Allentown Art & Cultural Events

Made globally famous by the 1982 Billy Joel song of the same name, the small city of Allentown in Pennsylvania has been keeping itself known ever since, especially in the world of arts and culture.

Allentown is a rich cultural center in Eastern part of Pennsylvania, with lots of art, music, theatre and sports events to rival some of the biggest cultural hubs in the country. Every year, the Allentown Art Festival is offers art and culture enthusiasts a full range of wonderful and unique opportunities to indulge in local and international art events, from exhibits, tours, galleries, lectures, workshops and family activities.

The Allentown Art Festival that takes place every June in the beautiful Allentown Historic Preservation District, is one of the highlights of the calendar year and draws in huge crowds from nearby states. Crowds of young and old flock to the area to enjoy the spectacular array of cultural events organized by the festival, while also soaking up the summer sun and seeing the best tourist spots in Allentown.

Other festivals sprinkled throughout the year ensure Allentown is a very lively and culturally interesting place to live. Beautiful and historic events such as the Mayfair Festival of the Arts and the Great Allentown Fair top the social calendar each year and continue to remain as popular as ever. The Great Allentown Fair, started in 1852, and which has been running successfully ever since certainly shows no signs of slowing down!

Baum School of Art in Allentown PA

Baum School of Art located at: 510 West Linden Street, Allentown, PA 18101

With such an abundance of cultural events and artistic outlets, it’s no wonder that Allentown has become a haven for artists, bohemian souls and musicians alike. The wonderful Baum School of Art offers classes in a range of artistic endeavors like painting, drawing, jewelry making and more. Interestingly, the city is also home to one of only three Da Vinci horse sculptures in the world, as well as one of the country’s most loved theater house.

If you can’t attend one of the various art festivals happening in Allentown, you can still get your friendly fix of art at the wonderful Allentown Art Museum, which has been a vital part of the community for over 75 years. Open all year, and free to enter on Sundays from noon to 4pm, it is a great place to start your art tour of Allentown. Featuring over 17,000 visual works of art spanning over 2,000 years, it is an impressive building with a collection of some of the best works of art in America and the world.

Allentown is also renowned for its music, with a local Symphony Orchestra and accompanying Symphony Hall, as well as having claim to being the home of the oldest civilian concert band in the United States. Every year the small city welcomes the world’s best junior drum and bugle corps for their Drum Corps International Eastern Classic. Marching bands are also popular among Allentown’s youth, with the Collegiate Marching Band Festival held annually to celebrate the best marching bands in the region.

If you’re an artist, an art lover, or you simply want to visit an interesting new place full of things to do and see, make sure you put Allentown, Pennsylvania on your radar for your next vacation.