WFMZ, Sands Bethlehem and Donegal Square Honored with Musikfest Founders Awards

BETHLEHEM PA—The ArtsQuest Board of Trustees is proud to present its 2016 Founders Awards to 69-WFMZ-TV, Sands Bethlehem and Donegal Square/McCarthy’s Red Stag Pub for their longtime support of Musikfest, the largest free music festival in the nation. The three businesses will be honored with the awards during the Musikfest Opening Ceremonies at Wells Fargo Festplatz on Aug. 5, 6 p.m.

The Founders Awards were established in 2003 to recognize ArtsQuest partners that have played integral roles in helping Musikfest continue to grow over the years while remaining free for all to enjoy. More than 40 businesses, media and community leaders have been honored with the awards including Frank Banko of Banko Beverage Company; the late Bethlehem Mayor Paul Marcincin, who was instrumental in helping the festival get started; C.F. Martin & Company Inc.; Just Born Inc.; St. Luke’s University Health Network; Air Products; the City of Bethlehem and Lehigh and Northampton counties.

“Each year Musikfest continues to expand its free programming for the region thanks in large part to the support of our many community-minded partners,” says Curt Mosel, Sr. Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Partnerships for ArtsQuest, the nonprofit that presents Musikfest. “This year we are honored to recognize three of these businesses and longtime festival partners in WFMZ, The Sands and Donegal Square. Their enthusiastic, steadfast support of our programming makes it possible for more than one million people annually to enjoy Musikfest and its 500-plus performances.”

Celebrating 40 years on the air this November, WFMZ is a 25-year media partner of Musikfest and broadcasts live from the festival nearly every day of the event. WFMZ programs 93 live half-hours of original news each week for audiences in Lehigh, Northampton, Berks and Carbon counties in Pennsylvania and Warren County in New Jersey. A partner of ArtsQuest since 1992, the company also supports Christkindlmarkt, Oktoberfest, PEEPSFEST, Blast Furnace Blues, the Sabor Latin Festival, RiverJazz and the patriotic holiday events at SteelStacks.

The primary sponsor of Musikfest’s Sands Steel Stage main stage, Sands Bethlehem is entering its 11th year of supporting the festival and ArtsQuest. The Sands’ support began with the donation of the 10 acres of land that make up SteelStacks, helping pave the way for the now thriving arts and cultural campus located on the site of the former Bethlehem Steel plant. Since then, its support has grown to include the ArtsQuest Center, Lehigh Valley SoccerFest and Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, among others.

Title sponsor of Red Stag Pub Liederplatz at the Sun Inn Courtyard, Donegal Square has been partners with ArtsQuest since 1999 and expanded its support of Musikfest following the opening of McCarthy’s Red Stag Pub in 2013. Owner Neville Gardner has not only given back to the community through Donegal Square’s partnership with Musikfest, but also by supporting other area events like the Celtic Cultural Alliance’s Celtic Classic and serving on various boards and committees while advocating for locally owned businesses and economic development in the City of Bethlehem.

Musikfest features more than 500 performances on 15 stages throughout Bethlehem over 10 days. Dates for the 33rd edition of the festival are Aug. 5-14. For more information, visit www.musikfest.org or follow the festival at www.facebook.com/Musikfest.