Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA, Aug. 2, 2024- With the expectation of brief stormy weather later this afternoon and out of an abundance of caution, the Musikfest 2024 opening ceremony will now be the Closing Ceremony of the festival on Sunday, Aug. 11 at 11:30 a.m. at Service Electric’s Festplatz.

Kassie Hilgert, president and CEO of ArtsQuest, will open the ceremony, followed by the singing of the national anthem by Allentown native and ArtsQuest production crew member, Payton Renee. An invocation will also be led by Pastor Jenel Rice of Central Moravian Church.

Additional speakers include J. William Reynolds, City of Bethlehem Mayor, and Orville Trout, Chair of ArtsQuest’s Board of Trustees and Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Corporate Affairs and Administration at Crayola. Trout will present this year’s recipients of the Marcincin Awards. These awards recognize ArtsQuest partners that have played integral roles in helping Musikfest continue to grow over the years while remaining free for all to enjoy.

Following the ceremony, guests are invited to stay for a performance by DMC Duo on the Festplatz Stage.

 

About ArtsQuest 
ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the Banana Factory Arts Center; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, of which over 50% are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Megan Hughes