{"id":151544,"date":"2026-11-01T19:41:47","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T00:41:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=151544"},"modified":"2026-11-01T19:41:47","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T00:41:47","slug":"get-ready-for-a-cheesy-showdown-lehigh-valley-smac-down-returns-to-steel-stacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=151544","title":{"rendered":"Get Ready for a Cheesy Showdown! Lehigh Valley s\u2019MAC DOWN Returns to Steel Stacks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA, October 30, 2026<\/strong> &#8211; \u00a0Get ready to s&#8217;MAC down! <a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJwsy8GOwiAQANCvgRsNhWEKBw5e_A0zwqDEVrfA2uzfb9zs9SUvR-MTaJQc5yVYi96jlvdoKBXIuVwhgGZaKFy5kFt8dpiDB1kjEgNZnYM22l1m4uQ1og8-CdC9Zn7UXW1UV25dIYIv6K9JHY_9eUwfl2u8j_HVhT0JcxbmfBzHRG30_Zv7mF7tJsxZbpwrqcYrU2dVc_yDyz8Ie7JeG7SyxfosLwF63PlN68o_K-cbtym9NtlHY94-OyAERoequIQKSpoVBUMqoFvYQZmDs_IdzW8AAAD___0DVvY\">ArtsQuest<\/a> and Animal Defenders Greater Lehigh Valley are teaming up once again to bring the Lehigh Valley Vegan s&#8217;MAC Down back to the Musikfest Caf\u00e9 at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks on November 15, inviting food lovers of all kinds to dig into a delicious competition to determine who makes the best vegan mac and cheese in the region.<\/p>\n<p>From creamy, comforting classics to bold, inventive twists on the beloved dish, seven restaurants and food vendors will put their culinary creativity to the test, serving up their signature plant-based mac and cheese recipes in hopes of earning the ultimate bragging rights.<\/p>\n<p>Returning to defend its People&#8217;s Choice Award title is Mama Nicca&#8217;s Homemade Things of Whitehall, which will face off against six competitors eager to claim this year&#8217;s crown.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The 2026 Lehigh Valley Vegan s&#8217;MAC Down competitors include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>FlatBelly Veg<\/strong> \u2013 Glenside, PA<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fresh Tofu Inc.<\/strong> \u2013 Allentown, PA<\/li>\n<li><strong>La Lus<\/strong> \u2013 Willingboro, NJ<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mama Nicca&#8217;s Homemade Things<\/strong> \u2013 Whitehall, PA (Returning People&#8217;s Choice Champion)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Palette &amp; Pour at ArtsQuest Center<\/strong> \u2013 Bethlehem, PA<\/li>\n<li><strong>Paranormal Pizza<\/strong> \u2013 Bethlehem, PA<\/li>\n<li><strong>Roasted<\/strong> \u2013 Bethlehem, PA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But the competition isn&#8217;t just in the hands of the chefs! Guests will have the opportunity to sample each competitor&#8217;s creation and cast their vote to help determine which dish takes home the coveted People&#8217;s Choice Award.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere&#8217;s something special about bringing people together over a comfort food favorite like mac and cheese, especially when our participating chefs are putting their own creative, plant-based spins on it,\u201d said Alexis Kuczek, Programming Coordinator, ArtsQuest. \u201cThe s&#8217;MAC Down is a fun way to showcase the culinary talent in our region while introducing guests to just how flavorful and inventive vegan cuisine can be. Whether you&#8217;re vegan, vegetarian or simply love a great bowl of mac and cheese, there&#8217;s something for everyone to enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>General admission tickets include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Unlimited vegan mac and cheese samples, while supplies last<\/li>\n<li>The opportunity to vote for the People&#8217;s Choice Award winner<\/li>\n<li>Access to vendors offering vegan desserts and retail items<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Guests looking to take their s&#8217;MAC Down experience to the next level can purchase VIP tickets<strong>,<\/strong> which include all general admission benefits, plus:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Exclusive early access<\/li>\n<li>One drink ticket redeemable for a select beer, glass of wine, soda or bottled water<\/li>\n<li>A special VIP Lehigh Valley s&#8217;MAC Down gift<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The event is also family-friendly, with a limited number of children&#8217;s tickets available for ages 2\u201312. Children under 2 are admitted free.<\/p>\n<p>VIP admission begins at 1 p.m. before general admission doors open at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>Tickets are available for purchase <a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJwszEGOrCAQgOHTwA6DgCUsWPTGa3RKKJU06mvgaeb2k56Z7Zf8f_TKBiOBk-9HpzVYC5JvXo4mjDoa6hcz4Axa2UA4GwNyjr20PHlAMqhldFLJ4dkjBSsBrLOBGVlTpFd6ix1TplIFgLEL2DmI-_U-7u7jPPuttX-V6QdTE1PTfd8dllbf_6m27iwrUxNddDSmpkxbWjdxYc70JS5a8RB1xyDieR9MTXynmFAUyoSVRIr-B55_wPRDW6lA8-LTsZzMyLbR7y1TXKl04dx5bYVo_9QOjCMYQCxDAGGW0At0CoWDYaTBLL0bNL-8-g4AAP__mX1kkg\">here<\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Whether you&#8217;re cheering on a returning favorite, discovering a new local restaurant or simply looking for a delicious afternoon out, the Lehigh Valley Vegan s&#8217;MAC Down promises a celebration of culinary creativity, community and everyone&#8217;s favorite comfort food \u2014 with a plant-based twist!<\/p>\n<p><strong>About ArtsQuest<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxcUktvqzgY_TWwIzJ-fNgLFrQREZ1G6cw0bTqbyo-PxoVAg0lR5tdfkaZX1d0cW-cl68gup9JyAjHmaaYYAymBxPtcGRQpJeCsIimRiMY5zSCrtdSqdib2OWjkmhGnCCXiNdVoJQGQStqIk-AdNv6YHLRvcQgJAJc1SGOTqTl202Lm4zbfj-NHiFgR0TKiZacPhC6CrrH1XRMWH0M_oh193y3609j2fbOw_WH2svI0tBFbfuWpmBvE3CFoOU3TQg9jOJ4wjIt-eLtK4PSoI7YkIqIiuyX0cpgGscNzRAUnf6ayW2tZmmljLVDNQTJrUkGkQ8qQCqXZ1USoNlSDA8MdJ8agBuU0S5kjMvsykR8ITCqZgaAUACSnDC70tmu6fuou98fn8sOs_guGOYnnu9Lsbghu071dNX7T_XN2z9tQtS9-46vp_r04rZfFtL6tQtUWfuPvdvqZ_7_2VaiaclO99_7Sd9Hdtnrvz_Xf82rLb_h-2U-AcB1MVGmV_fX4-LR6ut_93vlmvzKF2Nu79VPv6EMpxuND8aWsjvbf3cu1GwYMOHyim6ePD-i8TgZsUQdMvMsvxOuViFjBJKHA4iH3Xd1HnIx7_NRti-cW3RsO8weIwzggHua0Aq4QBCS1sJDw2qaJVlQnCkSGgtepEiz-zOmvAAAA___Olt61\">ArtsQuest&#8217;s<\/a> mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences, using arts and culture as drivers of economic development in our urban communities. ArtsQuest supports this mission through performing and visual arts, film, arts education and outreach, youth programming and a wide range of cultural events, anchored by signature venues and initiatives including its flagship event, <a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxMUU1vo0oQ_DVww5rPZjhwcOzniCh51nu7jrO5RPPRxBMw2AyEeH_9CuJoc6keVVeVRtUuZ8oKAjHmNM04B6WAxIe8lCZTLIVSIE05tTSlyhkDKUlLpySNfQ4ahebEZYQR-UI1WkUAVKZsJEjwDit_To7a19iFBECoEpSxyVidm3Ex8XGdH_r-FCK-jNgmYptGHwlbBF1i7ZsqLE5d26Ptfdss2qGv27Za2PY4aflm6OqIrz_9TE4JcsqQbDOO4-I4BF-VGPpF271eV-B0ryO-JjJiMl0RNg9TITZ4iZgURHd9OA9_XenKWk5TbawFpgUobg2VRDlkHJnMNL-KCNOGaXBghBPEGNSQOc0pd0SlnyLyDYGrTKUgGQNIKRABM71rqqYdm_n9c785mdvnYLhTeLnbmKcbgjt6sLeV3zb_X9x-F4r6l9_6Yrx_Ww4P6-X4sCpCUS_91t896b34_eCLUFSbbfHW-jlv3rtd8dZeyv-m1tZf8PWz7wDhWpjfv25PH48nxR7FeVTN_TN09z_Gx39H_YQunAY1bKeOb9zHPFblP9dc6DBg945uqj0-ovM66bBGHTDxLp-JlysR8SVXhAGPu9w3ZRsJ0h_wXdc1Xmp0r9hNx49D3yEeJ3cGIkOQkJTSQiJKSxOdMZ1kIFOUoqSZ5PF7zv4EAAD___nR3qw\">Musikfest<\/a>; the <a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxcUk1v6zYQ_DXSTQZFSivqoIMTw6keXmC8oG7SXoIlubIZfdkkbcH99YUUpwjeZSQMZ4aLWZqKS50xiKlKi1IIkBJYfKyw0CA0MJ4VKYiCY5GBVEoVaSpYo3hsK0DKUDBTMs7y9xRJSwYgS6mjjHlrqLXnpEfbkfMJQCYbkEonU3septXMx111DOHkI7GO-Dbi2wF7xlceG-rs0PrVyY2BdLDjsBovoRvHdqXHftaK7cV1kdh8-nk-J-RzRs630zSt0AV_vpAPq9EdFtaR7fFgB0rCEUOi8WQDdonG_oT2MCya_12JdoTBXilpUIfR3e7pYDBgJDYsj3hePDK-fFRLNNCsydjvFxePWou0QKU1cMxACq3SnElDXBDPSxR3EeOoOIIBlZmMKUUIpUGRCsNk8Sli3xCELGUBOecAhUih_BxlP7TDOA3L_5-v25N6-scrYSTdfmzV2wOjfXrUT63dDS8387r3dfe33dl6-vmxvjxv1tPzY-3rbm139scbvmb_Ptva1-12V3-Mdslbzs2-_hhvza-5-M0XfE32HcDfC5tu1P7apbt2WdFDo-tB_XXesGVtD637qZ9e-s7qq4RrdyvT9I_9PRcceXJXMnPtcU_GYuKoI_SUWFMtxPudiMRaSMZBxK6yQzNGGQtHumLX0a0jcyA3v5_YB0fUz-4SspIgh6TJNSRZo9MES45JCXlBedakZS7ia8X_CwAA__9ofPZ_\">ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL<\/a>, a centerpiece for the Valley&#8217;s artistic communities; the ArtsQuest Center at <a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxMUUtvqzgY_TWwAxk_PuwFi0wjKjqtounc9HE3lbE_Nw4OtJgE5f76K9JU6ubYOi9Zx7ai0nACKVZFqRgDKYGku0pRXjqiOeEMsFCOCU4tZ0wUvDQOitRXoJFrRqwilIi3QqORBEAqaRJOorfY-c_soH3AMWYAXDqQrcnm7rOf84VPQ7Wbpo-YsFVC64TWvT4QmkftMPi-i_nHOExoJj_0-XCcwjB0uRkOi5fVxzEkbP2Vp2JpEEuHoPU8z3mcEEOctOliPozvVxGsnnTC1kQkVJQ3hF6OtkPs8ZxQwYkep_h5xDhdU-WNMawodWsMUM1BMtMWgkiLlCEVSrOriVDdUg0WWm45aVvUoKxmBbNEll8m8gOBSSVLEJQClBwkKS_0tu_6Ye4v91_P9Ud7-zu2zEo839Xtyz8Et8XO3HZ-0z-e7fM2NuHVb3wz3-9Xx4f1an64aWITVn7j7170M__z4JvYdPWm2Q_-0nfR7bbZD2f337Lb-hu-X_YTIF4H882JwlN37A_9Lprzlob2VW8eDZ2P7v3p7vH_6Parl3_x3jXXPhgx4nhCu8ydHtB6nY0YUEfMvK0uxNuVSNiKSUKBpWPlezcknEw7POkQ8BzQvuO4fHsapxHxsKQVcIUgIHPCQMadKTKtqM4UiBIFd4USLD1V9G8AAAD__0N33ao\">SteelStacks<\/a><u>;<\/u> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxcUkFvszgQ_TVwIzI2HsyBQ75G-T6qVlGrjdrtpTL2QBzAJLZTNvvrV5BUqvbybL958zx6Gl1SoTICMZZpXjAGQgCJD2VDUtQAGgXXKRJWIDIBIqdSYV5kJDYlSMwkI7oglPDPVKISBEAUQkUZ8UZjZ87JIE2PzicAmWhA1CqZurOdVjMf9-UhhJOP2Dqi24hurRwIXXnZYG9s51cnNwZUwYx2NV5CP47dSo3DrGXbi-sjtrn1Uz478NmD0-00TSvpgj9f0IfV6NqFdWgG2RqLSTjIkCh5MkH2iZLDSZrWLppwcTaRVietM1Yn_jCe7ragZZAR2xAeUZ4_ELocdYdo8RpRnpH__5g_KMXSXNZKAZUZCKbqlBOhkTKkvJDsLiJU1lSChjrTGalrlFBoyVKmichvIvIDgYlC5MApBcghJfltor3t7DjZ5f7X2_ZU__7wNdMCr4_b-v0XwX16UL87s7OvV_2291X_t9mZano6ri_Pm_X0_FD5ql-bnXl8l2_Zv8-m8lW33VXH0Sx-S13vq-N4bV7mxDff8D3ZTwB_Dwxbd-Q7cK9qTvLXP4_7pyYlHVteobLtkXyElz9_znZYN-1G3grt3RscenRfqOfo4wG1kYnDHqXHxOhyIT7vRMTWTBAKLHalsc0YZSQc8Ev2PV571C26eXliHxziMHcXkBUIHJKGK0iyRqWJLKhMCuA58qxJC87ir5L-FwAA___HfvSA\">LVHN, part of Jefferson Health Turn &amp; Grind Shop<\/a><u>,<\/u> an adaptive reuse project expanding space for programming, festivals, private events and nationally touring exhibits. ArtsQuest welcomes more than 2 million people annually, with nearly 40 percent of its programs free to attend, generating a regional economic impact of close to $193 million in 2025. ArtsQuest&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/us.cisionone.cision.com\/c\/eJxckt9v-jYUxf-a5C3I8a8kD3lgsHyVdh1lGqLdS3Vt34CbkIBtSOlfP4XSqdrLtXV8zsfWkU1Jc82JjLFMs4IxmeeSxPvSUGW4KjBFpSVlKWm0Yg0tKCcAnInYlhKQAyOmIJSItxRQ50TKvMh1xIm3Blt7Sg5gO3Q-kZLnjcyVTsb21I-zSY-7ch_C0UdsHtEqolUPB0JnHhrsbN_62dENAXWwQz8bzqEbhnamh8PkZdXZdRFbfuWpmAhiYghajeM4Axf86Yw-zAa3u6kO7QF2tsck7CEkGo42QJdoOBzB7vqb579Uoh1CsBdMGtBhcNc7XRoIELElEREV2YLQ26JaxB4nDyf_vzhbaM3SDJTWkgKXOdMqFSQ3SBlSUQC7mwgFRUEaqbjhRCkEWRhgKTMkz75M5MeULC_yTApKpcwywciXvOnbfhj72_7vbXVUv_7xipkcrw-VevmN4Cbd61-tXfV_Xc124-vu1a5sPf7xPj8_Lefj06L2dTe3K_vwAlv--WRrX7fVqn4f7I13Ozeb-n24Nuup-OX3-H7ZzyH9vTAUn49rt17T5-X68fn3j5MuNpV6XbiPVZqxx9Ofu5daPo_Ybv2dJx16dBc0U93xAY2FxGGH4DGxprwJb3chYnOWEypZ7ErbN0PESdjjBboOrx2aHbrp38Q-OMTDlC4kL1AKmTRCy4Q3Ok2goJAUUmQoeJMWgsWXkv4bAAD__8_o9YY\">Re-Imagine That! Capital Campaign<\/a> supports the continued growth of its mission to make the arts accessible for all.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Information provided to TVL by:<br \/>\nTehani Boyer<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA, October 30, 2026 &#8211; \u00a0Get ready to s&#8217;MAC down! ArtsQuest and Animal Defenders Greater Lehigh Valley are teaming up once again to bring the Lehigh Valley Vegan s&#8217;MAC Down back to the Musikfest Caf\u00e9 at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks on November 15, inviting food lovers of all kinds to dig &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=151544\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Get Ready for a Cheesy Showdown! Lehigh Valley s\u2019MAC DOWN Returns to Steel Stacks<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":122188,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\r\n\r\n{excerpt}\r\n\r\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5717,69,482],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-151544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bethlehem","category-in-the-valley","category-press-release-2"],"acf":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/VEGAN-MAC.jpg?fit=672%2C372&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=151544"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":151545,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/151544\/revisions\/151545"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/122188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=151544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=151544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=151544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}