Merry Month of May!

Along with May flowers, May brings an array of local concerts, as well as Make Music Upper Perk 2023 news!

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Anyone interested in volunteering with Make Music Upper Perk this year should drop by the MMUP Volunteer Meeting on Saturday, May 6th, 2023 at 10 a.m. at New Goshenhoppen Park (618 Third Street, East Greenville, PA). Volunteers are needed before and after the event, as well as on the actual date – Wednesday, June 21st, 2023. You can sign up online, as well as read about all the different volunteer opportunities (sign posters, roadies, site hosts, yarn bombers, and more).

Schedules and maps for this year’s Make Music Music Upper Perk should start popping up this coming week (including on this website!) – look for printed schedules next week at the Upper Perkiomen School District Arts Festival – in the lobby before the concerts – and at the Red Hill Band concert later this month, as well as at various public places around the Valley.

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Sondheim’s A Little Night Music opens at Civic Theater (19th Street, Allentown, PA) tonight, Friday May 5th, and runs through May 21st, 2023. Tickets may be bought online or at the box office.

On Sunday evening, May 7th, the Civic Theater is hosting Stephen Sondheim – a Celebration in Concert. This one night only event begins at 7:30 p.m. at the 19th Street Theater. $23 tickets are available online.

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There will be live music outdoors, along with a chance to explore the Haines estate and vehicle museum at this year’s Upper Perkiomen Valley Library Beer, Wine, and Spirits Fundraiser on Saturday, May 6th. Tickets will be available for purchase at the gate, beginning at 4 p.m. The event runs until 7 p.m. and is the library’s biggest fundraiser of the year!

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Bel Canto Youth Chorus’ 30th Anniversary Spring Concert will be held at the Wesley United Methodist Church of Bethlehem (2540 Center Street) at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 6th – so much happening this first Saturday in May! Tickets will be sold at the door, although they are also available to purchase online.

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Next week is a great opportunity to support, see, and hear the outstanding artistic and musical talent of the students in the Upper Perkiomen School District! Starting Tuesday, May 9th with the Elementary School Chorus, followed by the Middle School Chorus Concert – both on stage at the Upper Perkiomen Middle School (901Montgomery Avenue, Pennsburg, PA) starting at 6:30 p.m., make sure to make time to also see the Art Show. Wednesday night, May 10th, the Elementary Band and Middle School Band will be performing (6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively), while the Elementary Orchestra and Middle School Orchestra take the spotlight on Thursday May 11th (6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.). The Elementary/UPMS Art Show will be open from 6 p.m. -8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday.

The Upper Perkiomen High School Art Show opens on Thursday, May 11th at 6 p.m. Art and Xlab Awards will be handed out at 6:30 p.m., followed by High School Music Recital at 7 p.m., at the Upper Perkiomen High School (2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA) The Upper Perkiomen High School Orchestra and Band Concert will be performed on Friday, May 12th, starting at 7 p.m. The High School Art Show will be on display from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

And keep an eye out for the newly released Make Music Upper Perk 2023 Programs, free for the taking, outside the auditoriums before each concert!

Not to be left out, the Upper Perkiomen High School Choir Concert, also open to the public, is scheduled for Friday, May 19th, 2023, beginning at 7 p.m.

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The 58th Annual Juried Bethlehem Fine Arts and Craft Show is once again over Mother’s Day Weekend, Saturday, May 13, 2023 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 14th from 11 a.m. -5 p.m., along Main Street in Historic Bethlehem, PA. There will also be live music and a children’s art tent at this free public outdoor event.

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Sunday, May 21st, the Red Hill Band will be opening their 2023 Season with a concert at 2 p.m. in the Upper Perkiomen High School auditorium (2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA). As always, this concert is free and open to the public.

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Ideas for a rainy Saturday in March

It’s raining. Again.

If you are tired of the rain and/or tired of being inside, might I suggest heading out to these local events;

Today, Saturday, March 25, 2023, just down the road in Gilbertsville, local crafters are selling Spring decor, jewelry, signs, handblown glass, wreaths and much more, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Spring Craft Fair. This event is being held at the New Hanover United Methodist Church – North Campus, 3065 N. Charlotte Street Gilbertsville, PA.

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Read It Used Books is a great little used bookstore in Skippack, owned by Upper Perk locals (and friends), the Sattlers!This is a hidden treasure that deserves to be better known – and my idea of a perfect rainy day getaway! Add in the live music, free cocktails, and other surprises, and who wouldn’t want to head over this afternoon, Saturday, March 25th for their Open House? The live music and fun starts at 3 p.m. and runs until 7 p.m. (Feel free to head over earlier to browse and find some of your new favorite books to read this spring.)

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Now that spring is here, some of us are already planning for summer – for the first day of summer in particular; Wednesday, June 21st – the eleventh annual Make Music Upper Perk! Musician registration continues through April 20th, volunteer registration is ongoing.

There is one week left of the March fundraising campaign, Make the Music Happen – Please donate today!

We’re raising money to Make the Music Happen on Wednesday, June 21st, 2023! To meet new challenges, we’ve set up this campaign with a goal of $1,500.

Donate during the month of March and your name can be listed on the printed program and online at ValleyArtScene.wordpress.com

Time to Sign Up to Play at Make Music Upper Perk 2023!

Today is February 1st, and that means that Musician Registration for Make Music Upper Perk is now open, and will remain so through midnight, April 20, 2023!

Wednesday, June 21, 2023 will be the 11th Make Music Upper Perk !

Music makers of all ages, abilities, and genres are invited to be part of this event.

We are inviting you to play at one (or more) of the over one dozen venues that have agreed to host live music, all open and free to the public, as part of this international celebration of music. Performance spaces are both inside and outside, large and small, some with sound systems and some best for acoustic music only.

Gather your friends, dust off your instruments, and sign up – remember, all musical genres are welcome (but do keep it family friendly!) 

We will also be hosting spoken word performers and poets once again, at Wunderbarn on the evening of June 21st – sign up on the musician registration form and choose the Wunderbarn venue on the form.

Make Music Upper Perk takes place every year on the first day of summer, June 21st, throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley; free music concerts held indoors and outdoors, in local parks, green spaces, libraries, coffeehouses, local businesses, community centers, everywhere and anywhere musicians of all ages and abilities and instrumental preference would like to perform. A full performance schedule will be widely distributed online and on paper in May. Of course, one might also just stumble across a public performance on the sidewalk, while getting some coffee, or a book at the library, or on the way to workout at the local YMCA.

MMUP is officially part of  Fete de la Musique – look for us on their world map!

Make Music Upper Perk is ALWAYS free and open to the public.

Remember the first day of summer 2022? Revisit MMUP 2022 with tonight’s livestream on CWTAP!

Remember that beautiful sunny warm day that was the first day of summer 2022? It was a day filled with music, friends, and family – community coming together to celebrate music and local talent and public gathering spaces throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley. It was Make Music Upper Perk!

Tonight – Monday, January 16, 2023 – at 7 p.m. on CWTAP, revisit Make Music Upper Perk 2022 by watching and listening to the livestream of the third installment of Funday Monday’s coverage of this past summer’s Make Music Upper Perk. Thanks to Jim and Jason Ritter, who recorded and edited hours and hours of music performed all over the Valley on June 21, 2022 (along with help from volunteer Dillon Brendle).

Happy New Year!

A new year brings new concerts, new theater productions, new art exhibits, new books, and lots of folks behind the scenes working, rehearsing, and volunteering to make it all happen.

Make Music Upper Perk is lining up new board members, new volunteers, and new musicians – as well as welcoming back those who have been a part of the Make Music Upper Perk from the beginning, or joined in at any point over the last ten years.

Make sure and mark your calendar for Wednesday, June 21st, 2023 for this year’s Make Music Upper Perk – a day filled with live music (by music makers of all ages, all abilities, all genres) throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley, inside and outside, all free for everyone.

Volunteer registration for 2023 is now open, musician registration opens on February 1st, and donations are always welcome.

Make Music Upper Perk is an all volunteer, 501c3 non-profit organization.

Scarecrows, seasonal theater, and Halloween Parade

What a beautiful fall weekend – and a great day to play baseball (or watch the playoffs – Go Phillies!).

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Take advantage of the weather and take a walk in Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, PA) and take in the sight of 100 handmade scarecrows at the 43rd annual Scarecrows in the Village! This annual creative competition and free display draws visitors from near and far, and will continue through the end of October. This weekend, however, Peddler’s Village is also hosting OctoberFeast, Saturday and Sunday, October 15th and 16th, featuring the Philadelphia German Brass Band, GTV Almrausch, and the Galena Brass Band.

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While not always a fan of spooky, exceptions may be made for the plays on stage this month locally; Blithe Spirit opens this weekend at Montgomery Theater (124 Main Street, Souderton, PA), Little Shop of Horrors opened at Steel River Playhouse (245 E High Street, Pottstown, PA) last weekend, and Deathtrap is now playing at PA Playhouse (390 Illick’s Mill Road, Bethlehem, PA). All three plays run through October 23rd, 2022, and tickets may be bought online or at the box office.

Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward – Fussy, cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine is re-married but haunted (literally) by the ghost of his first wife, the clever and insistent Elvira. She is called up by a visiting “happy medium,” one Madame Arcati. As the personalities clash, humor ensues, and Charles is confronted with new spirits to contend with.

Montgomery Theater

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Little Shop of Horrors – Join us as we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway premiere.

Mild-mannered Seymour stumbles across a new breed of plant that he names “Audrey II” after his co-worker crush. However, Audrey II’s demands escalates as quickly as she grows.  This dark comedy continues to entertain to this day.

Steel River Playhouse

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Deathtrap – Comfortably ensconced in his charming Connecticut home, Sidney Bruhl, a successful writer of Broadway thrillers, is struggling to overcome a dry spell which has resulted in a string of failures and a shortage of funds. A possible break in his fortunes occurs when he receives a script from a student in the seminar he has been conducting at a nearby college—a thriller that Sidney recognizes immediately as a potential Broadway smash. Sidney’s plan, devised with his wife’s help, is to offer collaboration to the student for co-credit. Or is it? DEATHTRAP provides twists and turns of devilish cleverness, and offers hilariously sudden shocks in such abundance that audiences will be spellbound until the very last moment.

The Pennsylvania Playhouse

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If you prefer a musical, with no death count,  The Spongebob Musical is still on at Civic Theater of Allentown (19th Street, Allentown), running through Sunday, October 23, 2022. Tickets may be bought online or at the box office.

Adapted from the iconic Nickelodeon series! SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy, Squidward, and all of Bikini Bottom face total annihilation–until a most unexpected hero rises to take center stage. Filled with hilarious production numbers and insightful lyrics, this charming and ridiculous show about a “Simple Sponge” taking on the world with his friends is sure to warm the hearts and split the sides of everyone who attends.

Civic Theater of Allentown

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And Side by Side by Sondheim, a wonderful mix of some of Sondheim’s best, and best known, Broadway musical songs, can be seen at DeSales University (2755 Station Avenue • Center Valley, PA) this weekend and next. Shows often sell out at DeSales, so it’s worth buying your tickets in advance online, if possible.

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It’s always a good time to stock up on books, which makes this a good time to head over to Upper Perkiomen Valley Library (350 Main Street) in Red Hill for the Friends of the Library Fall Used Book Sale – now through October 23, 2022, during regular library hours, in the lower level of the library.

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The Upper Perkiomen Halloween Parade is scheduled for Sunday, October 23rd (rain date is Tuesday, October 25th) – cheer on the Upper Perkiomen High School Marching Band, and the Make Music Upper Perk group, in addition to all the other local groups and organizations! (And if you’d like to be in the parade, as part of the MMUP contingent, or donate candy for MMUP to hand out along Main Street, please email ValleyArtScene@gmail.com

Watch CWTAP’s show with music and recordings from Make Music Upper Perk 2022!

On CWTAP’s and Make Music’s Facebook page – the Jim and Jason Ritter Funday Monday night show, with recordings and video from Make Music Upper Perk 2022! There will be additional shows with more music and performances from MMUP 2022 in the future on CWTAP – watch on cable tv or online at their website or on Facebook.

Last Weeks of Summer

The last time I posted here was on the first day of summer, and here we are in the middle of August, looking at the final weeks before Labor Day, the unofficial but widely acknowledged end of summer for most folks in the U.S. In between then and now, many of us have experienced travel and heat waves, family picnics and walks in the woods, read many books and watched too many shows and movies (while enjoying the cool indoors) to count.

Now that the heat wave has finally broken, and evening are cool and comfortable, here are a few suggestions of places to go, music to hear, and art to view, without having to drive (or walk!) too far.

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Just down the road, outside of Schwenksville, is the 60th Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival, starting tonight for campers, and tomorrow, Friday, August 19th – Sunday August 21st, for everyone else! Buy tickets online or at the gate; Old Pool Farm, Upper Salford Township – 1323 Salford Station Rd. Harleysville, PA.

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The Pocket Joys will be taking the outdoor stage at Wunderbarn, 2979 Kutztown Road, East Greenville, on Friday, August 19th, at 7:30 p.m. Lots of fun for all ages!

The Pocket Joys, a Philadelphia based folk duo, formed in 2018. The members include Priscilla Hopkins (songwriter, vocals, ukulele, and banjolele) and Denise Burkhart (vocals, keys, and bells). Both members are visual art teachers in Philadelphia.  Join us this evening as they return to the Wunderbarn stage for whimsical music paired with projections.

This is a free event, but donations for The Pocket Joys are welcome. CDs and merch available for sale that evening as well.

Wunderbarn

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Craig Thatcher Band is performing a free concert outside on Friday, August 19, 2022, at Hopewell Park, 4695 W Hopewell Road, Central Valley, Pa.

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More free live music, right on Main Street in Upper Perk, on Saturday evening, August 20th, 2022; the Red Hill Band will play from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the annual Pennsburg UCC Peach Festival (the food stands, with homemade food for dinner, baked goods, and, of course, peaches and ice cream, open at 4 p.m.- 775 Main Street, Pennsburg, PA; Chibi Cafe is hosting an Open Mic from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., as well – 218 Main Street, East Greenville, PA. Both of these events are free and open to the public.

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Head over to Green Lane Park Amphitheater on Sunday, August 21st for a free outdoor concert, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., by the Southern Edge Band;

A Philadelphia-based southern rock group versed in country music, southern rock, and classic rock. Southern Edge is a versatile quintet that has been performing at county fairs, community concerts, and opening on tours for over 30 years; they have performed with household names such as Miranda Lambert and Erich Church and are all accomplished musicians. 

Scoop News

Bring blankets or lawn chairs – parking and admission is free, bringing your own food and beverages is permitted. There is a playground not far from the audience area, and picnic tables nearby –  2298 Green Lane Road, Green Lane, PA 

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Wunderbarn is once more hosting Vaudeville Storytime: Family Circus Time, on Saturday, August 20th, 2022, from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Join us for a morning of family friendly circus fun! This story time is for all ages. Bring the whole family and hone your skills of balance together, play games, learn some new hula hoop moves, and practice juggling. This is a free event, but donations for The Wunderbarn are welcome. 

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If you’ve been missing live theater, Mrs. California opens at DCP Theater tonight, Thursday, August 18th, and runs through August 28, 2022. Tickets may be bought online or at the door, 795 Ridge Road, Telford, PA.

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Pennypacker Mills continues its free, family friendly, Porch Performance series with the play Sherlock Holmes and the Speckled Band. The one hour show begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 20th, 2022. Audience members are advised to bring a lawn chair or blanket for this one day only outdoor performance – 5 Haldeman Rd, Schwenksville, PA.

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Beginning on August 27th, the Allentown Art Museum will be free for everyone, every day that they are open. Currently, the museum is open Thursdays through Sundays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. (11 a.m. – 8 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month). This is a gem of a small art museum, and the width and breadth of the collection may surprise you, if you haven’t been there recently. Renovations on several galleries, including the New American Galleries, open on August 27th, many showcasing newly acquired works of local artists, as well as highlighting women, African American, Latinx, Afro-Latinx, Central and South American, Indigenous artists.

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And if you’d like to look back at the first day of summer – Make Music Upper Perk photos are now online, free to view (and download – just please give credit to the photographer if posting or using the photographs beyond your own four walls.).

Over 1200 photographs were taken by five volunteer photographers (and a couple by a few others) at 19 locations through the Upper Perkiomen Valley over 13 hours in one day – Tuesday, June 21st – at Make Music Upper Perk 2022.

Photos by Art Olsen – Zenfolio | Art Olsen Photography | Make Music Upper Perk 2022

Photos by Dave Lewis, Brian McNeill, Lee Shultz, Jake Wink – there are 20 unique sets of photos from 2022 at this site! –  https://valleyartscene.pixieset.com/makemusicupperperk2022/

Enjoy the photographs and memories, and don’t forget to save the date – Wednesday, June 21, 2023 – for next year’s Make Music Upper Perk!

Wunderbarn Weekend, Juneteenth, and MMUP!

The first official day of summer – and Make Music Upper Perk – is still a few days away – Tuesday, June 21st – but that doesn’t mean you have to wait to enjoy good music, art, theater, and more, inside and out!

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Wunderbarn has scheduled a weekend of fun at their marvelous performance arts space in East Greenville (2979 Kutztown Road, East Greenville, PA – by Rainbow Tomatoes). The Only an Hour Variety Hour begins at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Friday, June 17, 2022; this open mic evening is open to poets, musicians, comedians, dancers and writers wishing to share some of their works in progress or in print with the audience. Folks should feel free to bring their own blanket or chair and snacks for this free public event – though some very tasty snacks, baked goods, and beverages will be for sale at the Rainbow Tomatoes farmstand.

Saturday, June 18th, Wunderbarn is celebrating self-declared Social Circus Day, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.;

Meet the multitalented circus artists of SpinCo Philly and learn how to juggle, spin poi, hoop, spin plates, and ribbon dance. Enjoy performances on the Wunderbarn stage at 1 p.m., play a game, and make a kazoo. Then go home tired and deliriously happy, ready to start your own circus! This event is free, but donations to SpinCo are welcome. 

Wunderbarn

And on Sunday, June 19th, Wunderbarn is hosting a writing workshop “guided by a wide array of special instruments including handpan, medicine drum and gong.” Sound Immersion with Jen Ryan will be from 1 p.m. – 2:30. Registration is requested, via email (jenniferdunnhill@gmail.com), though drop-ins are welcome. There is a $20 fee.

Wunderbarn is also participating in this year’s Make Music Upper Perk! On Tuesday, June 21st, Wunderbarn is hosting an evening of Poetry, Prose, and Music. Check out Tom Mato’s report from Wunderbarn on Make Music Upper Perk on YouTube.

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Of course, Wunderbarn isn’t the only place having fun this weekend.

Live music at multiple local breweries tonight, Friday, June 17th, including at the brand new Publication Brew Works (at the former Town and Country building) at the intersection of Main Street (Rt 29) and Route 663 aka Pennsburg Square, holding their Grand Opening tonight. Ian Althouse will be providing the live music from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Perkiomen Valley Brewery in Green Lane is hosting “Bluegrass with Gabe Delp and Friends” from 7 p.m. -9 p.m. tonight, as well.

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The Stahl Summer Pottery Festival is outside this Saturday, June 18th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. At this festival there will be over 30 potters displaying and selling contemporary and traditional works, an opportunity to try using a potter’s wheel, and to tour the potting shed and kiln, demonstrations by master potters, an exhibit of historic Stahl pottery, food for sale, and more. Parking is free, there is a $4 entrance fee for adults (children are free). 6826 Corning Road Zionsville, PA

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Celebrations for Juneteenth – now a national federal recognized holiday – are happening all over! Nearby celebrations include A Celebration of Liberty at SteelStacks in Bethelehem, PA;

Join us as we celebrate Juneteenth 2022 on June 18th from 11 am – 7 p.m. at SteelStacks in Bethlehem

There will be a theatrical presentation, a variety of musical bands (Soul, R&B, Jazz, and Reggae), ethnic food trucks and vendors, children’s activities (creative story telling and arts and crafts), relevant cinema viewing with a panel discussion, historical menu tasting, a fine arts display and more.

Juneteenth Lehigh Valley

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Elmwood Park Zoo (1661 Harding Blvd, Norristown, PA) is hosting the Greater Norristown NAACP Juneteenth Celebration from 1 – 4 p.m. on both Saturday, June 18th and Sunday, June 19th, 2022.

This family friendly event will feature live music, animal meet and greets and keeper chats. On Sunday June 19, guests will have the opportunity to connect with local organizations in our community.

Elmwood Park Zoo

Norristown Borough residents (19401) can attend the event (June 18 or June 19) for free by PRE-REGISTERING HERE

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Zydeco-a- Go-Go takes the stage at the Green Lane Park Amphitheater at 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 19, 2022. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, and maybe a picnic or some snacks, and head over to the Green Lane Park to enjoy this free, family friendly, two hour concert of ” Louisiana Zydeco dancehall hits and Cajun blues mixes with vintage New Orleans rhythm & blues” outdoors in the park (not far from the playground and tennis courts). 1960 Snyder Road, Green Lane, PA

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This is the last weekend to catch the stage play Murder on the Orient Express at DCP Theater, just down the road in Telford. Tickets are available online and at the door. 795 Ridge Road, Telford, PA. Masks are recommended but not required.

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This weekend (and all next week), head over to Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center to look back at favorite photos, posters, and programs from 2013-2022 – 10 Years of Make Music Upper Perk! – upstairs in the large meeting room with the grand piano (where musical performances open to the public will be happening from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21st). The Schwenkfelder Library is open 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturdays, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. on Sunday, CLOSED on Monday, 9 -6 Tuesday, June 21st, 9-4 Wednesday, 9-8 on Thursday, and 9-4 on Friday.

And don’t forget to celebrate the first day of summer at Make Music Upper Perk! Tuesday, June 21st, at 19 locations, 130 acts, over 300 musicians, all over the Upper Perkiomen Valley; all free, all day (9 a.m. – 10 p.m.), all types of music, for all ages.

Celebrating the Arts in May!

So many possibilities all around us, and so many ways to enjoy fine art, music, and theater this month of May.

First Friday in Southside Bethlehem tonight, Friday, May 6th, 2022, will have the streets and shops filled with live music beginning around 6 p.m., with the most activity at the Banana Factory Block Party with art workshops, gallery exhibits, demonstrations, and live music. The Block Party is two days, Friday, May 6th from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. and Saturday, May 7th from noon to five p.m. All free and open to the public.

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The Monty Python musical Spamalot opens tonight at Civic Theater, 19th Street, Allentown, PA and runs through May 22, 2022. Tickets may be purchased online or at the box office.

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This weekend there are two outdoor craft fairs scheduled for nearby; the Downtown Bethlehem Fine Art and Craft Show hosts more than 80 juried artists and crafters on Saturday, May 7th from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 8th from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., and the Skippack Spring Festival, held outdoors in downtown Skippack Village, Pa with live music, crafters, food, and more from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 7-8, 2022, along Skippack Pike. Both are free and open to the public.

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Three fun ways to support local public libraries!

Tickets ($25) may be bought online or at the gate at the Haines Estate, Geryville Pike, Pennsburg, PA this Saturday afternoon, May 7th, 2022 for the Outdoor Beer and Wine Tasting fundraiser for the Upper Perkiomen Valley Library, rain or shine, from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. There will also be live music by the local band, SalJam, featuring jazz classics.

Join us in sampling wines, tasty local brews, and food truck fare while exploring the Haines property and vehicle museums. There will be a cornhole tournaments, raffles (including Phillies tickets), and lots of outdoor socializing! Tickets are $25 per person (includes glass and tastings – food truck fare sold separately).

Upper Perkiomen Valley Library

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Pottstown Regional Public Library on Thursday, May 12th, 2022 from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Student musicians from Pottsgrove School District will provide the music, while guests enjoy wine and cheese, and other light refreshments. Special displays will be set up at the library featuring many of the services the library offers, as well as tables with information about different countries to add to the ambience. There will also be a basket raffle and silent auction at this ticketed fundraiser. Tickets are $25 if bought before May 11th and $30 if bought at the door on the day of the event. Pottstown Regional Public Library , 500 E. High Street, Pottstown, Pa

Enjoy June Jazz at the Zoo while supporting the book fund for the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library and its branches (of which Upper Perkiomen Valley Library is one!) The wonderful N Town Band will be back, providing the live music, while guests mingle, check out the silent auction, maybe spots a giraffe and some eagles, enjoy some refreshments and a glass or two of wine, beer, or soft drinks. The $50 ticket includes two complimentary drinks along with admission to the fundraiser, and may be purchased online or at the door. The event is on Thursday, June 2nd, 2022, from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Blvd, Norristown, PA

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Arts Week is back in the Upper Perkiomen School District! Concerts will be held at both the Upper Perkiomen Middle School, 901 Montgomery Ave, Pennsburg, PA and at the Upper Perkiomen High School, 2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA, from Tuesday, May 10th through Friday, May 13th, 2022. Come out to see, hear, and support these talented students.

Tuesday, May 10

Elementary Choir – 6:30pm @ UPMS
MS Chorus – 7:15pm @ UPMS
Elementary/MS Art Show – 6-8pm @ UPMS

Wednesday, May 11

HS Jazz Band – 6:15pm @ UPMS
Elementary Band – 6:30pm @ UPMS
MS Band – 7:15pm @ UPMS
Elementary/MS Art Show – 6-8pm @ UPMS

Thursday, May 12

Elementary Orchestra 6:30pm @ UPMS
MS Orchestra – 7:15pm @ UPMS
HS Recital – 6pm @ UPHS
HS Jazz Band – 6:30pm @UPHS
HS Art Show & Awards – 6-8pm @ UPHS

Friday, May 13

HS Band & Orchestra – 7pm @ UPHS
HS Art Show – 6-8pm @ UPHS

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The Valley Choral Society will be singing one night only at their spring concert on Sunday, May 15th at Trinity Lutheran Church, Perkasie, PA (19 S Fifth Street) “Revelation: Light Breaking Darkness” will be livestreamed on Facebook, as well as open to in-person audience, at 4 p.m. There will be a free will offering taken at the concert.

The Red Hill Band is also holding their spring concert this month. Their annual concert starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 22, 2022, inside at the Upper Perkiomen Middle School, 901 Montgomery Avenue, Pennsburg, PA. Free and open to the public

Both the Valley Choral Society and the Red Hill Band will be performing again for the public at this year’s Make Music Upper Perk on Tuesday, June 21st! The full schedule and musician listing for this year’s 10th annual Make Music Upper Perk will be posted on this site later this month.

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Wunderbarn in East Greenville is running a series of Vaudeville Storytimes this year, starting on Saturday, May 21st, 2022.

Vaudeville Storytimes in 2022 are circus themed and intergenerational. We encourage participation from all ages! We start each session with a story, and follow that with learning a circus skill together, playing a game, or creating a prop, puppet, or costume piece to take home.

These events are donation based. We welcome your contribution to help support future events Registration is required. Please come even if you can’t afford to donate.

actsofJennius – Wunderbarn

Wunderbarn will also be celebrating National Tap Dance Day on Saturday, May 28th, 2022 at 4 p.m. Join Karen Clemente, professor of dance at Ursinus College, to learn some basic tap dance moves. Then watch and join in the tap jam that follows! Donation based event.

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Buy tickets now for Star Wars; A New Hope in concert with the Allentown Symphony at Miller Symphony Hall, 23 N 6th Street, Allentown, PA on Friday, May 20, 2022. Hear, live, the complete original score played along with a screening of the original, first Star Wars movie!

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Mayfair Festival of Arts is also back, the last weekend in May, May 27-May 29, 2022, at Cedar Crest College. This combination of live music, dance, artist market, workshops, and more is not quite as large (or as accessible for the general public, sadly) as when it was held at Cedar Beach Park, but it is nice that it continues in some form. Cedar Crest College, 100 College Drive, Allentown, PA Admission and parking are free.

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Support the arts and volunteer for the 10th annual Make Music Upper Perk – Tuesday, June 21, 2022! Volunteers are needed before, during, and after the event. Read more about volunteer opportunities, and come to the volunteer meeting – Saturday, May 14th, outside at the New Goshenhoppen Park (618 3rd Street, East Greenville, PA) by the bandshell, beginning at 10 a.m. And whether or not you volunteer, buy a special edition “circa 2013” t-shirt to join in the celebration – deadline for advance orders is May 16th (t-shirts arrive and will be available for pick up the first week in June)