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Allentown Symphony Orchestra says Goodbye to Ronald Demkee in July 2024

Ronald Demkee to retire as Associate/Pops Conductor and Principal Tuba of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra in July 2024
The Allentown Symphony Association announces that beloved Associate/Pops Conductor and Principal Tuba Ronald Demkee will retire at the conclusion of the 2023-2024 season, which will be his 45th season as a member of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra (ASO). 

“Live music in the Lehigh Valley and Ron Demkee are synonymous,”

said ASO Music Director/Conductor Diane Wittry.
“We are honored at the Allentown Symphony to have had such a long association with Ron both as Principal Tuba and as Associate/Pops Conductor. He will leave behind a remarkable legacy at the Allentown Symphony which we will recognize and pay tribute to over the next two years.” Wittry added, “However, this will not be a goodbye to Ron at Miller Symphony Hall!”

Wittry was referring to Demkee’s long-time position as conductor of the Allentown Band which performs several concerts a year at the venerable 123-year-old theater in downtown Allentown.

Demkee’s tenure with the Allentown Symphony dates back to the 1979-1980 season when he became Principal Tuba and first performed in that role in January 1980.

He became the Orchestra’s Associate Conductor in 1983, which included assisting founding Music Director Donald Voorhees as well as occasionally leading classical rehearsals and concerts for Voorhees and his successor William Smith.
Demkee has also conducted Young Peoples Concerts, Holiday Concerts, numerous annual performances of “The Nutcracker” with the Repertory Dance Theatre, and most Pops concert programs.
As the ASO began presenting more Pops concerts about a decade ago, Demkee was promoted to Associate/Pops Conductor. He also served as Orchestra Personnel Manager for 30 years. 

“It has been a privilege to be associated with the ASO,”

Demkee commented.
“I will, of course, remember these years fondly for the incredible artistic growth of the Orchestra, the many marvelous moments of music making, and even more significantly for the many meaningful and lasting friendships cultivated during that time. It has been a very fulfilling, rewarding, and enriching 43-year journey and there are still two more to go.” Demkee concluded by saying, “I wish nothing but the best for continued success with what I am certain will be a bright future for the ASO.”

Looking ahead, Wittry shared that, “I will continue to conduct some pops concerts, but we are going to start bringing in guest conductors and see how both our audiences and musicians respond to them. There is no set timeline or determination for appointing a new Pops Conductor, but that will be continually evaluated as time goes on.” Wittry further explained that, “the Principal Tuba position will be auditioned at the appropriate time as is the case with any other open positions in our wonderful orchestra.”

The 2023-2024 season of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra will be announced in February 2023. Information about the upcoming 2022-2023 season can be found at: www.millersymphonyhall.org.

Sept 16 at Lehigh Valley’s Miller Symphony Ball for Carnevale a Verona

Ready to dance the night away?  Support the Lehigh Valley Miller Symphony Ball’s Carnevale a Verona Sept 16

It’s time for the Allentown Symphony’s 2022 Symphony Ball!

Be a part of our largest — and most important — fundraising event on September 9. 
Gather to celebrate the Allentown Symphony Association’s accomplishments and raise vital funds that increase our community footprint.
Your tickets to the Ball will support our education and community engagement programs, including:
✅ Schadt String Competition and Scholarships
✅ Young Musician String Festival
✅ El Sistema Lehigh Valley — which delivers high-quality music instruction and academic tutoring to underserved and special needs youth
Learn more about the event and buy your tickets today.
It promises to be a thrilling evening!

Penn’s Peak Annc’s Back to the 80’s Show with Jessie’s Girl, Saturday, December 9

Penn’s Peak is proud to announce Back to the 80’s Show with Jessie’s Girl, Saturday, December 9, 2022 at 8pm.  

Every Saturday night for the last 5 years, crowds of ecstatic fans and newcomers alike have thrown on their best spandex, leg warmers and metal gear, lined up, and come to downtown NYC for an all-out celebration at the Back to the Eighties Show.

Each week you can find hundreds of fans singing at the top of their lungs, dancing and having the time of their lives as the top-notch musicians and vocal performers of Jessie’s Girl blow them away. Jessie’s Girl has mastered stunning renditions of the world’s most vibrant songs, all while dressed up as the unforgettable characters of that decade!

Bon Jovi, Cindi Lauper, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, and many more

come to life right before the dazzled eyes of the crowd.

It is theatre, meets live music, smothered in 80’s glitz. A performance like no other and a party you have to experience to believe.

Penn’s Peak is proud to announce Back to the 80’s Show with Jessie’s Girl, Saturday, December 9, 2022 at 8pm.  

Penn’s Peak is proud to announce Back to the 80’s Show with Jessie’s Girl, Saturday, December 9, 2022 at 8pm.

 

Tickets on sale Friday, July 29th at 10:00AM at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Penn’s Peak Box Office and Roadies Restaurant and Bar.  Penn’s Peak Box Office and Roadies Restaurant ticket sales are walk-up only, no phone orders.

General Admission

Advance: $25.00

Day of Show: $30.00

About Penn’s Peak

Penn’s Peak, a beautiful mountaintop entertainment venue located in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, can comfortably host 1,800 concertgoers.  Enjoy a spacious dance floor, lofty ceilings, concert bar/concession area and a full service restaurant and bar aptly named Roadie’s. Complete with a broad open-air deck for summertime revelry, Penn’s Peak patrons enjoy a breathtaking overlook of nearby Beltzville Lake, plus a commanding, picturesque 50-mile panoramic view of northeastern Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains. Choose Penn’s Peak for your next wedding, banquet or special event and treat your guests to an event truly “Above the Rest”.

Geographically convenient to residents of major population zones in Hazleton, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Stroudsburg, the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia and New York City, Penn’s Peak is an ideal location for any event.  It is located only four miles from Exit 74 of the northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  For more information on Penn’s Peak, go to www.pennspeak.com or call 866-605-7325.  

Penn’s Peak Annc’s Ryan Pelton – An Elvis Christmas Show, Saturday, December 3

Penn’s Peak is proud to announce Ryan Pelton – An Elvis Christmas Show, Saturday, December 3, 2022 

Ryan Pelton is an international, award winning, Elvis tribute artist, actor, and singer/songwriter.

He often refers to himself as the “Forrest Gump” of the ETA world, and claims to have been blessed with an extraordinary amount of dumb luck.

Ryan Pelton – An Elvis Christmas Show

Ryan Pelton – An Elvis Christmas Show

 

In September of 1998, Ryan Pelton was dared by his mother to enter a local Elvis contest in Columbus, OH.

At the time, Ryan was building websites for a living.  Ryan didn’t grow up in an “Elvis” household.  He knew little about the King of rock-n-roll, except for the fact that adults in public often said he looked like a “young Elvis” growing up.  Despite only having one week to prepare, Ryan entered the contest and against all odds, he won.

“I remember having to write the lyrics on my hand because I wasn’t familiar with any of the songs.

And keep in mind, I had never sang before in my life before that first contest.”

Pelton’s days as a website designer were soon over, as he wanted to pursue the entertainment world, saying, “I don’t want to be ninety years old one day and look back saying, ‘what if?’”

Over the next decade, Pelton honed his craft becoming an international, award-winning Elvis Tribute Artist.  In 2001 Pelton was declared the “World Champion” when he won the Worldwide Images of the King Contest in Memphis, TN.

He has performed all over the world, from casinos to fairs, theaters to festivals, production shows to professional sports arenas.

Entertaining audiences in the tens-of-thousands, there can be no doubt that Ryan Pelton is the rarest kind of performer – living up to his billing time and time again.

Throughout his career, Pelton has been involved in a number or unique opportunities that have led him to call himself the “Forest Gump” of the ETA world.  Ryan performed with the world’s largest impersonator production show, Legends in Concert, for nearly a decade, including a six year stint in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Early in his career, Ryan appeared in an all-Elvis version of The Weakest Link, where he walked away the winner of the second largest total ever won on the show in the United States.  He has appeared in an international commercial for Volvo, was the featured ETA in a special collector’s “Elvis Edition” of TV Guide, and was the body double for Elvis as he performed a duet of “If I Can Dream” on American Idol with Celine Dion.

During this time he also made his first movie appearance as he played the role of Elvis in the Dakota Fanning move, Hounddog.

In 2011, Ryan Pelton decided it was time to take his career to the next level when he released his first original album, Wash Over Me.  Within a week after the release of the album, Pelton was signed as a song writer by a well-known Nashville publishing company.

Shortly thereafter, Ryan Pelton was offered the lead role in a Hollywood film called The Identical.  Ryan Pelton took on the screen name of “Blake Rayne” for the film, which also starred Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, and Seth Green.

The film, which won the audience choice award for best film at the Nashville Film Festival, opened in theaters on September 5, 2014, and is currently a top ten rental on Netflix.

The Elvolution

While he was unable to perform as Elvis during the production of The Identical, Ryan Pelton has returned in 2015, touring again as the King of rock-n-roll.  His entertainment company is launching a new show called The Elvolution, and he has dedicated himself to competing in Elvis Presley Enterprises’ 2015 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Memphis, TN on August 11 & 13, 2015.

Ryan still continues to write and record his original music under the name of Blake Rayne, and is currently working on his first original album under that name.   “Blake” also continues to audition for acting roles, saying that, “Acting is one of the hardest things I have ever done… I guess that’s why I like it so much.  It kind of calls to my soul”.

But have no doubt – Ryan Pelton got his first break in entertainment by singing Elvis Presley music, and he has no plans to stop what got him where he is any time soon.

Says Pelton, “Life is like a box of chocolates… and I got the one that looks like Elvis!  I consider myself lucky… and I owe so much to Elvis.  Without the King and his music, I’d still be building websites.”

Tickets on sale Friday, July 29th at 10:00AM at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Penn’s Peak Box Office and Roadies Restaurant and Bar.  Penn’s Peak Box Office and Roadies Restaurant ticket sales are walk-up only, no phone orders.

Reserved Seating

Premium Reserved: $30.00

Regular Reserved: $25.00

About Penn’s Peak

Penn’s Peak, a beautiful mountaintop entertainment venue located in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, can comfortably host 1,800 concertgoers.  Enjoy a spacious dance floor, lofty ceilings, concert bar/concession area and a full service restaurant and bar aptly named Roadie’s. Complete with a broad open-air deck for summertime revelry, Penn’s Peak patrons enjoy a breathtaking overlook of nearby Beltzville Lake, plus a commanding, picturesque 50-mile panoramic view of northeastern Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains. Choose Penn’s Peak for your next wedding, banquet or special event and treat your guests to an event truly “Above the Rest”.

Geographically convenient to residents of major population zones in Hazleton, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Stroudsburg, the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia and New York City, Penn’s Peak is an ideal location for any event.  It is located only four miles from Exit 74 of the northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  For more information on Penn’s Peak, go to www.pennspeak.com or call 866-605-7325.  

The Haxans Haunted House Tour Headed to Sherman Theater Oct 26

The Haxans bring their Haunted House Party Tour to the Sherman Theater on October 26.
The  Haxans  are  Ashley  Costello, subcultural style icon and leader of Warped Tour screamo stars New Years Day, a seeming heir-apparent to the glory days of My Chemical Romance and AFI; and Matt Montgomery, better known by his alias Piggy D., bassist for over a decade with multi platinum shock rocker Rob Zombie, guitarist with horror punks Wednesday 13, and sometime visual and musical collaborator with rock icon Alice Cooper.
The Goth-pop duo, decked out in creep kitsch high fashion, and named after a silent film from the twenties about a 15th century German guide to hunting witches, THE HAXANS sound exactly like everything those images conjure.
The Haxans Haunted House Tour Headed to Sherman Theater

The Haxans Haunted House Tour Headed to Sherman Theater

It’s the psycho-saccharine music of a  fiendish creep’s fever dream… Classic art-house cinema, b-movie horror, spooky decadence, vintage American myth, and black roses dripping with blood are all tossed in The Haxans cauldron, like so many ingredients from a well worn book of spells.
The Haxans isn’t a side project. It’s the irrepressible, irresistible, and inevitable exorcism of  the  party-centric  Halloween  costume  shop  kicking  around  inside  the  brains  and bodies of the group’s two co-conspirators.
Those who spell magic with a “k” and vampire with a “y,” who invoke ancient spirits in pursuit of a superstitiously serendipitous good time – all denizens of darkness will find sanctuary in the warm boudoir-like atmosphere of The Haxans, both on record and on the stage. The duo will take their late-night revelry around the world on the Haxans Haunted House Party Tour tour collecting a like minded cult of creepy obsessives, purveyors of the  strange and unusual, and willfully charmed newcomers along the way.

Spuds and Suds is Back in Bath Saturday, August 20th

Spuds and Suds is Back in Bath Saturday, August 20th

The Greater Bath Area Chamber of Commerce (GBACC), a proud partner of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, is thrilled to be bringing back the famous Spuds & Suds festival after a pandemic hiatus! 

Starting at noon on Saturday, August 20th, over forty vendors will be packing the streets in downtown Bath – one of the largest events of the year!

Spuds and Suds is Back in Bath Saturday, August 20th

Spuds and Suds is Back in Bath Saturday, August 20th

 

You’ll find everything from crafters showing off their stained glass, hand crafted jewelry, craft soaps and bath products, and more! 

And the food… Spud-tastic menu items from your favorite local food trucks will feature potato based dishes, of course!

Pierogies, French fries, smashed garlic potatoes, chocolate covered potato chips, potato croquettes, and a baked potato bar… From sweet to savory, our food vendors will fulfill all your potato cravings. 

Of course, there will also be a main stage.

Kicking off the party will be local legends, The Wonton Soups, with their mix of fun, toe tapping covers you’ll love!

Spuds and Suds is Back in Bath Saturday, August 20th

Spuds and Suds is Back in Bath Saturday, August 20th

Following the soup course will be Chasing Daylight, another local Lehigh Valley favorite, coming off of Musicfest to join us.

Closing down the evening will be our headlining band, The Weekenders will rock the night out! 

Finally, Spuds & Suds is proud to add a car show component to the event as well! Come and see some of the most beautiful machines on four wheels and vote for your favorite while you enjoy the music and food. 

Greater Bath Area Chamber of Commerce Council Member from Terraform Engineering, Terry DeGroot said, “We are eagerly looking forward to the Spuds & Suds event after a hiatus of two years.  

We have over 40 vendors!

Alcohol vendors include Birthright Brewing, Seven Sirens Brewing, Mishka Vodka, and Lucchi Family Wine Cellars.  We also have food and craft vendors for every taste. Terraform is proud to sponsor this excellent street festival to highlight what Bath Borough has to offer.  Come and join us for great day of music, crafts, food, and drink!”

“I am so incredibly happy to know our streets will once again be filled with food, music, fun…and, smiling faces at the return of SPUDS & SUDS!  I am very grateful to The Chamber and the members of the Spuds & Suds committee for their dedication to this annual festival…and, to the sponsors for their continued support!” said Mayor Fiorella R. Mirabito. 

Spuds and Suds is Back in Bath Saturday, August 20th

Spuds and Suds is Back in Bath Saturday, August 20th

Of course, events like this would not be possible without the Power of Partnerships at work in our communities and businesses with:

The Borough of Bath, A.J Trunzo Inc., Tony Tibaldi with State Farm Insurance, Signal of Eastern PA, Muschlitz Excavating, Huratiak Homes, Kratzer Septic Service, My Place Pizza Restaurant, Colliers Engineering and Design, iHeart Radio, S. Seem Antiques and Artisans, Stephani Insurance Services, Barry Issett and Associates, Terraform Engineering, Truist Bank, Keystone Cement Company, ESSA Bank, Bensing Funeral Home, Bath Truck Caps, D Koder Marketing, and All Air Solutions. 

Penn’s Peak Annc’s In The Air Tonight – Celebrating the Music of Phil Collins, Sat Sept 17

Penn’s Peak announces In The Air Tonight – Celebrating the Music of Phil Collins and Genesis, Saturday, September 17, 2022

The name says it all. 

“IN THE AIR TONIGHT” is a concert re-creation of the Grammy award solo artist Phil Collins.

Playing all the famous “Phil Collins” Colossal solo hits

The show is amazing, playing all the famous “Phil Collins” Colossal solo hits as well as the famous Genesis songs. Everyone sings and dances at a “ITAT” concert. The visual of the lead singer and “dead on” vocals, really makes you think you’re watching the real deal. 

Come and celebrate the music of Phil Collins and Genesis because there’s 

Something “In The Air Tonight”

Tickets on sale Friday, August 5th at 12:00PM at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Penn’s Peak Box Office and Roadies Restaurant and Bar.  Penn’s Peak Box Office and Roadies Restaurant ticket sales are walk-up only, no phone orders.

General Admission

Advance: $22.00

Day of Show: $27.00

About Penn’s Peak

Penn’s Peak, a beautiful mountaintop entertainment venue located in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, can comfortably host 1,800 concertgoers.  Enjoy a spacious dance floor, lofty ceilings, concert bar/concession area and a full service restaurant and bar aptly named Roadie’s. Complete with a broad open-air deck for summertime revelry, Penn’s Peak patrons enjoy a breathtaking overlook of nearby Beltzville Lake, plus a commanding, picturesque 50-mile panoramic view of northeastern Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Mountains. Choose Penn’s Peak for your next wedding, banquet or special event and treat your guests to an event truly “Above the Rest”.

Geographically convenient to residents of major population zones in Hazleton, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Stroudsburg, the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia and New York City, Penn’s Peak is an ideal location for any event.  It is located only four miles from Exit 74 of the northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. 

For more information on Penn’s Peak, go to www.pennspeak.com or call 866-605-7325.  

Hersheypark Anncs New 2022 Halloween Experiences

Hersheypark Announces New 2022 Halloween Experiences

Halloween is coming up soon and Lehigh Valley’s Hersheypark is preparing for an even spookier season this year.

Hersheypark Announces New 2022 Halloween Experiences

Hersheypark Announces New 2022 Halloween Experiences

Hersheypark’s  “Dark Nights” will feature both scare zones and full haunted house experiences.

The event will include midways that transform from enchanting to unnerving with three Scare Zones, eerie to intense, included with a general admission ticket to Hersheypark Halloween.

Hersheypark Announces New 2022 Halloween Experiencespark Announces New 2022 Halloween Experiences

The Hersheypark Scare Zones include:

 

  • Darkstone’s Hollow – Wander among Professor Darkstone’s showmen boasting his array of mythical creatures. Beyond the mesmerizing imagery, there’s more to the show than meets the eye.
  • Valley of Fear – Don’t find yourself alone in the murky mists along Spring Creek. The dreadful beings are watching and waiting deep within the shadows, and they know exactly when to strike.
  • Midway of Misery – Flames burst into the skies as guests are summoned through a sinister gateway into the darkest corner of Hersheypark…where no one can find you.

Hersheypark Announces New 2022 Halloween Experiences

Also included in Dark Nights are four horrifying haunted houses:

 

  • Haunted Coal Mine – For too long, unsettling cries of miners lost in these coal shafts have tormented the living. Take a daring trek through the abandoned mine, which suddenly becomes an explosive encounter.
  • The Descent – Who prowls the dark underground tunnels beneath Hersheypark? Follow her into the depths of decay where the only way out is down…
  • Creature Chaos – Join Professor Darkstone as he pits you against Pennsylvania’s most fearful and deadly creatures. Don’t worry, they’re in their cages…for now.
  • Twisted Darkness – Dare to have your tarot read by our twisted fortune teller and be forced into a never-ending carnival of nightmares. Was it real or was it all in your mind?

Hersheypark Announces New 2022 Halloween Experiences

Tickets for the haunted houses start at $24.95 to experience them an unlimited amount of times during your visit. 

 

Information on purchasing can be found here

 

Younger children and those who don’t wish to be scared can bypass these scare zones after 6 p.m.

 

Besides the new haunted experiences, Hersheypark has extended its Halloween season to include seven weekends, starting on Sept. 17 and running until Oct. 30.

 

Lehigh Valley’s Bethlehem named on Top 100 Best Places to Live in America

Lehigh Valley’s Bethlehem named on Top 100 Best Places to Live in America

Livability.com, a website ranking the nation’s most livable small and mid-sized cities, included Bethlehem on their prestigious list.

How was Bethlehem placed as one of the Best Places to Live in America

The curation is very selective, including factors such as economic stability, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital, and health care. 

Lehigh Valley’s Bethlehem named on Top 100 Best Places to Live in America

Livability examines more than 2,300 small cities (population under 500,000) based on over  50 data points.

“If you’re a young person looking for a fresh start,

sick of living paycheck to paycheck due to insane rent prices and want to find a community that will welcome you with open arms,

this list is for you,”

Livability states in the report’s introduction released on July 19.

Bethlehem came in at No. 82 on the list while the No. 1 spot went to Madison, Wisconsin. 

Other Pennsylvania cities to make the list were Pittsburgh, (at number 9) and State College (at number 85). 

Does Bethlehem deserve to be Featured as one the Best Places to Live in America?

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is a special place. Known as the “Christmas City”, with top industries and sectors, restaurants and entertainment venues .

Lehigh Valley’s Bethlehem named on Top 100 Best Places to Live America 

Also high-quality educational institutions, such as Lehigh University and Moravian University, and Northampton Community College’s Fowler Family Southside Center.

Bethlehem’s strong economy is hosted by manufacturing and related industries. 

Diverse employers as Lehigh Heavy Forge, a legacy of Bethlehem Steel; and Bowery Farming, founded in December 2020.

Whether you’re starting your family, starting a new career or just ready for a peaceful change of pace, Bethlehem has lots to offer you from education, to healthcare, to fun for the whole family.

Easton’s Commodore Building Adds Upscale Housing and Dining

Easton’s Commodore Building adds upscale housing and dining

The local project that has taken longer than expected has finally reached a milestone moment and is ready for it’s next exciting steps.

“It’s a really tricky time right now for everybody,”

said Garett Vassel,

president of Optima Durant Group.

“We had some challenges with our former steel contractor and there was actually a bankruptcy with the sub contractors.”

Easton's Commodore Building adds Upscale Housing and Restaurants

They can move forward on the seven-story building.

“This is everything to me, it’s everything to the project,”

Vassel said.

“With this building closing up, now it’s a completely different trajectory for this project. Now people can start working late.

“You have 32 residential apartments – rental apartments. You have two floors of retail spaces. You have two floors commercial office space – about 14,000 square feet. And then 8,500-square-foot rooftop restaurant.”

Easton's Commodore Building adds Upscale Housing and Restaurants

The restaurant looks to be taken by The Trapani Family, who are already successful restauranteurs with Zest and Grille 3501.

“It’s a great opportunity I mean we’re very excited to just be part of the Easton community,”

said Patti Trapani

“Food-wise we’re looking toward the same thing,” Trapani said. “Fine dining but casual. We’re going to make a very inviting, comfortable setting, kind of warm. Maybe a bit more earthy type thing.”

Construction is now expected to wrap up with tenants moving in by the end of 2021 or early 2022.

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