The Alternative Gallery is launching a new 3-day mixed media arts festival this September, titled ‘Allentown ArtsFest.’ This festival, held in Cedar Beach Park from September 12-14th, returns to the grassroots concept of an artist-run festival. ArtsFest is a FREE, all ages community event, which celebrates the arts & culture of Allentown & the Lehigh Valley, while also attracting new artists into the area.

ArtsFest will feature over 100 artists, vendors, local organizations, small businesses and non-profits. There will be a strong focus on visual art, but will also cover a diverse range of fields including; music, film, sculpture, large installations throughout the festival, classes & demos, comedy, technology, upcylcing and much more.

There will be a large street art section featuring live breakdancing competitions, DJs, and visual arts. Graffiti artists from the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, NYC & other East Coast cities will be creating live on custom-built walls. These panels will then be installed all around the city of Allentown following the festival.

Also present will be over 30 food trucks and vendors. While offering staple foods of a festival, this event will strongly focus on unique and world cuisine. Featuring such eateries as the Taza Truck, Baby Got Que, Batuque and more.

A children’s section called the “Alternative Clubhouse,” will feature classes, games & activities for children, as well as the chance to create their own works of art. The Allentown Police will be on hand with their Cops N Kids and Ident-A-Kid programs. Kit Rex will be in full dinosaur costume, with small tabletop models.

Since music is also a very important form of art, there will be a large stage with bands playing throughout the entire festival. The bands feature local musicians, traveling and touring acts. A very wide range of genres will be heard including Blues, Hard Rock, Salsa, Avant-Garde, Folk, Metal, Jazz and more. Some of the bands include This Way to the Egress, Keg, and Silent Animals, with many more to be announced.

September 12th also marks the first concert at the PPL Center Arena, featuring The Eagles. This day is a landmark for the future of Allentown, ushering in a new era. These two events show the progress the city is making in strides.

Allentown ArtsFest is aimed at celebrating the diverse culture and arts that the area has to offer, while inviting the public to be a part of it. It strives to deliver what people expect from a festival while also taking a progressive approach. The event celebrates many art forms that are often not included in such a festival, and hopes to help people working in these fields gain new exposure and opportunity for growth. The event was created in 2014 and will become a yearly event in the city.

The Alternative Gallery is a Non-Profit (501-c3) organization that exists to help bridge the gap between artists and communities, and helps to improve communities through arts and education. It was founded in Allentown, PA in 2012.

For more information visit: www.AllentownArtsFest.com

All design work for the event was done by Lehigh Valley graphic designer, Christian Weber. Christian Weber is a four-time Gold ADDY award winner and has worked on large-scale festivals all throughout the Lehigh Valley. His presence in this event helps tie together the LV arts community. His work for this event includes the festival poster, brochure, online marketing and billboards.  http://christianwebercreatives.com/