JuxtaHub Names Ryan Hill Executive Director in Emmaus, PA

Posted On January 7, 2026 By lvwithlove In Community News /  

JuxtaHub, the Lehigh Valley’s arts and innovation center, has promoted Ryan Hill to Executive Director.

Hill previously served as JuxtaHub’s Chief Programming Officer, where he helped expand the organization’s programming and public access to its Emmaus facility. JuxtaHub says his work has supported the nonprofit’s early growth and increased community participation.

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Popcorn Pushers premieres at The Emmaus Theatre on November 8

Posted On October 23, 2025 By lvwithlove In /  
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The Lehigh Valley’s comedy scene takes center stage this fall with the premiere of Popcorn Pushers: Season 01, a darkly funny new sitcom from creator Jiah Peck and his production team, Pigeon City. The series follows the eccentric staff of a struggling movie theater secretly owned by loan sharks, inspired by Peck’s real-life experiences working at Regal Cinemas in Quakertown and the County Theater in Doylestown.

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ArtsQuest Explores Storytelling in Fall Cinema Series

Posted On September 29, 2025 By lvwithlove In Community News /  

ArtsQuest’s Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas will launch its fall Cinema Film Studies series on October 18, offering audiences an in-depth look at how storytelling evolves across genres, history and media. Hosted at the ArtsQuest Campus at SteelStacks in Bethlehem, the series brings together professors, filmmakers and editors for interactive lectures and workshops.

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Mayor’s Musikfest Preview Podcast 2025

Posted On July 31, 2025 By lvwithlove In /  
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Recorded at City Hall’s Payrow Plaza, it’s the Mayor’s Musikfest Podcast 2025, hosted by Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds and Lehigh Valley with Love Media’s George Wacker.

This year’s episode highlights the people powering Musikfest behind the scenes and on stage:

  • Kassie Hilgert, President and CEO of ArtsQuest, shares what’s new and what keeps the festival going after 42 years

  • Patrick Brogan, Chief Programming Officer of ArtsQuest, talks booking hundreds of bands and building a “city within a city”

  • Dave Fry, local music icon who’s performed at every single Musikfest since 1984, joins the conversation and performs live

  • Laura Waits and Cathy Campanaro of Sync Recovery, along with Northampton County Council member Lori Vargo-Heffner, talk about the launch of SoberPlatz, a new alcohol-free space at the festival

  • Meet the Mayor, a long-time local band, reflects on playing Musikfest for the past 8 years

  • Bren closes out the episode with thoughts on artistry, identity, and what it means to perform at Musikfest

Listen for honest conversations, local stories, and a look at how community and music come together every summer in Bethlehem.

Musikfest starts Friday, August 1.
Thank you to everyone who helps make Bethlehem such a special place to live, visit, and celebrate.
Have a great Fest.

Watch Episode

https://youtu.be/VSV_onIlqok

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Still Indie After All These Years: SouthSide Film Festival Turns 21

Posted On June 5, 2025 By lvwithlove In /  
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The SouthSide Film Festival is turning 21 — and it’s still one of the Lehigh Valley’s most vibrant, volunteer-driven cultural events.

In this episode, George Wacker sits down with Festival Director Jen Cotto and longtime jury member Ben Bertalan to talk about the grassroots origins of the fest, how they choose which films to feature (“Would you pay $10 to see it?”), and what makes this year’s event more international and community-driven than ever.

We get into past favorites like Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, this year’s picks like 25 Cats from Qatar and 40 Watts from Nowhere, and how the SouthSide Film Festival remains a celebration of weird, wonderful cinema — built by and for the Lehigh Valley.

🎥 Festival Dates: June 10–14, 2025 (with a showing of Rooted on the 15th!)
📍 Locations: Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Touchstone Theatre, PBS39, and more
🎟️ Info & Tickets: ssff.org

Watch Episode

https://youtu.be/wErRTUrvj1Y

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🎧 SouthSide Film Festival Turns 21 and Stays Purely Indie

The SouthSide Film Festival returns June 10 through 14 in South Bethlehem. In this episode of Lehigh Valley with Love, host George Wacker talks with Festival Director Jen Cotto and longtime jury member Ben Bertalan about what makes this grassroots, international film event so unique.

It began as a casual idea between friends at a coffee shop. Two decades later, it has become a fully independent, volunteer-powered celebration of independent film with global reach and deep local roots.

“We are an international film festival. We have films from Qatar and Cyprus this year. Ireland. Almost every state in the United States.” — Jen Cotto

What Makes a SouthSide Film?

Each year, the jury screens hundreds of submissions. Films come through FilmFreeway, and the process begins in the fall.

“We start meeting in September through April. We sit and we watch these films and we say, would we suggest people spend $10 to see this?” — Jen Cotto

That simple question shapes every selection. Jury members consider story, plot, acting, technical quality, and whether the film offers something worth an audience’s time and money.

A Festival Built on Volunteer Power

SouthSide Film Festival has no corporate sponsors or large institutional backers. It operates on community energy and independence.

“We are not affiliated with any other nonprofit in the area. Everybody thinks we’re part of ArtsQuest. We are not. We don’t get any money from them.” — Jen Cotto

“We are such a best-kept secret in the Valley. If we were to get a bigger audience, I’m not expecting us to get Musikfest numbers. But we would be comfortable with two or three times the audience we have.” — Jen Cotto

This Festival Is About Connection

More than just screenings, SouthSide offers Q&A sessions with filmmakers and real audience interaction. There are no competitive prizes or red carpet ceremonies. Instead, there is conversation.

“We don’t really give prizes. We give an audience award, where people write in their favorite feature and short film. That’s it. We don’t offer a monetary prize.” — Jen Cotto

What to Watch in 2025

🎥 25 Cats from Qatar
A documentary about an organization that rescues stray cats and brings them to the U.S.

“That one’s showing Wednesday night. The filmmaker is going to be there. It’s a great film.” — Jen Cotto

🎥 40 Watts from Nowhere
The story of a pirate radio station in 1990s San Francisco

“I had read her book in the early 2000s. I was amazed. There’s a documentary on it. Now I want to see it.” — Ben Bertalan

How to Attend

June 10–14, 2025
🎟️ Info and tickets: https://southsidefilmfestival.com

Screening Locations

  • Cathedral Church of the Nativity

  • Touchstone Theatre

  • PBS39

  • Frank Banko Alehouse Cinema (Friday late-night screening)

  • Festival HQ: Deja Brew Coffeehouse (tickets, info, programs)

Want to Get Involved?

SouthSide is always looking for new volunteers and future jury members. The best way to join is to stop by Deja Brew, message on Instagram or Facebook, or visit the website.

“We are always on the lookout for people who want to help. Board members, volunteers. Some nights on the jury can get unruly, but we’re always open to more people.” — Jen Cotto

Listen to the Full Episode

🎧 www.lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com/podcast/southside

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Tumor Baby by Kat Aldrich at SteelStacks on April 12

Posted On April 10, 2025 By lvwithlove In /  
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Guests:

  • Kat Aldrich

🎤 In this episode of the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast, host George Wacker sits down with comedian, writer, and performer Kathleen Aldrich, whose brand-new one-woman show Tumor Baby premieres April 12 at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

We talk about how Kathleen got her start in the Lehigh Valley comedy scene over a decade ago, what it was like turning a real-life medical emergency into a heartfelt (and hilarious) show, and how Tumor Baby blends storytelling, vulnerability, and humor into something totally unique. From sketch comedy with Pigeon City to personal pieces in Dear Diary, Kathleen’s journey is as inspiring as it is funny.

You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at how the show came together—from handwritten journal entries to Google Docs and years of performance experience—and why this isn’t stand-up, but something more intimate and impactful.

👉 Catch Tumor Baby on Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 PM at SteelStacks
🎟️ Tickets & info: www.steelstacks.org/event/16872/tumor-baby

Watch Episode

https://youtube.com/live/fX8dV3Tt3DI

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🧠 Episode Recap

Kathleen Aldrich and the Comedy of Crisis in TUMOR BABY

“I’ve been talking about doing a one-woman show since 2014.”

For comedian and writer Kathleen Aldrich, Tumor Baby isn’t just a show—it’s a culmination of more than a decade of finding her voice in the Lehigh Valley comedy scene. What started as strange abdominal pressure and a reluctant trip to the ER turned into a 10-pound tumor and, eventually, the foundation for a deeply personal, unexpectedly hilarious one-woman show.

From Improvised Bits to Intimate Storytelling

Kathleen’s journey began in 2012 with improv classes at ArtsQuest, where she found her creative tribe and a passion for performance. Over the years, she honed her craft with local favorites like Dear Diary, Pigeon City Sketch, and Improvised Stand Up. Her work is rooted in real life—often uncomfortable, always honest—and Tumor Baby is no exception.

“It’s not stand-up,” she explains. “I’m a storyteller.”

Kathleen weaves her cancer diagnosis into a broader narrative—childhood memories, messy relationships, weird blog awards, and moments that are just too good not to share. It’s comedy that doesn’t flinch. And it’s all been years in the making.

The Writing Process (and a Lot of Google Docs)

So how do you write something like Tumor Baby? According to Kathleen, it all starts with pen and paper. She breaks down memories into moments, finds the funny in the pain, and then builds the show line by line.

“I write down the significant moment first,” she says. “Then I ask—how do I make this funny?”

With guidance and mentorship from fellow comic Alia Brown, Kathleen transformed those raw stories into a full-length show. It’s not just about a tumor—it’s about life, survival, and making people laugh in the face of the absurd.

A Decade of Comedy and One Big Stage

One of Kathleen’s proudest moments? A sketch she wrote for Pigeon City called Sex in Senior Living—a drag parody imagining the Sex and the City crew as Golden Girls. “The crowd just loved it,” she says. “That moment… it was electric.”

Now, with Tumor Baby, Kathleen steps into the spotlight solo. It’s vulnerable, funny, and full of heart—and it all happens live this weekend.

🎟️ Don’t Miss It
Catch Tumor Baby on Saturday, April 12 at 7:30 PM
📍 Bethlehem Visitor Center at SteelStacks
🎟️ Tickets & info: steelstacks.org

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Enda Scahill of We Banjo 3 / Lehigh Valley with Love Music

Posted On March 3, 2022 By lvwithlove In /  
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We talk with Irish banjo legend and member of We Banjo 3, Enda Scahill. Scahill is a four-time All-Ireland Champion! We talk about his previous experiences in Bethlehem, all about the banjo, and getting back out on the road.

He is an ex-member of The Brock McGuire Band. In 2006 he released the album Humdinger with Paul Brock which was awarded Irish Music Album of the Year by The Irish Times and was released by Compass Records in Nashville, Tennessee.

Scahill is the founder of the band We Banjo 3 whose members include Martin Howley, David Howley and his brother Fergal Scahill. Earle Hitchner, music writer for The Wall Street Journal, describes We Banjo 3’s playing as a “freshness and finesse bordering on the magical” and LiveIreland proclaiming them “the hottest group in Irish music.”

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