Celebrating Bethlehem's Southside Culture
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…
Every Monday night starting at 5:00, Lehigh Valley locals come together at the Bethlehem Area Public Library (BAPL) to share their creative work at an open mic. Typically, the weekly event is hosted by Bill Medei in the Cohen Room and runs for approximately two and a half hours. BAPL’s open mic night provides space…
On July 11th, the seven-piece band Stella Ruze performed at Levitt Pavilion as a part of their free concert series. Stella Ruze is a folk-rock band from Philadelphia that wowed the crowd at SteelStacks with their impressive four-part harmonies and wide variety of instruments. The band consists of guitarist & singer Brendan Johnson, singer &…
One Earth ReggaeFest was a free celebratory festival that took place from noon on July 6th until midnight. For 12 hours festival goers enjoyed music, dancing, local vendors, and food. Musicians and DJs performed on two stages: the Highmark Blue Shield Community Stage and the Levitt Pavilion stage. The performers primarily played reggae music that…
The Lehigh Valley LGBT Community Archive collects materials that document the contributions of LGBTQIA+ community members to the region. Since 2016, archivists have collected materials from regional LGBTQIA+ political organizations and leaders, publications, businesses like bars, and cultural events like Lehigh Valley Pride. In addition, archivists have begun to collect oral histories from LGBTQIA+ residents…
On Sunday June 23rd, Lehigh Valley locals celebrated Pride at the Sun Inn Courtyard in North Bethlehem. The celebration was the second annual Pride Party Palooza, an event founded by Scottie Prime with the goal of raising money for Project Silk Lehigh Valley. Project Silk is a part of the Valley Youth House organization and…
Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night during the summer, SteelStacks hosts free concerts as a part of their Levitt Pavilion Summer Concert Series. These are well attended by the Lehigh Valley community. On the night of May 31s, the lawn in front of the Levitt Pavilion stage filled up quickly with an audience excited to…