Celebrating Bethlehem's Southside Culture
On October 11th, the Kutztown Area Historical Society (KAHS) and Lehigh University’s South Side Initiative (SSI) unveiled a historical marker dedicated to Keith Haring, a renowned Neo-Pop artist and activist who grew up in Kutztown, PA. The historical marker program is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, which approved a marker to honor…
With fall coming to the Lehigh Valley, Southsider wants to highlight the best of the summer 2024 events. The Wildlands Conservancy’s Get Out for Wellness events, in our staff’s opinion, are truly worthy of this designation as they provide the local community with opportunities to connect with one another while embracing Pennsylvania’s abundant nature. The…
Looking back at summer 2024, Southsider is reflecting on the events that offered the Lehigh Valley community the best opportunities for connection and celebration. Lehigh Valley Pride provided locals with this chance. On Sunday August 18th, the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Center hosted Lehigh Valley Pride at SteelStacks. The event brought together locals in an effort to…
Amidst rising grocery costs, families and individuals are turning towards emergency food distributors to make ends meet. One of these resources – The West Bethlehem Emergency Food Pantry – aims to assist residents who are facing food insecurity. Located within the Star of Bethlehem Lutheran Church on 3rd Avenue, the food pantry can provide any…
Bethlehem First Presbyterian Church is a community attentive to the lack of affordable housing in our city. Church leaders are exploring the use of their property to address this problem. Late last year, Church leaders shared their idea to develop approximately 32 acres of land owned by the church to create housing at a variety…
Southsider is highlighting some of our favorite arts and cultural events and programming in our 2024 best of summer series. For us, “Insidious Plastics” at The Nurture Nature Center makes the cut as it provided the community the opportunity to learn about their impact on the environment with a beautiful and informative arts-infused exhibition. Just…
In reflecting on the Lehigh Valley’s community events of summer 2024, Southsider wanted to highlight the Juneteenth celebration that took place in Easton. The Juneteenth parade was celebratory and educational. It also brought together the entire Lehigh Valley community for an unforgettable day. On the afternoon of Sunday June 16th, the Juneteenth Lehigh Valley organization hosted…
A program provided by Community Action Development Bethlehem (CADB) aims to support homeowners in maintaining their building’s exteriors. For low-income residents, it may be difficult to find funds to repair the facade of their homes and to ensure the safety of their residences. CADB’s Residential Façade Program offers residents in targeted neighborhoods the resources to…
As we move into fall, Southsider is interested in reflecting on some of the best events that staff attended this past summer. And the Wicked Oddities Market, truly, provided stellar summer opportunities to see unique vendors and to enjoy art and music in an inclusive space. The summer oddities market opened at the Allentown Fairgrounds’…
Summer in the Lehigh Valley is full of community events that highlight local joy and camaraderie. As summer closes and we move into fall, Southsider wants to highlight the best of these community gatherings. Over the summer, Southsider visited The Bethlehem Vintage Market, a recurring outdoor market that invites vintage shop owners to sell their…