01-08-2025
Musikfest 2025 begins in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, despite stormy weather
Despite the stormy weather, Musikfest kicked off Thursday night in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Organizers moved some of the shows inside, but as they say, the show goes on.
With the Bethlehem SteelStacks as the backdrop, the 42nd annual Musikfest drew in fans for the beloved summer tradition, featuring live music, food, merchandise and more.
"The economic impact annually is about $75 million from this festival alone over 10 days," said Curt Mosel, the COO of Arts Quest, the nonprofit that hosts the festival.
"Our goal and where we were founded was bringing a festival to Bethlehem proper ... it was done on Main Street, it was done within the heart of the city to help small businesses after Bethlehem Steel had laid off 6,000 workers back in 1983," Mosel said.
More than 1.2 million people are expected to take in more than 500 performances on 16 different stages. For local businesses like Island Noodles, this event alone generates 15% of their yearly sales.
"Musikfest is basically our Super Bowl," Boris Scheider, the owner of Island Noodles, said. "We wait for it, it comes and here we are."
Musikfest runs through Sunday, Aug. 10, and includes headliners like Third Eye Blind, Nelly, Darius Rucker, Chicago and Thursday's featured artist Megan Moroney.
Emma Nasados and her friends came in from Schuylkill County with her friends for the ticketed country concert.
"I have never been here before," Nasados said. "All the food trucks and the concerts, I really never knew that there were all these concerts here that they have every year."
And while Nasados is a Musikfest rookie, Rich McIntyre is a seasoned veteran.
"I have been coming here since the beginning, the first year it was here," McIntyre said.
For him, this marks a coming together that's part of his roots, and one he's already marking on his calendar for next year.
"This is tradition," McIntyre said.
