Texas Church Recreates Downtown Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for Holiday Performance

That’s the Christmas City in Texas!

A church in Texas recreated Bethlehem’s iconic Main Street for a special holiday performance.

The set, created by Gateway Church, is impeccably designed to look like our very own Christmas City and is part of their holiday musical “Christmas City, USA“.

You can see some of it on their website or in the embedded video below.

Join Gateway Church for a new Christmas show featuring original music and an amazing cast of characters! Full of spectacular scenery and costumes, high-energy song and dance, a generous helping of humor, and heart-tugging moments, Christmas City, USA is sure to be a family favorite.

During the show, you’ll travel to Christmas City, USA (aka, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) with our main character, Elleanor. It’s Christmas Eve, and Elleanor can’t wait to explore this wonderful town that is devoted to celebrating Christmas … plus, there’s a deeply personal tie to her ancestry.

Elleanor, along with a crew of other colorful characters, set off on a trolley tour of the town to learn more about this special city with a longstanding, close connection to American history.

With flashback scenes, displays coming to life (due to Elleanor’s vivid imagination), and massive musical numbers, this show moves at a quick pace and makes you feel like you’re a part of the story. From beginning to end, Christmas City, USA will draw you in through heartfelt performances that will make you laugh, move you to tears, and warm your heart as we explore what makes the most wonderful time of the year so wonderful!

This holiday season, join us for a story of wonder, hope, and finding your way home again. You may enjoy it so much you see it more than once!

Gateway Church

Thank you to Kristen Walsh for cluing us into this!

The views of this church are their own and don’t represent anyone at Lehigh Valley with Love Media.

Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites Hosts Lehigh Valley With Love Podcast’s 100th Episode

BETHLEHEM, PA, November 2019 – Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) and Lehigh Valley With Love Podcast are partnering up for the podcast’s 100th episode. On Friday, December 13, hosts George Wacker and Tyler Rothrock will host a live taping of the podcast at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts as part of Design After Dark, HBMS’s after-hours programming series. The podcast will feature local collector and philanthropist Ilene Hochberg Wood as the guest.

#MysteryLights Social Media Campaign Fun Times

Lehigh Valley with Love Media took to the skies to help out with an interesting social media campaign held throughout Bethlehem in November called #MysteryLights.

We provided drone footage and video production to push campaign and build excitement leading up to the big reveal.

Molly’s Spotted Lantern Fly Shot Hits the Wall Street Journal

The goal for all of our clients is appropriate awareness. This article in the Wall Street Journal, that features our client, Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub, does exactly that!

Lehigh Valley with Love Media is always available to take your Lehigh Valley business to the next level, so get in touch!

Hit us up at info@lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com

Social Media Trends So Far in 2019

Getting a handle on social media trends is kind of like herding cats. As soon as you think you’ve got it all figured out, something squeezes through and starts the whole thing all over again.

Thankfully, crafty people like the ones over at Awario keep up to date with much of what’s going on in the world of social media trends.

They’re good at cat herding.

Enjoy their infographic below and start thinking about how you’re using stories in your social media and start thinking about micro-micro-influencers (your customers) and how to leverage their shared content as well.

Social media trends 2019 by Awario

Lehigh Valley with Love ComedyPlatz Ramps Up the Laughs and Family Fun at Musikfest

Popular comedy event moves to two weekends and adds family friendly shows.

BETHLEHEM, PA (July 24, 2019) – The Lehigh Valley with Love ComedyPlatz returns to Musikfest with 14 free stand-up comedy shows over six nights on Aug. 2-4 and 9-11 at The Ice House on 56 River St. In its third year as an official Musikfest site, the venue has been extended to two weekends and will also include four family-friendly shows. ComedyPlatz will feature more than 30 comics in all from the New York City, Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley areas. 

Highlights include: 

  • Doogie Horner, a writer, comedian and illustrator originally from the Lehigh Valley. He’s the author of the YA novel This Might Hurt a Bit, and had a memorable appearance on America’s Got Talent.
  • Boris Khaykin, a Brooklyn-based comedian who has performed stand-up on CollegeHumor Live and as a warmup for The Opposition with Jordan Klepper. He was listed by TimeOutNY as one of Brooklyn Comedy Festival’s “Biggest Stars”. 
  • Jim Tews, from Allentown, is creator of the New York Times Bestseller Felines of New York. He made his stand-up television debut on Last Comic Standing and has been seen on FX, NBC, SeeSo and TBS.
  • Nataly Aukar, a Lebanese born and raised standup comic based in New York City. She has opened for Nimesh Patel (Saturday Night Live), Mo Amer (Colbert, Fallon, Netflix) and Gad El Maleh as part of his Dream Tour in DC, Canada, and Dubai. She was a producer of Tickling the Ivories, a weekly comedy show at Pianos in New York’s Lower East Side, featured on TimeOutNY.
  • Bob Hansen, a retired professional wrestler who was trained by WWE legend The Wild Samoan in Allentown and Hazleton, Hansen won the San Diego Pro Wrestling Heavyweight Championship in 2010. He’s written and self-published three novels, in addition to making and releasing a documentary, I Don’t Belong Here, about his move from the Los Angeles to New York comedy scenes. 
  • Plus some of the Lehigh Valley’s best comics.

Regular shows are 7 and 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 2-3 and 9-10 and 7 p.m. on Aug. 4 and 11. Tickets are not needed for the shows. 

Nataly Aukar

In addition to the evening shows, Lehigh Valley with Love ComedyPlatz will also feature four family-friendly shows. These shows will be at 4:30 p.m. on August 3, 4 and 10, 11. The family friendly shows are designed to allow families to bring their children to comedy events that will feature suitable content, although parental guidance is always suggested. The family-friendly performances are designed so adults can bring their children to without fear of the children hearing words or terms that most parents would not want them to hear. 

Bob Hansen

Lehigh Valley with Love ComedyPlatz is the culmination of a partnership between Nazareth-born comedian Tyler Rothrock, Lehigh Valley with Love owner George Wacker and ArtsQuest. Hundreds of comics have applied to be a part of the Lehigh Valley with Love ComedyPlatz over the past few years.

“The fact that comedy continues to grow at Musikfest is a testament to those who are seeking it out,” says Wacker. “We’re excited to add even more funny to the fun at Musikfest in 2019.”
Get more information on this year’s Lehigh Valley with Love ComedyPlatz on the SteelStacks website and on the Official Facebook Event.

Doogie Horner
Boris Khaykin
Jim Tews


The full lineup for The Lehigh Valley with Love ComedyPlatz at Musikfest is as follows:

August 2
7:00 p.m.
Aliya Brown
Jason Brown
Doogie Horner
Tyler Rothrock
Betty Smithsonian
Jim Tews
Glen Tickle
Ian Webster

9:30 p.m.
Aliya Brown
Jason Brown
Boris Khaykin
Tyler Rothrock
Betty Smithsonian
Jim Tews
Glen Tickle
Ian Webster
August 3
4:30 p.m.
Family Friendly Show
Nataly Aukar
Roya Hamadani
Doogie Horner
Boris Khaykin
Brett Peveteaux 
Michael Kelly
Shanell Renee
Jim Tews

7:00 p.m.
Nataly Aukar
Roya Hamadani
Doogie Horner
Boris Khaykin
Brett Peveteaux 
Michael Kelly
Shanell Renee
Jim Tews

9:30 p.m.
Nataly Aukar
Michael Kelly
Boris Khaykin
Alan Massenburg
Brett Peveteaux
Shanell Renee
Tyler Rothrock
Ian Webster
August 4 
4:30 p.m. 
Family-Friendly Show
Darryl Charles
Roya Hamadani
Doogie Horner
Maureen Ferguson
Minna Gorry-Hines
Alan Massenberg
Ryan Roe
Tyler Rothrock

7:00 p.m.
Darryl Charles
Roya Hamadani
Maureen Ferguson
Minna Gorry-Hines
Alan Massenberg
Ryan Roe
Tyler Rothrock
Ian Webster
August 9
7:00 p.m.
Steve Clark
John Deary
Dan Fitzpatrick
Kirk Griffiths
Janear Hankerson
Kyle Neff
Emily Poche
Paul Spratt

9:30 p.m.
Steve Clark
John Deary
Dan Fitzpatrick
Kirk Griffiths
Janear Hankerson
Kyle Neff
Emily Poche
Paul Spratt
August 10
4:30 p.m.
Family-Friendly Show
Jason Brown
Dan Fitzpatrick
Kirk Griffiths
Bob Hansen
Derek Humphery
Tyler Rothrock
Glen Tickle

7:00 p.m.
Aliya Brown
Geoff Colella
Dan Fitzpatrick
Kirk Griffiths
Bob Hansen
Derek Humphery
Chris O’Connor
Tyler Rothrock

9:30 p.m.
Aliya Brown
Jason Brown
Geoff Colella
Bob Hansen
Derek Humphery
Chris O’ConnorT
yler Rothrock
Paul Spratt
August 11 
4:30 p.m.
Family-Friendly Show
Aliya Brown
Janear Hankerson
Maureen Ferguson
Aaron Landis
Joe Moore
Shane O’Connor
Paul Spratt
Glen Tickle

7:00 p.m.
Maureen Ferguson
Janear Hankerson
Aaron Landis
Joe Moore
Shane O’Connor
Tyler Rothrock
Paul Spratt
Glen Tickle

##

Media Contact: George Wacker
George@LehighValleywithLoveMedia.com
484-554-2234

The Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast TV Show Available on PBS39 Live, Website, and App!

The Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast with co-hosts Tyler Rothrock and George Wacker now has a television show version on PBS 39 airing at Fridays on midnight through mid-August 2019.

If you’re not able to stay up late to watch our lineup of Lehigh Valley centric guests, you can also catch up with our episodes on the PBS 39 website or app!

Head to the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast TV Show website to watch the latest episodes or download the PBS app in the Apple or Google Play or Amazon stores. Just make sure your PBS station is PBS39 and search for our show.

Thank you to all of our guests and to PBS 39!

PBS39, Lehigh Valley with Love Media to Debut Television Show

This show, based on the popular Lehigh Valley with Love podcast, will premiere at 11:59 p.m. Friday, June 14 on PBS39.

Bethlehem, PA. – June 13, 2019 – PBS39 will debut the Lehigh Valley with Love podcast on Friday night, June 14, 2019. Each of the eight episodes of this new television show, produced at PBS39’s studios in Bethlehem, will feature Lehigh Valley personalities from all walks of life. Hosts George Wacker and Tyler Rothrock’s interview style includes personal anecdotes and splashes of current events.

Instagram Testing Removal of Viewing Amount of Likes

“Likes” will go down in history as one of the most sought after abstract items of all time.

Whether it’s your small business getting more likes on a post than ever before, or the latest Instagram model surpassing 4 million likes and getting paid by a sponsor, the idea of social media “likes” is familiar to many.