If you are among those fed up or at least frustated with the sky-high price of attending a music festival, then you will appeciate a free one. It’s Musikfest in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.
And it’s no small country affair, either. It is a two-week event that has 16 stages and 11 headliners on its main stage. Along with the music it has an array of multi-cultural food, games and artisans from around the world. The dates for ArtsQuest 2024 are Aug. 1-11. This is the event’s 41st year.
Taking place in Bethleham, the location is on the site of the former Bethlehem Steel plant, one hour north of Philadelphia and 90 miles southwest of Manhattan. Its website is Musikfest.
Founded in 1984, the first Musikfest was born out of the decline of Bethleham Steel with the forethought of its founder, Jeff Parks, whose idea to bring an open-air music festival to the town. The goal was to bring the community together in a beautiful and historical setting to listen to music, enjoy traditional food and help boost the economy once again.
Put on by ArtsQuest, its has brought together more than one million people to enjoy 1,750+ musical performances, arts and cultural events, outdoor festivals including Musikfest, comedy shows, community celebrations, top-rated and independent films and more.
ArtsQuest put on close to 900 free concerts in 2022 between festivals like Musikfest, Christkindlmarkt, Oktoberfest, Blast Furnace Blues, ¡Sabor! Latin Music Festival, ReggaeFest, and patriotic-themed holidays, as well as The Levitt Pavilion free concert series. Free art-based programming (over 50%) is offered to the community and scholarships are readily available to participants who experience financial difficulties.