Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA., September 11, 2024 – ArtsQuest, in partnership with Embassy Bank, will host a Patriot Day event on Saturday, September 14.  Join us at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks as we honor the countless individuals in the Lehigh Valley who put themselves in harm’s way every day. This event recognizes and celebrates our nation’s first responders, law enforcement agencies, firefighters, military and emergency medical personnel. Highlighting the evening is our Hometown Heroes banner display, showcasing the amazing men and women who make a difference in our community day-in and day-out.

Community members were encouraged to submit photos of family members, neighbors and friends who have served or are serving their communities as first responders between July 1 and July 31 for the Hometown Heros banner. Photos submitted in previous years will also be displayed.

The presentation of ArtsQuest’s First Responder Valor Award will take place at 7:15 p.m. at the Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks. Honoring our first responders, the ceremony will include the presentation of the 2024 ArtsQuest Patriot Day Award to Officer Ra’Von Burton. This Moravian University graduate gained interest in becoming an officer as a child when Allentown Police helped rescue him from a flood after Jordan Creek in Allentown had overflowed. He has become a huge part of the Bethlehem Police Department’s community outreach programs which include visiting various schools in the area. In 2021, Burton joined the K9 unit where he became partners with Bean, a German Shorthaired Pointer, where they specialized in explosive detection, tracking lost individuals and community engagement. After being a part of the BPD for six years, Officer Burton has plans to continue growing the relationship between police and the community with the hopes of one day becoming Chief of Police.

Following the ceremony, The Aardvarks will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Performing over ten years, the Aardvarks have become the premier rock band of the Lehigh Valley, mixing time periods and styles of covers and original music into their non-stop, high-energy sets.

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:
Bryn Keeney