Hotel Bethlehem Partners with ArtsQuest to Present First New Musikfest Stage Since 2011

When visitors attend Musikfest this summer, they’ll hear the sounds of dynamic jazz groups, talented singer-songwriters and acoustic acts coming from a performance space located in front of one of the city’s most iconic businesses, the 93-year-old Historic Hotel Bethlehem.  The new “Hotel Bethlehem Platz” marks the first new official Musikfest performance space since the opening of SteelStacks in 2011.

For the past several years, the Hotel Bethlehem has presented live music at the hotel during Musikfest as a way to complement the other performances taking place at festival. This year, the landmark hotel decided to expand its partnership with ArtsQuest by becoming an official Musikfest ‘music venue’ for the first time. A partner with ArtsQuest since 1986, Hotel Bethlehem has supported several ArtsQuest programs over the years including Christkindlmarkt and First Night Bethlehem. It has also served as the host for the official Musikfest Ball and was one of the corporate partners who contributed to the ‘Save Our Songs’ campaign after Musikfest was hit with flooding in 2011.

“We are very excited about this new venture with ArtsQuest,” says Dennis Costello, General Manager of Historic Hotel Bethlehem.  “ArtsQuest and Hotel Bethlehem have been mutually supportive of one another for many years and to be the first new venue since 2011 is an honor.  ArtsQuest is an incredible community arts partner and we enjoy being the community hotel.  Adding this Hotel Bethlehem Platz on Main Street is a wonderful way to keep the Historic District engaged in Musikfest and keep introducing Musikfest attendees to our museums, historic sites, shops and restaurants.”

Among the acts performing at Hotel Bethlehem Platz will be 1920s hot jazz /dance orchestra Blackbird Society Orchestra Aug. 9,  jazz-swing swing group Hot Bijouxx Aug. 10 and gypsy jazz act Hot Club of Philadelphia Aug. 15. In addition, Dominican native Yancarlos Sanchez will delight audiences with his dynamic vocal sounds and beatboxing Aug. 8.

“We are thrilled to be able to grow Musikfest, already the nation’s largest non-gated music festival, with this new addition to our event,” says ArtsQuest President & CEO Kassie Hilgert. “Strategically partnering with the Hotel Bethlehem to be an official stage sponsor and programming partner, especially on Main Street, will play an important role in introducing guests to all of the restaurants, shops and businesses in the historic district. Thanks to their longtime support and understanding of how businesses can leverage the crowds at Musikfest, we can’t think of a better partner to grow this festival with in 2015 than the Historic Hotel Bethlehem.”

The complete Hotel Bethlehem Platz lineup is:
Aug. 7
5-9 p.m.:          Adam Web

Aug. 8
1-4 p.m.:          Yancarlos Sanchez
5-9 p.m.:          Pocono Duo

Aug. 9
1-4 p.m.:          Blackbird Society Orchestra
5-9 p.m.:          Jayy Mannon Duo

Aug. 10
5-9 p.m.:          Hot Bijouxx

Aug. 11
5-9 p.m.:          Josh Liberio Duo

Aug. 12
5-9 p.m.:          Brian Fitzy

Aug. 13
5-9 p.m.:          Adam Web

Aug. 14
5-9 p.m.:          Jon Fadem

Aug. 15
1-4 p.m.:          Hot Club of Philadelphia
5-9 p.m.:          Breeze

Aug. 16
1-4 p.m.:          Lorenzo Branca
5-9 p.m.:          Nancy and Spencer Reed

Hotel Bethlehem Platz Hours are 5-9 p.m. weekdays and 1-4 and 5-9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For more information on Musikfest 2015, visit www.musikfest.org.