screens (screens and locations TBD). In addition, the festival will offer a variety of soccer and family related programming including live music, arts and soccer clinics, including a free soccer clinic for children with disabilities. Among the partners already confirmed to participate in SoccerFest 2018 are Discover Lehigh Valley, Klunk & Millan Advertising, Garfield Group and Lehigh Valley United.

“The Lehigh Valley SoccerFest showcases the incredible cultural diversity and passion of our visitors and local residents,” says Discover Lehigh Valley President Mike Stershic. “We score a goal any time we have the opportunity to demonstrate to our visitors the Lehigh Valley’s passion for soccer, as well as its ability to bring together diverse groups of people for sport and fun.”

Additional details on the Lehigh Valley SoccerFest will be announced over the coming months. For more information, visit www.discoverlehighvalley.com/soccerfest or like www.facebook.com/LVsoccerfest/.

5 Great Things to Love about Oktoberfest 2017 at SteelStacks

biergarten
Photo: Craig Roberts

With two weekends jam packed with food, fun and spectacles, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at the 7th-annual Oktoberfest at SteelStacks this fall. The free event, set for Oct. 6-8 & 13-15, features everything from brew samples, authentic German cuisine and live music to the riotous entertainment of ax-wielding lumberjacks, David Hasselhoff impersonators and pyrotechnic freak show performers.

Check out these enhanced and new additions to the festival!

1. The Oktoberfest Masskrugstemmen Championship
Fun and games aren’t just for kids. Test your strength in The Oktoberfest Masskrugstemmen Championship Oct. 15, 2:30 p.m. Presented by Molly’s Irish Grille and Sports Pub, Masskrugstemmen, or stein holding, is a contest in which competitors hold a full one-liter beer stein out in front of their bodies for as long as possible. The U.S. record is 19 min. and 15 sec., set last year at the national Masskrugstemmen championships in New York. Think you can beat it? Sign up and find out!

2. The New Hobby Horse Bonanza
The biggest craze in Finland comes stateside with the Hobby Horse Bonanza Oct. 13, 8-9:30 p.m., as contestants show off their jumping and dressage skills atop a hobby horse! Prizes will be awarded for quickest circuit, best horse and more.

3. More Dachshund Races Than Ever
The annual running of the wiener dogs is back with more races than ever. Watch in awe as we release the dachshunds! Catch the absolutely unforgettable Dachshund Races Oct. 8 & 15, 3 p.m., and Oct. 14, 4:30 p.m. Want to be part of the fun?

4. New Crafts & Family Fun
Join the Banana Factory Arts Center at the Creativity Tent Saturdays and Sundays from noon-5 p.m. for traditional German crafts and autumn inspired creations including German Lederhosen Paper Dolls, Barn Hex Signs and Corncob and Apple Prints. Create a unique work that you can bring home from the festival. Plus, children can help build a playground with Imagination Playground blocks.

5. Beer, Beer & More Beer
What’s an Oktoberfest without beer, and this year’s event features more varieties than ever before. First stop? Check out Banko Beverage Company’s ‘Tour of Europe Biergarten,’ where guest can enjoy Hofbräu Oktoberfest, Traditional and Hefeweizen beers, as well as other awesome brews from across the continent. All told, this year’s Oktoberfest event will include more than 75 different beers available on the festival grounds and at the Brewers’ Village (Oct. 13-14)! Just a few of the other highlights include offerings by Sam Adams Brewery, Weyerbacher Brewing Company and of course, the official beer of SteelStacks, D.G. Yuengling & Son.

“Oktoberfests are renowned for their exceptional selection of German beers, and the Oktoberfest at SteelStacks is no exception, with styles ranging from Hofbräu’s Oktoberfest to lesser known but equally flavorful and refreshing brands like Schöfferhofer Grapefruit Hefeweizen and König Ludwig,” says Mary Ellen Racz, president of Banko Beverage Company. “As the Lehigh Valley’s only locally owned and operated beverage wholesaler, we are proud to bring these finely crafted beers to Oktoberfest and to be part of this free arts and cultural celebration for our community.”

Other festival highlights include the Great Lakes Timber Show Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 7, 12:30 & 3 p.m.; The Hasselhoff-Off Oct. 7, 7 p.m.; Freak Out! Oktoberfest Oct. 13-14, 7:30 & 9 p.m.; and German Shepherd Agility Demonstrations Oct. 14, 1 p.m. In addition, attendees can enjoy free games and activities like barrel rolling and stein racing all weekend long.

Now in its 7th year, Oktoberfest is a free festival that features German food, beer and live music, as well as attractions like the artisans of the Künstler Markt and glassblowing experiences with ArtsQuest Glass Studio artists. Hours are Fridays, 5-10 p.m.; Saturdays, noon-10 p.m.; and Sundays, noon-6 p.m. Partners helping to make the free event possible include D.G. Yuengling & Son, as well as Adams Outdoor Advertising, Service Electric Cable TV & Communications and 99.9 The Hawk. For more information, visit steelstacks.org/Oktoberfest.

13 Halloween Things To Do with ArtsQuest

halloween
By Ben Youngerman, ArtsQuest Marketing Manager / Background photo by Frank T. Smith

For many (including this writer), Halloween is the best holiday of the year! The crisp air, the macabre decorations and buckets of candy combine for the awesomest of seasons.

At ArtsQuest, we’re proud to feature unique and original Halloween programming such as concerts, films, comedy shows and art workshops! Check out all the spooky fun we’re presenting in the month leading up to Halloween…

SteelStacks Zombie Ball – 10/28 – buy tickets

Braaaaaaains! This bloody event features live (or dead?!) music from Flowers for Taco and DJ Jamal Knight, zombiefied face painting, a haunted bounce house, crystal ball readings, costume prizes & more spooky fun! Tickets are an unlucky $13 and limited to the first 666 zombies, so get yours before you’re the last person on Earth! Presented by Lehigh Valley Scream Park.

Creative Control/The Sandy Worsham Halloween Special – 9/30 – buy tickets

Two comedy shows in one evening!

“Creative Control” is an entirely improvised movie where the audience picks the genre (horror, perhaps?) and drives the narrative along with The Associated Mess.

“The Sandy Worsham Show” features America’s favorite dad who’s back with another outrageous episode!

The Rocky Horror Picture Show – 9/29, 10/20, 10/27 & 10/28 – buy tickets

The cult classic film on the big screen! All screenings include performances from the Sweet Translucent Dreams shadowcast! Costumes and props encouraged (but no squirt guns, please)!

Let the Right One In – 10/2 – buy tickets

The 2008 Swedish romantic horror film is about a young girl’s connection to a string of bloody local murders. Part of the International Film Series at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas.

Dracula: Classic Horror Series – 10/4 – buy tickets

The 1931 classic on the big screen at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas! The dashing, mysterious Count Dracula travels to London and takes up residence in an old castle. Soon he begins to wreak havoc, sucking the blood of young women and turning them into vampires.

Oktoberfest Hot Glass Experience – 10/6-8 & 10/13-15 – buy tickets

What’s better than carving a pumpkin? Making one with fire! Start your glass making adventure with the ArtsQuest Glass Studio by signing up for a Hot Glass Experience at Oktoberfest! Each session takes 20 minutes. Ages 6 and up are welcome. No experience necessary.

Night of the Living Dead – 10/7 – buy tickets

Come experience the original “Night of the Living Dead” on the big screen for one night only! Part of our First Saturday Horror Series!

The Wolf Man: Classic Horror Series – 10/11 – buy tickets

The 1941 classic on the big screen at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas! Larry Talbot kills a wolf with a silver walking cane. A gypsy explains that it was her son, a werewolf, that he killed, and that Larry is now one himself.

Friday the 13th – 10/13 – buy tickets

The 13th of October falls on a Friday this year and that means one thing: We’re screening the original “Friday the 13th” at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas! Plus, we’ll also be screening “NothingFace,” a short horror film by Dan Maher of ManDudeBro, before the movie.

Dawn of the Dead – 10/14 – buy tickets

George A. Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead” is the sequel to his classic, “Night of the Living Dead,” and remains a masterpiece in the world of horror.

Not-So-Silent Cinema Performs: The Phantom of the Opera – 10/18 – buy tickets

The 1925 silent movie comes to life at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas! While the film plays, Not-So-Silent Cinema will be performing the score live for this beautiful and haunting classic. Part of the Classic Horror Series.

Halloween Candy Bowl – 10/21 – buy tickets

Come to The Banana Factory Arts Center as a family to this workshop and see how creative you can be together! This Halloween candy bowl will add a festive look to your home or porch for Trick-or-Treat evening!

Shaun of the Dead – 10/21 – buy tickets

The 2004 British horror comedy film about a man named Shaun who decides to turn his life around by getting his ex to take him back. However, he times it for right in the middle of what may be a zombie apocalypse. Part of Cult Saturdays at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas.

Let’s boogie together this Halloween at SteelStacks, the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas and The Banana Factory Arts Center!

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Why We Celebrate Art House Theater Day…

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By Ryan Hill, ArtsQuest Programming Director

Art House Theater Day – which is being celebrated nation-wide this Sunday – is not unlike Record Store Day. Both days are there to remind you that there are people who care about and enjoy certain forms of art as much as you do, and that both of those forms can and should be savored, appreciated and discussed and/or argued about with other fanatics. Just as you could count on the staff at your favorite record store to recommend a band that you don’t know you love yet, those of us who program art house cinemas hope that we’re introducing you to filmmakers, actors and genres you’ll soon obsess over.

The Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas will be taking part in AHTD for the second straight year by screening a couple one-day only films, playing some acclaimed short films and giving everyone who comes through the door special FBAC buttons!

The one-day only screenings include advance showings of LUCKY, a film that, with the recent passing of its lead actor Harry Dean Stanton, is now a tribute to his long career. It follows the spiritual journey of a 90-year-old atheist and the quirky characters (one of whom is played by David Lynch) that inhabit his off the map desert town. Lucky is an incredibly beautiful movie that has grabbed the spirit of indie cinema, refusing to let go.

We’ll be kicking off the day with REVOLTING RHYMES, based on the much-loved children’s book by Roald Dahl, which takes the classic fairy tales of Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, The Three Little Pigs, Jack & the Beanstalk and Cinderella, then mixes them together and serves them with a mischievous twist. It’s not often you can introduce your children to your favorite indie theater, but Revolting Rhymes gives you that chance.

Finally, every feature screening on Sunday (with the exception of Revolting Rhymes) will kick off with a selection from OP-DOCS, the New York Times’ Emmy-winning documentary film series. Highlighting both emerging and established filmmakers and artists, the short documentaries of OP-DOCS explore the most important issues facing our world.

Finally, I want to specifically note that Art House Theater Day was created by members of the Art House Convergence, a group of art house cinema operators that started getting together in 2008, when 25 people got together in Midway, UT, before the Sundance Film Festival, and has since exploded to having 600 exhibitors, film festivals and allied organizations attend the 2017 edition. I’ve been going since 2012, and it is hard to imagine what the FBAC programming slate would look like without the immeasurable lessons I’ve learned at each one. I’ve gone from wide-eyed attendee to panelist to host of trailer competitions while receiving nothing but support along the way, including a solid partnership with the programmers at Renew Theaters (they run the County, Ambler, Hiway, and Princeton Garden Theaters), the Bryn Mawr Film Institute and the recently-renovated Colonial Theater in Phoenixville. If you’re down their way, please take some time to see a movie at any of their beautiful theaters. If you’re on vacation, find the local art house (trust me, there is one) and take in a matinee. These are all people, like us here at ArtsQuest and the FBAC, who want to preserve cinema and the cinema-going experience in its purest form. That is what the Art House Convergence and Art House Theater Day are all about.

Join us for Art House Theater Day at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas on Sunday, September 24!

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Race Your Dog in the Annual Dachshund Races at Oktoberfest at SteelStacks Oct. 8, 14 & 15

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Photo: David Happel

September 8, 2017

On your bark! Get set! Register! The annual running of the wiener dogs is back at Oktoberfest at SteelStacks with more furry fun than ever as ArtsQuest adds a third dachshund race for 2017. Join in the festivities by entering your fast, four-legged friend in the popular and absolutely unforgettable Dachshund Races Oct. 8 & 15, 3 p.m., and Oct. 14, 4:30 p.m.

The registration fee is $15 per dachshund and pre-registered dogs receive a doggie bag featuring pet-themed gifts. To register, visit steelstacks.org/oktoberfest. The event is limited to 50 dogs per race.

On race day, check-in begins one hour before the event. To compete in the races, dogs must be dachshunds or closely resemble dachshunds. If the excitement of a bunch of racing puppies isn’t enough, the first, second and third place winners of each 50-foot race will win puppy pride, bragging rights and an Oktoberfest Dachshund prize package!

Now in its 7th year, Oktoberfest is a free festival that features German food, beer and live music, as well as attractions like the Great Lakes Timber Show, the Burning Hearts Fire Show, the Hasselhoff-Off, the new Hobby Horse Bonanza and more. Festival dates are Oct. 6–8 & 13-15. Hours are Fridays, 5-10 p.m.; Saturdays, noon-10 p.m.; and Sundays, noon-6 p.m. Partners helping to make the free event possible include D.G. Yuengling & Son, as well as Adams Outdoor Advertising, Service Electric Cable TV & Communications and 99.9 The Hawk.

A Stand-up Guy: An Interview with Tom Green

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By Ben Youngerman, ArtsQuest Marketing Manager

You know Tom Green from his innovative, anything-goes run as the most unpredictable personality on MTV, and his unforgettable, deliciously loony roles in uproarious film comedies including Road Trip and Freddy Got Fingered. The multi-talented Canadian comedian, actor and broadcaster was a viral sensation before the dawn of social media.

Currently, in the role of a stand-up comedian, Tom Green travels the country connecting with fans and cultivating a new generation of followers.

Before he comes to the Musikfest Cafe presented by Yuengling on October 22, Green spoke with us on his way back from vacation while getting ready to hit the road on another stand-up tour!

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ArtsQuest: We’re excited to have you kick off and headline our inaugural SteelStacks Comedy Week in October! Have you been to our neck of the woods before?

Tom Green: You know what, I was in Bethlehem earlier this year. But it was Bethlehem, Palestine.

AQ: In Bethlehem, PA you’ll be playing in front of the Bethlehem Steel Blast Furnaces where they made steel for World War II, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Empire State Building.

TG: That’s amazing. That sounds like a great history there. It’ll be neat to see that.

AQ: Most people know you from television and films. What is your background with stand-up comedy?

TG: I’ve basically been on tour for ten years now, pretty much full-time. I haven’t seen my home in ten years; I’ve been touring so much. I’ve been doing 300 shows a year, frankly, doing more stand-up comedy than most stand-up comedians working today.

I started doing stand-up comedy thirty years ago when I was a teenager in Canada. I wasn’t actually touring or doing stand-up while I was doing The Tom Green show on MTV so a lot of people at that time may not have known me as a stand-up comic.

But it’s going great, I’m having a blast. I’m fortunate enough to have incredible fans all around the country and all around the world who have been very supportive of my stand-up. I have sort of a cult following for certain things I did over the years like my movies Freddy Got Fingered and Road Trip and The Tom Green Show. But also I have a whole new fan base who basically know me for my stand-up now.

AQ: What do you enjoy most about stand-up?

TG: Well, just performing itself is a real adrenaline rush. It’s very active and exhilarating thing to do more so than making a television show or making a film. You know, it’s exciting and you almost literally get addicted to it.

But I certainly love seeing new places. Like I said, I was just in Bethlehem, Palestine and touring all over the U.K., Australia, Scandinavia and all over the United States and Canada. It’s great going to new places I haven’t performed before. Meeting new people in different parts of the country who have grown up watching my show and movies and are now seeing me on stage for the first time. It’s a lot of fun!

AQ: I was a fan of your MTV show when it originally aired. I recently re-watched some of your Tom Green Show field pieces on YouTube. I found them to be just as enjoyable in 2017. Was the goal to make a show that had that evergreen material?

The show was considered, I’m told, to be ahead of its time. We were doing self-contained, outrageous comedy video pranks and sketches sort of before anyone else was doing that guerilla format, homemade video. So it’s sort of worked perfectly for the YouTube generation, if you want to call it that.

I think it’s been a big factor in making my touring successful because there’s so many different things I’ve done over the years where those videos have that evergreen quality like you mentioned. They’re almost brand new again to a whole new generation of people right now. So it’s a lot of fun.

AQ: What was the creative process for The Tom Green Show? How much of it was planned in advance and how much was you improvising in the moment?

TG: I’d say if you wanted to break it down it was 50/50. We would always create a scenario or stunt or sometimes it would revolve around a costume or revolve around a concept or a location for a prank. Then I would go out and improvise within that. Other times we would go out on a road trip and just travel around America and just look for outrageous or weird things. So it was a bit of both, you know? I think the show was a mixture of what we picked up when we were on the road shooting the stuff we planned. We had writers that were back at the studio. I worked with the writers and I wrote a very large portion of the show myself. Before we went to MTV we did the show for five years and I wrote the whole show myself with a couple of my friends and edited the show myself. It was a mixture of all sorts of things.

AQ: Your Instagram feed has been a lot of fun to follow. What’s it like having a production crew in the palm of your hand, nowadays?

Yeah, you know, it’s amazing. I grew up shooting video and studied broadcasting at school. I think it’s helpful when you’re shooting video with your phone to have a little bit of understanding of filmmaking and editing and shooting. But if you have at least a limited ability you’re able to make some pretty cool movies just inside your phone.

Whenever I travel I shoot these little short films, just with my phone and edit them in my phone and post them every day. It’s pretty cool. I’ll be shooting some stuff for sure when I’m out in Pennsylvania, absolutely!

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AQ: What are your thoughts on social media and the viral culture we have today?

TG: I have a love-hate relationship with social media. I talk about this in my stand-up regularly. I think there’s a lot of humor to be mined from how social media has changed our lives. I’m sort of, in many ways, addicted to it, frankly, because I use it for my touring to promote my shows and let people know when I’m in their city. I also love making videos and really like photography. So I’m on there so often.

But you see all the different pitfalls from it, frankly, just from the sheer amount of time you become consumed in your phone. It’s a cause of constant annoyance to me because I’m literally angry at myself for being on my phone so much. You just find your self addicted to, you know, let me read my comments on my Instagram page on the last video I made. I’m a 46-year-old man and I’m looking at my Instagram page like I’m a teenage girl. Frankly, it’s a little bit embarrassing.

But, you know, I’m happy that I’m 46-years-old. I’m happy that I lived the first 30 years of my life without a cell phone. The first 35 years of my life without social media. I think I have a perspective that is good. I incorporate that into my show and draw comparisons between what life was before the internet, before cell phones. It’s definitely a great source of material. I think so many people are addicted to their phones these days and addicted to their social media and updating their pages and what they’re doing. Me included. I’m just getting back from a vacation now in Costa Rica and every day I’m posting some little tidbit of information. “Look, a lizard! There’s a lizard!” It is fun but it becomes all-consuming and maybe a bit too much.

AQ: Through the years you were on a lot of late night programs. What’s your favorite late night memory that you have?

TG: I have a few favorite memories, it’s hard to pick which one stands out the most.

I’ll say I was a huge David Letterman fan. I got to guest host The Late Show with David Letterman once. I got to host Saturday Night Live. I was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, I was on there over 25 times. I feel very fortunate that I kind of lived my dream as a kid just to be a guest on Letterman and then I got to host the show and I got to host SNL. It’s been an incredible opportunity to do all of those things.

AQ: What is it about Canada that produces so many ground-breaking comedians?

My observation on it is, that as Canadians, we are different. We’re very proud to be different, you know. We don’t consider ourselves to be the same culture. There are so many parallels and things that are similar about Canadian culture. We watch a lot of the same television shows, sports, things like that. We also have many differences: we are big hockey fans, we were growing up in a very brutally cold winter environment which perhaps hardens you. It forces you to look for humor in things. I also think we have a British sensibility and a British sense of humor that is incorporated into our personalities. As well as French-Canadian sense of humor that is very silly.

Then from my own personal experience doing stand-up comedy and television and music in Canada. I was 28-years-old when I was picked up by MTV and moved to the U.S. at that point. I had been experimenting with comedy since I was 15. So for years I had actually been getting up on stage performing in Canada before anybody south of the border had even heard of anything I had done before. That’s true of all the Canadian actors and comedians you’ve heard of. They all worked in Canada before so the first time they come out and are seen in the U.S. they maybe have had a little more practice, tried a few things, experimented and failed a little bit more than people who are just starting out. So I think that’s also helpful, as well. It’s just sort of a great launching pad for so many great Canadian comedians.

We also grow up looking up to people who made it in Hollywood. I grew up watching so many Canadian people like Dan Aykroyd, Martin Short, Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Lorne Michaels and all those Canadian people in comedy who have done incredible things. You grow up as a kid seeing that and aspiring to follow in their footsteps so I think there’s a lot of that, too.

AQ: Anything else you’d like to tell the fine folks of Bethlehem before you visit for SteelStacks Comedy Week on October 22?

TG: We’re gonna have a great time! Follow my Instagram, because like I said, I’m on there all day. C’mon down to the show, we’re gonna have a fun time!