Musical Nights and Sunny Days Ahead

There are two nights left to celebrate the artistic and musical talent at our public schools in the Upper Perkiomen Valley, at this year’s UPSD Arts Fest.  You can still take a look at the awesome displays of student artwork including paintings, sculptures, mixed media at the Upper Perkiomen Middle School and the Upper Perkiomen High School tonight, Thursday, May 9, 2024 – this is the last night to see the Elementary/UPMS student art at the Middle School!

The Elementary Orchestra and Middle School Orchestra will be taking the stage tonight at the UPMS auditorium, starting at 6:30 p.m. And over at the Upper Perkiomen High School tonight, and Friday night, one can stop by the Upper Perkiomen High School (just down the street at 2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA) to hear the High School Recital and High School Jazz Band (Thursday), and the High School Orchestra and Band Concert (Friday).

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The 59th Annual Juried Fine Art and Craft Show in Bethlehem, PA (Main Street – Historic Bethlehem) takes place this weekend, Saturday, May 11th from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 12th from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 The Bethlehem Fine Art & Craft Show celebrates the finest local and regional artists and craft artisans. An event for the entire family, free to attend for all ages! 

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The North Pennsmen Barbershop Chorus will be holding their Spring is Bursting Out All Over concert on Saturday, May 11th at 2 p.m, at the Souderton Mennonite Church. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door; adults $20, kids 12 and under are free.

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Volunteer Meeting for this year’s Make Music Upper Perk is this Saturday afternoon – May 11th, 2024 – beginning at 1 p.m. at the New Goshenhoppen Park (618 3rd Street, East Greenville, PA) by the bandshell.

 MMUP needs volunteers before and after, as well as on the actual day of the event – Friday, June 21st, 2024.

At the Volunteer Meeting we’ll be talking about this year’s event, and there will be sign up sheets, where you can sign up for specific volunteer activities (times, places, jobs) as well as choose when and where you will site host (and choose one, or multiple, shifts), if that role interests you. We will also be showing and handing out the just printed MMUP 2024 program, listing the musicians, performance times and locations at 21 venues throughout the Valley for this year’s Make Music Upper Perk on Friday, June 21, 2024!

IF you are unable to make the meeting but are still interested in volunteering, please read more about volunteering for MMUP and sign up to volunteer.

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Free admission to Michener Art Museum on the 2nd Sunday of the month means free entry this Sunday, May 12, 2024! And time is running out to see CFEVA at 40: Four Decades of Supporting Contemporary Art, an absolutely fantastic exhibit that closes on May 26, 2024. The James A. Michener Art Museum is located at 138 S. Pine Street, Doylestown, PA .

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Mark your calendars now for next weekend when Valley Choral Society will hold their final concerts of their 40th anniversary season, while Red Hill Band will hold their first concert of 2024!

The Valley Choral Society will start singing For Hope We Sing; celebrating 40 years of music on Saturday afternoon, May 18th at 3 p.m., at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 81 Main Street, Pennsburg, PA. This is a free will offering performance (no tickets).

We celebrate this ruby anniversary with musical traditions that have been celebrated throughout VCS’s rich history, original compositions from previous milestone anniversary concerts, as well as tunes that have recently appeared in concert that communicate a message of why we come together to share in the gift of music.

The Red Hill Band starts their 2024 season, as is tradition, with a free concert at the Upper Perkiomen High School auditorium (2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA). The music starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, 2024.

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Spring has sprung, and May is just around the corner….

There are two great local music events to choose from tomorrow night, First Friday is back in Upper Perk next Friday – May 3rd, a local art show is opening a week from Saturday, and the annual UPSD Arts Fest showcasing student artists and musicians in Upper Perk School District starts on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024! All this to look forward to and more, along with a reminder that plans are underway for an awesome first day of summer celebrating music throughout the Valley on Friday, June 21st at Make Music Upper Perk.

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Friday night, April 26th, Terry Kane is leading and hosting an Irish Session (live music!) at Perkiomen Valley Brewery (101 Walnut Street, Green Lane, PA) the first in a series of 4th Fridays music nights. The music starts at 6 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m.

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Tina Faigan will be playing a piano concert – Vignettes: Modern and Retro – at Church of the Holy Spirit in Harleysville, PA (2871 Barndt Road), beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2024.

A recital featuring short works for the piano—from recent gems to beloved classics—including Claire de Lune, Rachmaninoff’s 18th Variation, Schubert, Chopin, Puccini and more.

Concert pianist, chamber musician, recording artist, teacher and published music-writer, Tina Faigen’s professional music endeavors also include engagements as an adjudicator, master class presenter, workshop presenter, orchestral pianist, instrumental & vocal accompanist, music editor, and even presently as an orchestral violinist serving as Principal 2nd. An active teacher from the age of 14, Faigen has maintained a private studio throughout her life and is a piano faculty member at both University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University Music Preparatory School.

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Support the Doylestown Library while checking out wonderful crafts this Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Friends of the Doyletown Library Arts and Craft Fair. There is no admission charge for this event at the James-Lorah House Auditorium, 100 North Broad Street, Doylestown, PA.

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First Fridays are back in East Greenville, starting on Friday, May 3rd! Part of Third Street and Bank Street (right off of Main Street) will be closed for crafts people and vendors. There will be live music and Main Street businesses in town (like the bakery and cafe!) will be open later than usual for this event.

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The public is invited to the opening Reception of the Pottstown Area Artists Guild Fine Arts Show at our own local museum, the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center (105 Seminary Ave, Pennsburg, PA) on Sunday, May 5th from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. Free and open to everyone, held on the second floor (accessible by elevator as well as stairs) in the Putera Meeting Room, in addition to the art, there will be refreshments, and live music by harpist Betsy Chapman. The Fine Arts Show will be on display from Friday, May 3rd – Sunday, May 19, 2024. Admission to the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage is free.

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Celebrate all the artistic and musical talent at our public schools in the Upper Perkiomen Valley, at this year’s UPSD Arts Fest – May 7 – May 10, 2024. With concerts four night that week, and awesome displays of student artwork including paintings, sculptures, mixed media, and more, it’s worth finding some time on your calendar that week to stop by and check it out! Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening are the elementary and middle school concerts (Choruses on Tuesday and Bands, and UPHS Jazz Band!, on Wednesday, and Orchestras on Thursday) and the Elementary/UPMS Art Show – all in the Upper Perkiomen Middle School (901 Montgomery Avenue, Pennsburg, PA). Thursday and Friday night one can stop by the Upper Perkiomen High School (just down the street at 2 Walt Road, Pennsburg, PA) to see the High School Art Show and hear High School Recital and High School Jazz Band (Thursday), and the High School Orchestra and Band Concert (Friday).

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The North Pennsmen Barbershop Chorus will be holding their Spring is Bursting Out All Over concert on Saturday, May 11th at 2 p.m, at the Souderton Mennonite Church. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door; adults $20, kids 12 and under are free.

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The Pottstown Artists Guild is hosting their May Masters of Art Talk on Monday, May 20th, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. Free and open to everyone, Kevin Lynn will be talking about the art of photography – The art of seeing … Opening your mind’s eye to inspiration at the Hill School Center of the Arts, 760 Beech Street, Pottstown, PA.

As photographer, Kevin Lynn, will talk about his ability to see images everywhere. In any situation, any light and in any genre. Living in the moment… Composition that tells a story.

Working in multiple disciplines. Routines and best practices to develop those skills. His photos show a unique ability to see image possibilities that are not always just what the eye sees.

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And don’t forget to mark your calendar for the first day of summer – Friday, June 21st – the twelfth annual Make Music Upper Perk! With live music inside and outside at over 20 locations throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley, starting at 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., this all free, all volunteer, and all open to the public event brings the community together to celebrate music of all types by musicians of all ages!

If you’d like to be a part of this event, sign up to volunteer today and/or come to the first MMUP Volunteer Meeting of 2024 on Saturday afternoon, May 11th at 1 p.m. at New Goshenhoppen Park (618 Third Street, East Greenville, PA), by the bandstand. Learn more about volunteering for this event – volunteers are needed before and after June 21st, as well as on the day of the event itself.

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Calling All Musicians; young and old, experienced and first time performers, soloists and grunge bands and everyone in between!

The time is now to sign up to play at this year’s Make Music Upper Perk, celebrating the first day of summer on Friday, June 21st, 2024, with live music throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley, inside and outside, and free and open to everyone!

February has arrived, the groundhog did NOT see his shadow, warmer weather is just around the corner, and we can’t help thinking about the first day of summer when the community comes together to listen to local (and not so local) musicians performing at local cafes, restaurants, parks, the public library, the YMCA, and at our own local museum – the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center,  playing and singing all types of music from folk to Celtic to punk rock; jazz to pops orchestra to Sousa. Many of our musicians have been playing professionally for many years, and choose to share their time and talent with the community for no charge on this one day celebration of music, while some will be making their public debut and performing for an audience for the first time!

Musician Registration opened on February 1, 2024 and runs through April 20 2024.

Volunteer Signup is ongoing, if you want to be part of making Make Music Upper Perk happen! 

Volunteers are needed before and after June 21st, as well as on the day of the event; read all about the volunteer options.

Make Music Upper Perk is always free and open to the public, relying on volunteers, local nonprofits and businesses sharing their spaces, and donations large and small to cover costs.  You can now make a donation via PayPal, using your credit card or PayPal account. Make Music Upper Perk is a nonprofit that became a 501(c)3 in 2019.  (Donations may also be made by sending a check with MMUP donation form.)

Donor levels are as follows;

• • $10 Friend
  • $25 Supporter
  • $50 Patron
  • $100 Producer
  • $150 Maestro
  • $300 (or more) Virtuoso

“Band of Pirates!”

October is here and there’s so much to be excited about!

The Phillies are still playing baseball – let’s hear it for Red October!

First Friday is still happening in East Greenville – Friday, October 6th will see Fran Mayville making fabulous music on the porch at Abella’s Specialties (222 Main Street, East Greenville, PA) from 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. (and no doubt there will be other musicians playing along Main Street – maybe Ian Althouse will join in, again?)

The Upper Perkiomen Halloween Parade will still be marching down Main Street, from Red Hill to East Greenville! This year the parade will be held on the last Sunday in October – October 29, 2023.

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And Make Music Upper Perk is looking to recruit a willing crew to join our “Band of Pirates!”  for this year’s parade!

The MMUP pirate crew consists of;

• “CARPENTERS” for our pirate ship (most likely a cardboard silhouette for the sides of the landscape trailer, which is approximately 8 feet long – or whatever design your creativity, knowledge, and materials will permit – TALK TO US!)
• SEA ARTISTS – this may include making MMUP pirate flag, or just showing up to put it all together. OR TELL US WHAT YOU SUGGESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR DECORATIONS YOU CAN MAKE 
• QUARTERMASTERS – PLEASE DONATE CANDY (we may also need some materials for the ship)
• PILOT – sorry, this job is already filled (thank, Nathan, for agreeing to “steer,” aka drive, the ship)
• SHIP’S CREW – folks who will dress up in pirate costumes (as simple or elaborate as you like, just stick to the theme, please) and walk behind the pirate ship as part of MMUP’s “Band of Pirates”

Crew’s wages will take the form of good company, food, and drink, at the end of the parade route.

Email ValleyArtScene@gmail.com to sign up or ask for more details. All ages and families are welcome aboard.

Sunny and Smoke Free Days Ahead!

We are now free to go outside, and enjoy the beautiful sunshine and clear blue skies! Here’s a few ideas about where you might spend your time in the hours and days ahead.

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Summer Reading Kick-Off at Green Lane Park is today, Saturday, June 10th, 2023, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Find the Upper Perkiomen Valley Library event near the pirate playground (by the parking lot off Snyder Road, Green Lane, PA). Activities include making a habitat and picking a pet to go in it, and going on a storywalk in the park. Register for the summer reading program and get 4 bonus prize bucket tickets for joining today!

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While out and about, maybe stop by Cedar Hollow Farm – 2475 Quakertown Road, Pennsburg, PA (not far past the YMCA) – and see the new baby alpacas! Open weekends only, this is also a nice spot to pick up local produce and other treats.

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SteelStacks (25 W Third Street, Bethlehem, PA) has started their summer weekend series of free evening concerts! Occasionally there are also free afternoon concerts – like today! To celebrate Flag Day, the Allentown Band will be playing from 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Tonight, there will be free outdoor concerts starting at 7:30 p.m. – singer-songwriter Drew Angus, and 9 p.m. – The Tribe; “The TRiBE is a soulful 6-piece from Northeastern Pennsylvania. Emotive vocal melodies top funky throwback hip-hop, jazz r&B, and funk rhythms; all with a healthy serving of improv jams.”

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If you’d prefer an indoor slightly smaller venue, check out Godfrey Daniels (7 E Fourth Street, Bethlehem, PA) – singer-songwriter Pete Gustavson will be taking the stage there tonight, Saturday, June 10th, at 8 p.m. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door. Pete will also be playing again at this year’s Make Music Upper Perk on Wednesday, June 21st, 2023 – check out when and where on the musician’s list.

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Bakersfield Mist opens at Montgomery Theater in Souderton this weekend, and will be playing through July 2nd. Tickets may be bought online or at the door.

Maude, an unemployed bartender living in a trailer park, has bought a painting for a few bucks from a thrift store. Despite almost trashing it, she’s now convinced it’s a lost masterpiece by Jackson Pollock worth millions. But when world-class art expert Lionel Percy flies over from New York and arrives at her trailer home in Bakersfield to authenticate the painting, he has no idea what he is about to discover. Inspired by true events, this hilarious and thought-provoking comedy-drama asks vital questions about what makes art and people truly authentic.

Montgomery Theater

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This is the last weekend to see Shakespeare’s Henry IV at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, on the DeSales University campus (2755 Center Valley, PA). June 14th is the first day to see their production of Lin Manuel-Miranda’s In the Heights.

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Make Music Upper Perk is less than two weeks away! New volunteers are always welcome, so if you’ve wanted to be a part of making this awesome all-volunteer, all-free, all-day community wide event happen, sign up today! Take a look at all that will be happening, in 20 different indoor and outdoor spaces in four towns all around the Valley – including sing-alongs, a beginner ukulele workshop, musical story hour, and so much more! Mark your calendar for Wednesday, June 21, 2023 – you won’t want to miss it!

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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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Music and Arts Filling the Streets (and Barn) (and Auditorium)

Two great options this Friday night, May 20th, 2022, for performing arts in the Upper Perkiomen Valley; if you would like to sit outside and enjoy the marvelous summer-like weather, head over to the The Only and Hour Variety Hour at Wunderbarn, starting at 6:30 p.m. (2979 Kutztown Road, East Greenville, PA)

Third Friday open mic events are free and open to the public. Sometimes there’s a featured performer to start us off, sometimes it is an hour of open mic. Show up a little early to sign up for the open mic, or send us an email to let us know you want to share.

Wunderbarn

If you prefer inside and air conditioning, and wonderful chorale music, the choirs of the Upper Perkiomen High School (A Choir, Women’s Choir, Uptones, Show Choir) are holding their final concert of the year tonight (Friday, May 20th) in the auditorium of the Upper Perkiomen High School, 2 Ward Road, Pennsburg, Pa. The curtain lifts at 7 p.m.

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Saturday, May 21st, you can roam between East Greenville, Quakertown, and Perkasie for your immersion in the arts. The Vaudeville Storyhour is at 10 a.m. at Wunderbarn (2979 Kutztown Rd, East Greenville, PA) – reservations and donations are requested for this circus themed intergenerational event for all ages (email – jenniferdunnhill@gmail.com). Quakertown Arts Alive! and Fine Arts Craft Festival features juried fine artists, crafters, live entertainment, vendors, food stands, kids activities, and more, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Broad Street, Quakertown, PA (raindate is Sunday, May 22, 2022). Perkasie PorchFest 2022 is a one day, walkable, free outdoor neighborhood music festival happening from noon to 8 p.m. with 37 musical acts at 20 locations.

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Forgot to mention – first outdoor concert of the season at Green Lane Park, at the amphitheater is this Sunday, May 22nd! Tookanay Creek Bluegrass Band will be playing from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. – bring lawn chairs, blankets, and maybe a picnic dinner to enjoy while listening to the free concert. (2298 Green Lane Road, Green Lane, PA – amphitheater is near the playground and tennis courts – plenty of parking!)

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Oh, and Sunday afternoon – The Red Hill Band is also holding their spring concert! 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

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And don’t forget to mark your calendar for Tuesday, June 21, 2022 – Make Music Upper Perk is back for its 10th year with at 19 locations in 5 towns from 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.! Check out the schedule and start making plans (and if you’d like to volunteer and be a part of this free community-based non-profit event celebrating music, with performances by folks of all ages, abilities, and genres from folk to classical to jazz to heavy metal and beyond, let us know!)

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)

48 Hours!

Not quite 48 hours left to sign up to perform at this year’s Make Music Upper Perk!

2022 is the 10th year we’ll be holding this all day, free celebration of music, at over one dozen locations, inside and outside, throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley!

Music makers of all ages, all abilities, any instrument (or no instrument at all), and any type of music, are invited and welcome – students, amateurs, professionals, and everyone in between – to take part in this event on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 BUT you have to sign up by midnight Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

Wunderbarn will once again host an evening show as part of Make Music Upper Perk, weaving and mixing music and poetry, alternating spoken word and musical performances. Spoken word performers and poets are asked to sign up on musician registration form if interested; each will be given 5-10 minutes on stage.

We are always looking for folks to help with publicity, social media, a “maestro of spontaneous fun” (set up mass performance opportunities; sing-alongs, drum-alongs, guitar-alongs, etc,) blog writers, musician outreach, student outreach, bakers, roadies, videographers, photographers, site hosts, yarn bombers, and more. Check out our detailed volunteer information and sign up today! Our volunteer meeting is scheduled for Saturday, May 14th, outside at the New Goshenhoppen Park (618 3rd Street, East Greenville) by the bandshell, beginning at 10 a.m. 

Order this year’s MMUP t-shirt with an all new design  for our 10th year – purchase it online by May 16th and you’ll be able to pick it up the first week in June (in time to wear on June 21st!) 

2022 Make Music Upper Perk t-shirt

Make Music Upper Perk is always free and open to the public, relying on volunteers, local nonprofits and businesses sharing their spaces, and donations large and small to cover costs.  You can now make a donation via PayPal, using your credit card or PayPal account. Make Music Upper Perk is a nonprofit that became a 501(c)3 in 2019.  (Donations may also be made by sending a check with MMUP donation form.)

2022 is the 10th Make Music Upper Perk!

Sign up to perform at Make Music Upper Perk (MMUP) – TUESDAY, June 21, 2022! Musician registration opens on February 1st and closes on April 20th, 2022. This year is the 10th annual celebration of music, performance, and community in the Upper Perkiomen Valley, and we want everyone to be a part of Make Music Upper Perk, whether it is as a musician, volunteer, donor, audience member, or all of the above!

Gather your friends, dust off your instruments, and sign up – anyone and everyone is invited to participate – students, amateurs, professionals, and everyone in between – all musical genres are welcome (but do keep it family friendly). We will also be hosting spoken word performers and poets at Wunderbarn on the evening of MMUP – sign up on the musician registration form.

Volunteers are also needed before, during, and after the event – volunteers are already busy designing and distributing flyers, knitting and crocheting “tree scarves” – long colorful yarn rectangles to be wrapped around trees and poles, yarn flowers, butterflies, nests, and more. More volunteers are needed, for yarn crafting, as well as to help out with social media, publicity, t-shirts, putting out yard signs, site hosting on June 21st, and so much more! Read all about volunteer opportunities – and sign up today!

Make Music Upper Perkiomen is a non-profit, all volunteer organization, funded entirely by donations from the community. Donate today!

Yarn Butterfly

Knit tree scarf and nest

Yarn flower

Colorful knit tree scarf