The Chopper Foundation is hosting its 2nd Annual Chow Line on Saturday, March 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Wooden Match, 61 W. Lehigh Street in Bethlehem.
The event will offer free pet food for the community and free vaccinations for pets in need, while supplies last, rain or shine.
Shanthi Project, the Easton-based nonprofit bringing evidence-based mindfulness education to more than 5,000 kids and adults each year across the Greater Lehigh Valley, has announced new leadership on its Board of Directors.
George Wacker, owner of Lehigh Valley with Love Media, has been named one of The Lehigh Valley’s Most Influential People for 2026 in an inaugural list published by The Morning Call.
Lehigh Valley with Love made a national appearance this morning on Fox & Friends First, as one of our photos from Bethlehem’s annual tree lighting was featured during a segment on “Christmas City, USA.”
The Lehigh Valley Holiday Lights Map is back for 2025, and this year it comes with its own soundtrack. To go with your nighttime tour of neighborhood displays, we have put together a Spotify playlist that runs from movie classics to soul, rock and jazz favorites.
“Rooted,” a 75-minute documentary about Bethlehem’s arts community, will make its broadcast debut on WLVT-TV PBS39 on Friday, November 21, 2025, at 7 p.m.
Welcome to the Lehigh Valley Small Business White Elephant. This community giveaway brings together dozens of local shops, restaurants, makers, and independent businesses for a fun, citywide gift exchange. Once we put out the call, more than fifty small businesses stepped up with gift cards, products, and experiences worth at least twenty dollars, and we are incredibly grateful for every one of them for joining in.
How it works
Look through the full list of prizes on this page.
Fill out the form below (or at this link) and rank every prize from first choice to last. Your entry must include a ranking for every prize.
After sign ups close, all participants will be randomized.
We will select all winners on Sunday, December 21. Starting from the top of that randomized list, each person will receive the highest ranked prize on their list that has not already been claimed.
We continue down the list until all prizes are assigned.
Winners will be connected directly with the business that donated their prize to arrange pickup, mailing, or digital delivery.
Disclaimer
Lehigh Valley with Love Media hosts the event, manages the sign ups and prize matching, and connects winners with participating businesses. We do not provide the prizes and are not responsible for fulfillment, shipping, or delivery. NO purchase necessary.
Visit www.lvwithlove.com for updates and more information.
Please email info@lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com with any questions.
Email your news release to info@lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com
The Bethlehem Running Festival ran through the Christmas City for another weekend in 2025.
We set out to see if AI could help us create something that felt more real than a meme. The idea landed right in front of us: the Phillies “Karen” who took a home run ball from a young fan. Silver wig. Glasses. Phillies hoodie. She already looked like a Spirit Halloween costume. So we made one.
Housing is one of the hottest topics in the Lehigh Valley right now. On this episode of Off the Record with Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast, George Wacker and Northampton County Commissioner Jeff Warren sit down with two leaders on the frontlines:
Gina Loiacono, Director of Community Engagement and Grants at Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley
Marc Rittle, Executive Director at New Bethany
We talk about:
• Habitat’s 142 homes in the Valley and what it takes for families to qualify
• The reality of transitional housing and how New Bethany is adapting programs to meet demand
• The difference between affordable housing and attainable housing
• The stigma around low-income housing and how nonprofits are working to change it
• Habitat’s ReStores in Hellertown and Whitehall and how donations fuel more homebuilding
“No child should ever wonder where to lay their head at night.” — Gina Loiacono
“At the end of the day, there is more power in the private sector than the public sector when it comes to housing.” — Marc Rittle
Links
Subscribe for more conversations about the people and issues shaping the Lehigh Valley.
For more than a century, A-TREAT has been part of the Lehigh Valley story. The sodas and seltzers we grew up with, the flavors that feel like home. Now the brand is doing something new: using that fizz to fight pediatric cancer.
In this episode of the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast we are on site at the A-TREAT facility with Luke Jaindl, Vice President of Jaindl Companies, and Michelle Zenie Rounds, Executive Director of the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley (PCFLV).
Together they share the story behind “Fizz That Fights” Lemon Twist Seltzer, a limited edition release that puts community first. Every bottle helps raise awareness and support for PCFLV’s mission to provide hope, programs, and direct assistance to more than 450 local families navigating childhood cancer.
We talk about:
How the A-TREAT and PCFLV partnership came to life
Why local matters, from Jaindl’s rescue of A-TREAT in 2015 to PCFLV’s hyperlocal mission
The importance of awareness initiatives like “30 Days, 30 Stories” during Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month
A-TREAT’s unique place in Lehigh Valley history, from Big Blue to holiday flavors, and what the future looks like
Listen in for community, history, and a whole lot of fizz.
Learn more about PCFLV: https://www.pcflv.org/
The Greater Lehigh Valley Arts + Culture Patron Survey is more than a questionnaire. It’s a region-wide effort to gather real data on how people engage with the arts, what gets in their way, and how we can create more inclusive, accessible cultural experiences.
In this episode of Off the Record, we’re joined by Meg Mikovits, Assistant Director and Research Manager at the Lehigh Valley Arts and Culture Alliance, and Marta Kepka, Director of Arts Marketing at Lafayette College. They share how this free, anonymous survey came together, what kinds of questions it asks, and why it’s so important that both individuals and organizations take part.
We talk about:
Why the arts are essential to economic growth, public health, and social connection
The surprising lack of existing audience data in the region
What organizations can gain from distributing the survey to their audiences
How the results will be shared and used across sectors
Whether you’re a mural lover, a Musikfest regular, a parent with kids in band, or someone who just wants to see more arts opportunities in your neighborhood, your voice matters.
🎭 Take the survey: https://bit.ly/LehighValleyArtsSurvey
🎧 Full episode and more: www.lvwithlove.com
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.
What started with a single blazer in the trunk of a car has become one of the Lehigh Valley’s most powerful stories of community-driven change.
In this episode of the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast, host George Wacker sits down with Sarah Barrett, Executive Director of YWCA Allentown, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Perfect Fit, a workforce empowerment program that’s helped more than 13,000 women step into new careers with confidence.
Topics include:
How The Perfect Fit began as a grassroots effort
Why clothing is just a tool, and the real heart is community support
Career workshops, tech certifications, and professional mentoring
What’s next for the next 25 years
Join the Celebration: Outfit to Empower Luncheon
Friday, October 24, 2025
Renaissance Hotel, Allentown, PA
Learn more or get involved: ywcaallentown.org/perfect-fit
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
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
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.
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
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
🎥 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
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)
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
