How to do Saturday

The best of the Lehigh Valley, every Thursday · Issue #2 · September 10, 2026

Happy Thursday, Lehigh Valley!

The Fair is packed up and the kids are back in a routine. And the Valley just handed us one of the best Saturdays of the year.

The weather is cooperating, mostly. Friday hits 80 with a chance of a late-day shower. Saturday starts with some early rain that clears by mid-morning, then it's 82 and dry for the stomps and the fireworks. Sunday is sunny and 80. Bring a layer for the evening shows.

- Joe Roller

Some Saturdays you have to hunt for something to do. This one, you have to choose.

Here's everything on the board, by start time. Pick your lane at the bottom.

10am: Art in the Park turns 51. West Park, 16th and Turner, Allentown. Free, runs to 5. Painters, potters, glass, and jewelry fill the park. The Allentown Band plays the bandshell at 1:30.

11am: Brew at the Zoo. Lehigh Valley Zoo, Schnecksville, 11 to 5. The 11th year of beer tastings between the animals. Zoo admission is included, and you need ID to buy a ticket.

Noon: pick your grape stomp. Both are in Breinigsville with live music. Vynecrest runs Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4, with a souvenir shirt and a glass of wine. Clover Hill is Saturday only, noon to 5, $50 for a two-person team and $5 per kid, with food from the Iron Grille.

2pm: Lehigh's home opener. Lehigh vs William and Mary at Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem.

6pm: free music in Wescosville. Wicked Beaver plays under the pavilion at Shepherd Hills Golf Club, 6 to 9. No cover listed.

6:35pm: IronPigs fireworks. The last Saturday home game of the year at Coca-Cola Park. Fireworks after, and a rubber duck for the first 3,000 adults.

7:05pm: Flyers vs Rangers rookies. PPL Center, Allentown.

7:30pm: Los Straitjackets. Masked surf rock closes out the free Levitt Pavilion season in Bethlehem.

Now pick your lane:

Pick three things and you've had a great Saturday.

Click here: To see the Art in the Park artist list!

The old Keurig Dr Pepper plant in Upper Macungie is getting a new tenant, and it's a big one.

Chobani plans to put $1.2 billion into the site and add more than 900 jobs over five years. Production starts in 2027.

Don Cunningham at the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation said this and the Eli Lilly project bring an "unprecedented, historic level" of activity to the Valley. For the west valley, that means a lot of new neighbors and a lot of yogurt.

Click here: To read the full story!

Meet Makku. Upper Macungie Township's new mascot showed up at National Night Out at Grange Park, foam party included.

Every township needs one. Now the west valley has one.

Click here: To see Makku's big debut!

Fourteen Lehigh Valley churches set out to raise $20,000 to buy up and forgive old medical bills. They raised $45,000.

Through a nonprofit called Undue Medical Debt, that's about $6 million in bills, gone. Families across the Valley will find out by letter in the mail.

Click here: To read the story!

Three homes, three budgets, three corners of the Valley. Live at send time.

If you've ever walked the MLK Trail and hit the gap at Cedar Crest Boulevard, this one's for you.

Allentown landed a $545,750 state grant to close that gap and link Trexler Park to Cedar Creek Park. One long trail through the West End, no dodging traffic in between.

Grants come before shovels, so give it time. But it's coming.

Click here: To read about the trail link!

Emmaus won a Community of Distinction Award from the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission. Look for the six new signs around the borough.

Easton's free Saturday trolley is sticking around through December 19, 9am to 1:30pm, with a stop at the Scott Park farmers market.

Coming soon: Dave's Hot Chicken opens its first Valley spot in Lower Nazareth next week, with a soft open September 17 and the grand opening September 18. Seven spice levels, good luck. And J's Steaks and Subs is teaming up with Weyerbacher on a taproom at 448 N 17th St by the Fairgrounds, due by the end of the year.

Click here: To read about Dos Hermanos and see the menu!

One way to help the Valley each week, plus the nonprofit events worth knowing about.

Celtic Classic takes over downtown Bethlehem September 25 to 27, and it does not happen without about 600 volunteers.

Four-hour shifts, 20+ jobs (ushers, parade marshals, stage hands, beer tapping), and a $5 gift card plus a free shuttle for every shift. Got a group of 8 or more? Email [email protected].

Click here: To grab a Celtic Classic volunteer shift!

Yappy Hour, Lehigh Valley Humane Society | Tonight (Thu) 4:30 to 7:30pm, Sherman Street Beer Co, Allentown
Adoptable dogs, raffles, and beer. Bring a bag of pet food or some towels for the shelter.

Walk to End Alzheimer's | Sat Sept 19, 9:30am ceremony, SteelStacks, Bethlehem
Free to register. 850+ walkers signed up so far, chasing a $350,000 goal.

Walk for Pancreatic Cancer Research | Sun Sept 20, 10:15am walk, Lehigh Parkway, Allentown
Three miles, dog and stroller friendly.

Rotary Celtic Classic 5K | Sat Sept 26, 11:25am, Bethlehem Area Public Library
$35 through September 23.

Paws, Pints and Purpose | Sun Sept 27, 12 to 3pm, Seven Sirens, Bethlehem
$1 from every drink goes to the Humane Society.

Is your nonprofit doing something? | anywhere in the Valley
Fundraiser, walk, drive, gala: hit reply and we'll list it here, free.

FREE means free. Prices are listed where the organizer posts them. Double-check times before heading out!

THURSDAY

Yappy Hour FREE | Thu 4:30 to 7:30pm, Sherman Street Beer Co, Allentown
From Do Some Good above.

Musician-in-Residence happy hour FREE | Thu 5pm, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown
Violinist Jorge Vera. Free, but grab a ticket first.

IronPigs vs Worcester | Thu 6:45pm, Coca-Cola Park
Youth cap giveaway for the first 1,500 kids.

FRIDAY

Little Lies, a Fleetwood Mac tribute FREE | Fri 6 to 9pm, Union Terrace Amphitheater, Allentown

Triple Dog Dare | Fri 6 to 9pm, Shepherd Hills Golf Club pavilion, Wescosville
Outdoor show, food and drinks from the Foundation Tavern. No cover listed.

IronPigs First Responders Night | Fri 6:45pm, Coca-Cola Park
Fireworks after the game.

Patriot Day at Levitt FREE | Fri 7pm ceremony, 7:30 music, Levitt Pavilion, Bethlehem
A short 9/11 remembrance, then The Aardvarks.

BobFest + Jake Thistle | Fri 8pm, Musikfest Cafe, Bethlehem
Dylan and Jackson Browne tributes. $38 to $48.

Tyler Rothrock | Fri 9pm, Bethlehem Visitor Center
Comedy. $14 to $15.

SATURDAY

Midway Manor Community Yard Sale FREE | Sat 8am to 1pm, Midway Manor neighborhood, Allentown
Rain date Sunday.

Easton Farmers Market FREE | Sat 9am to 1pm, Scott Park, Easton
Free trolley runs 9 to 1:30.

Bethlehem Rose Garden Farmers Market FREE | Sat 9am to 1pm, 8th Ave and W Broad

Art in the Park FREE | Sat 10am to 5pm, West Park, Allentown

Paddington 2 | Sat 10am, Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, Bethlehem
$7. Lights-up, sound-down showing at 10:30.

Brew at the Zoo | Sat 11am to 5pm, Lehigh Valley Zoo, Schnecksville

Clover Hill Grape Stomp | Sat 12 to 5pm, Breinigsville
$50 per two-person team, $5 per kid.

Lehigh football vs William and Mary | Sat 2pm, Goodman Stadium, Bethlehem

Schitt's Creek mystery dinner | Sat 6pm, Bear Creek, Macungie

Wicked Beaver | Sat 6 to 9pm, Shepherd Hills Golf Club pavilion, Wescosville
No cover listed.

IronPigs Jeep Night | Sat 6:35pm, Coca-Cola Park
Fireworks and a rubber duck giveaway.

Flyers vs Rangers rookies | Sat 7:05pm, PPL Center, Allentown

Los Straitjackets FREE | Sat 7:30pm, Levitt Pavilion, Bethlehem
Last free show of the season.

The Anderson Brothers: Journey of Jazz | Sat 7:30pm, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown

Synced Up improv | Sat 9pm, Bethlehem Visitor Center
$13.

SUNDAY

Emmaus Farmers Market FREE | Sun 10am to 1pm, Triangle Park

IronPigs season finale | Sun 1:15pm, Coca-Cola Park
2027 wall calendar giveaway. Last home game until April.

Plant Bingo with The Wicked Botanist | Sun 2pm, Musikfest Cafe, Bethlehem
$23.50, 21+.

Allentown Band: Salute to Bert Meyers FREE | Sun 3pm, West Park bandshell, Allentown

Flyers vs Rangers rookies | Sun 5:05pm, PPL Center, Allentown

Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues | Sun 7pm, State Theatre, Easton
$55 to $105.

ALL WEEKEND

Vynecrest Harvest Weekend and Grape Stomp | Sat + Sun 12 to 4pm, Breinigsville
Live music both days.

Grim's Fall Festival, weekend two | Sat + Sun 10am to 7pm, Breinigsville
Last entry 5:30. $12 to $38.

Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market FREE | Thu 9 to 7, Fri 8 to 7, Sat 8 to 6, 1825 Chew St

Crayola Experience Color Days: Purple | Sept 12 to 18, Easton

YergFest runs at Yergey Brewing in Emmaus September 17 to 21.
Screamin' Green Hauntoween starts at Crayola September 19.
Celtic Classic takes over Bethlehem September 25 to 27. That Saturday also brings the Fall Wine Festival at the Zoo and opening day for the Seiple Farms corn maze.
Oktoberfest at SteelStacks runs October 2 to 4 and 9 to 11.
The Lehigh Valley Buddy Walk is Saturday, October 3, at Cedar Crest College.

Know someone who is always asking "what's going on this weekend?" Send them the Loop. When one friend signs up through your link, you get The Lehigh Valley Fall Guide: 40 fall events across the Valley in one place.

That's the Loop. Know about something happening in the Valley? Hit reply, we read everything. See you next Thursday.