Banko Beverage President Tony Gallo joins Lehigh Valley with Love at Musikfest to talk about the family business, its relationship with the festival and where the beverage industry is heading.
Banko supplies bars, restaurants and retailers across ten counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. Gallo discusses the importance of spending time with those local businesses, supporting smaller brands and growing Banko’s selection of non-alcoholic, sports and wellness drinks.
He also shares his own Musikfest traditions, including people-watching, waiting all week for Go Go Gadjet and trying as much festival food as possible. His advice for first-time visitors is simple: Start at Aw Shucks and figure it out from there.
Banko Beverage Company is a strong supporter of Lehigh Valley with Love. Follow Banko on Instagram for daily Musikfest ticket giveaways, behind-the-scenes videos and more throughout the year.
Marine veteran Gabe Atkins is taking on a roughly 3,500-mile bicycle ride from Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, to San Diego, California, to raise awareness for veteran suicide prevention and support organizations helping veterans in crisis.
After serving two tours in Afghanistan, Gabe struggled to readjust to civilian life and watched friends and fellow veterans battle PTSD, isolation, and a loss of purpose. He talks about why asking for help can be so difficult, how photography helped him begin moving forward, and why finding a community can be an important first step.
Gabe also explains the planning behind the 102-day ride, his decision to document the journey in 22-mile blocks, and his commitment to being transparent about the money raised. Fifty percent of proceeds after costs will support organizations including Battle Borne and Wounded Warrior Project.
Follow the journey, donate, or purchase campaign merchandise at:
Musikfest Preview Night arrives Thursday, July 30, followed by 10 days of music, food, art and nearly unavoidable reunions throughout Bethlehem from Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 9.
For the fifth annual Mayor’s Musikfest Preview Podcast, we set up at StadtPlatz outside Bethlehem City Hall with Mayor J. William Reynolds and eight guests who plan the festival, perform on its stages, volunteer behind the scenes and help create the community around it.
The 43rd Musikfest features more than 400 performers and 500 performances across 16 stages, 15 of which are free.
Mayor Reynolds described Musikfest as a shared experience that cannot be recreated through a screen.
“You can’t one-up somebody else’s experience. What happens there is that it brings people together, and it shows us what’s possible when we’re focused on people.”
Building a temporary city
ArtsQuest President and CEO Kassie Hilgert started with the people responsible for turning more than 50 acres of Bethlehem into the country’s largest free music festival.
“It takes 5,000 people to put this festival up and to tear it down. You’ve got volunteers that are taking 10 days from their vacation time at work to support this festival.”
Hilgert also made a direct appeal for people to support the vendors, restaurants, hotels, artists and cultural organizations that keep events like Musikfest alive.
Patrick Brogan, ArtsQuest’s Chief Programming Officer, said more than 2,000 artists applied to perform this year. The final program includes 417 artists presenting 512 sets, with roughly one-third of the festival changing each year.
His advice is simple:
“Follow your ears through the festival.”
Turn a corner, stop at an unfamiliar stage and stay long enough to find the artist who could become your next favorite.
“The soundtrack of Bethlehem”
Miguel Perez-Soto has experienced Musikfest as an ArtsQuest board member, a musician, a B. Braun Medical employee and a supporter who has been attending for 25 years.
He has also watched Musikfest and ArtsQuest’s year-round programming grow to represent more of the cultures found throughout Bethlehem.
“Musikfest is the soundtrack of Bethlehem. We’re going to have a great time doing this for the next 10 days, but throughout the year, Bethlehem always has the initiative to reinvent itself and put events together for the entire family, for the entire community.”
A place where everyone can Fest
Richard Liu helped lead the creation of SoberPlatz, the inclusive alcohol-free space that returns to the SouthSide for its second year. Located near Americaplatz and the Flywheel, SoberPlatz offers room to relax, activities, recovery resources and a community that does not revolve around drinking.
Everyone is welcome. The only request is that visitors not bring alcohol into the space.
Liu shared the response that showed exactly why SoberPlatz was needed.
“I’ve had people tell me they didn’t feel like they could Fest until SoberPlatz was there.”
For Liu, Musikfest ultimately comes back to people.
“It’s the volunteers that I see year after year and become friends with. It’s the friendships with performers who come back year after year. It’s the community members who I see and become friends with. It’s the people.”
WDIY Executive Director Margaret McConnell described the station as another community organization powered largely by volunteers.
WDIY was built by community members who wanted their own radio station. Its programming still reflects that original mission.
“Picking hand-curated music, no algorithms involved. Very little automation. This is really led by this community, for this community.”
ArtsQuest ambassador-level volunteer Robin Sherrerd has poured beer, sold tickets, worked with the Eco Squad and served as a site supervisor.
“I worked my way up to site supervisor and enjoyed every bit of it because of the camaraderie that we have with all of the other volunteers.”
Those relationships continue after the tents come down. Sherrerd said many volunteers have become friends who see one another and spend time together throughout the year.
Two Bethlehem artists step onto the stage
Bethlehem country artist Lilly Moss opens for Russell Dickerson at the Wind Creek Steel Stage on Friday, July 31. She returns Sunday, August 2 for a free Main Street performance.
Two years ago, Moss opened a fortune cookie while attending the Maren Morris concert at Musikfest.
“I opened a fortune cookie and it said, ‘You will make a name for yourself.’”
She kept and framed the fortune. Now she plans to carry it onto the largest stage she has ever played.
Moss said she no longer becomes more nervous as the crowds grow.
“As the crowds get bigger, I get more excited. I feed off the energy and the adrenaline.”
Jenny Founds performs with Ruby Dear at Zinzenplatz from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday, August 2. The Bethlehem alternative-rock trio is expanding for a special Ruby Dear Big Band performance featuring additional musicians from Start Making Sense.
Founds performs original music with Ruby Dear and Talking Heads music with Start Making Sense. She sees value in both.
“I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘I’ve never heard you before, but I can relate to your lyrics, and I’ve never felt seen like that.’ So both are valid, and both give opportunities to musicians.”
A free Musikfest stage gives original artists something particularly valuable: people who were walking past, heard something interesting and decided to enter the tent.
The Musikfest must-do list
Mayor Reynolds and George also shared a few rules for getting the most out of Musikfest:
Put the phone away.
Spend time with someone you unexpectedly run into.
Buy at least one thing.
Watch an artist perform original music.
Show someone your favorite Musikfest spot.
Try a food you are not completely sure about.
Leave one night open and see where Musikfest takes you.
Musikfest Preview Night is Thursday, July 30. The full festival runs Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 9.
Get the complete schedule and download the official app at Musikfest.org.
Historic Easton Cemetery Executive Director Keith Lampman-Perlman leads Lehigh Valley with Love through 85 acres of Easton history, Victorian funerary art, monuments and green space.
The tour stops at the graves of Declaration of Independence signer George Taylor, football helmet inventor George Oliver Barclay, Lucy, Howard Rinek and John Frederic Osterstock, the man whose name lives on through the Freddy Awards. Keith also explains cradle graves, grave gardening, changing burial traditions and the work needed to preserve Easton’s largest green space.
We were recently invited to tour the new Phoenix Ridge Apartments in Allentown and get a closer look at what the community has to offer. From the grand social space and resident lounge to the fitness center, yoga room, conference room, dog wash station, and modern one- and two-bedroom apartments, Phoenix Ridge is clearly designed around convenience and everyday living.
What stood out most is the balance. Phoenix Ridge gives residents access to downtown Allentown, restaurants, nightlife, and nearby parks, while still offering a setting that feels a little more peaceful and tucked away.
Phoenix Ridge features like in-unit washer and dryer, off-street parking, bike storage, package room access, private balconies, and pet-friendly amenities.
From the top of South Mountain to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Boys & Girls Club of Bethlehem board member Dylan Stroup is preparing to climb Africa’s highest mountain while raising $50,000 for local kids through his Climb for Kids campaign.
We joined Dylan on South Mountain to talk about the personal goal that started the journey, the six months of training behind it, and why he decided that reaching the summit should also benefit the community around him.
Dylan shares how long aerobic workouts, balance exercises, loaded hikes, and repeated climbs up Blue Mountain have prepared him for the challenge. He also talks about the family and friends who inspired him, the community that has joined the campaign, and his belief that success should be measured by the impact we have on others.
The Boys & Girls Club of Bethlehem has served local children and teens since 1930. Today, more than 650 young people rely on its educational, recreational, and character-development programs.
The quarterly series, curated by Radus, brings songwriters together to perform original music and talk about the stories, influences, and craft behind the songs.
This July edition features Doug “Ol’ Moose” Anderson, Radus’ uncle, one of his earliest musical influences, and a longtime Godfrey Daniels veteran.
Conor Hepp, the new Executive Director and CEO of Da Vinci Science Center in downtown Allentown, joins Lehigh Valley with Love to talk about the power of hands-on learning, what brought him to museum and science center work, and what comes next for the Center.
Conor shares how childhood visits to places like The Franklin Institute and Penn Museum helped spark his own curiosity, especially as a kid who learned best by moving, touching, exploring, and experiencing things directly.
We also talk about Da Vinci Science Center’s new downtown Allentown location, Curiosity Hall, the Lehigh Valley watershed exhibit, the balance between digital and tactile learning, and why community relevance is central to the Science Center’s future.
The conversation also touches on visitation, brand awareness, responsible planning, and how Da Vinci can continue reaching families, students, schools, and curious people across the Lehigh Valley.
End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller joins George Wacker on the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast to talk about Citizens United, dark money, super PACs, outside spending, and how campaign finance issues are showing up in Pennsylvania races.
Muller explains why the 2010 Supreme Court decision remains central to modern political spending, how outside groups can influence local and national races, and what voters can look for when they see political ads, mailers, or digital messages.
The conversation also covers End Citizens United’s work, its support for campaign finance reform candidates, and why transparency, accountability, and voter trust remain central to the organization’s mission.
The Painted Petal is a restored 1910 Craftsman-style boutique guest house and event venue at 7809 Hamilton Boulevard in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania.
Owner Maggie Fischer transformed the once-deteriorating historic home into one of the Lehigh Valley’s most unique places to stay, gather, create, and celebrate. Inside, the house is filled with restored woodwork, leaded glass, salvaged antiques, vintage furniture, local history, and surprises in nearly every room.
One of the biggest surprises came during the renovation, when crates marked “high explosives” were found in the basement. What first looked like old storage turned out to be very real, very old TNT.
Maggie shares the story behind The Painted Petal’s renovation, the home’s history, the antiques and artifacts that found their way back, the challenges of restoring a historic property, and why preservation matters in the Lehigh Valley.
The Yoga Loft of Bethlehem is celebrating 20 years in South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Founded in 2006 by Jesse Thompson, the studio began as a third-floor yoga space in the former Cantelmi’s Hardware Building and has grown into a home for yoga, Pilates, teacher training, wellness, and community.
Owner Rachel Abott, founder Jesse Thompson, longtime teachers, students, and members of The Yoga Loft community reflect on the studio’s beginnings, its evolution, and the relationships that have kept it going for two decades.
From Rachel’s path from student to owner, to Jesse’s original vision, to the teachers and students who helped build the studio’s identity, this conversation celebrates the people who made The Yoga Loft what it is today.
The Saquon Barkley Alpha Invitational is coming to Whitehall High School June 20 and 21, bringing youth flag football, family fun, vendors, music, and community together where Saquon’s story began.
We talk with Tonya Johnson, Saquon Barkley’s mom and Vice President of the Michael Ann & Saquon Barkley Hope Foundation, along with board member Rachael J. Pritzker, about why this event matters, how the foundation is giving back, and what it means for Saquon to continue investing in his hometown.
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This one is about football, family, opportunity, and making sure the next generation sees what is possible.
Mike McGrath is signing off from You Bet Your Garden on WDIY with a final episode that looks back on 30 years in public radio, a career rooted in organic gardening, and the kind of advice that made him a trusted voice for gardeners everywhere.
In the interview, Mike reflects on his time as editor of Organic Gardening, his years on public radio, and how the show eventually found a home at WDIY. He also shares one last piece of classic Mike McGrath gardening advice: “No trends.” Build raised beds, use real soil, grow without poisons, and do not take advice from random people on the internet.
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is celebrating its 35th anniversary season in 2026, and Artistic Director Jason King Jones joined the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast to talk about the milestone, this year’s “Legends & Legacy” theme, and why Romeo and Juliet continues to connect with audiences generation after generation.
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Founded in 1992 at DeSales University, the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival has grown into one of the region’s premier summer theater destinations, blending Shakespeare, musicals, dramas, and contemporary productions into a packed annual season.
This year’s lineup includes Romeo & Juliet, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, Million Dollar Quartet, Moriarty, and more running through August 2 in Center Valley.
During the conversation, Jones talks about balancing classic works with modern audiences, what makes live theater special in the Lehigh Valley, and why PSF continues to attract both longtime theatergoers and first-time visitors.
“People are social, and there’s not a whole lot of other opportunity to just go somewhere and socialize with all of your neighbors.”
Lisa Surma Borick said it simply, and she’s right.
Farmers markets are not just places to buy produce, baked goods, flowers, meats, soaps, coffee, mushrooms, or whatever else ends up in your bag on a Saturday morning. They are places where people see their neighbors. They are places where kids grow up knowing the vendors. They are places where customers do not just say they are going to buy something. They say they are going to see someone.
We spoke with Lisa Surma Borick of the Nazareth Economic Development Commission and Nazareth Farmers Market, and Emily Roland, Farmers’ Market Manager with the Greater Easton Development Partnership and Easton Farmers’ Market, about why farmers markets still feel so important right now.
Easton Farmers’ Market has roots dating back to 1752 and is known as America’s oldest continuously operating open-air market. Nazareth Farmers Market was reestablished in 2010 and has grown into a weekly gathering place in the center of town.
But the bigger story is not just history. It is what these markets do every week.
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Emily talked about the work people do not always see: selecting vendors, balancing farmers with prepared food and specialty vendors, handling permits, road closures, parking, layouts, special events, and all the details that make a market feel easy for the people walking through it.
Lisa talked about how markets create ownership. People say “my market.” They know the vendors by name. They bring their kids. They make the market part of their weekend rhythm.
The conversation also gets into the phrase “buy fresh, buy local” and what it actually means. Supporting a farmers market helps local farms, small businesses, makers, bakers, and families. It keeps money closer to home. It also supports food access programs, including SNAP matching programs that help more people buy fresh food while also helping farmers bring in more income.
As Emily said, “It’s so much more than buying.”
That is why farmers markets matter more than ever. They are not just about food. They are about people, place, access, relationships, and community.
GUESTS:
Lisa Surma Borick Nazareth Downtown Manager Nazareth Economic Development Commission / Nazareth Farmers Market
Emily Roland Farmers’ Market Manager Greater Easton Development Partnership / Easton Farmers’ Market
