Over 300 Free Shows to Rock Musikfest Stages in 2025

See performances by MKTO, Augustana, Nine Days and many many more!

Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA, July 22, 2025 – This year, ArtsQuest is thrilled to announce the free stages lineup featuring over 400 artists across 15 free stages throughout Bethlehem. 30% of this year’s free stages acts are homegrown, coming to us from right here in the Lehigh Valley, and the rest represent 25 different states and seven countries. To view a complete list of performers, visit musikfest.org or download the Musikfest App powered by PNC.

The wide range of genres throughout the Musikfest stages are sure to satisfy attendees from the traditionalist classical lover to the free-spirited indie fanatic.

Musikfest’s SouthSide Highlights

Some highlights from Bethlehem’s SouthSide include MKTO, a must-see pop/hip-hop duo performing Aug. 8 at the Air Products Americaplatz. The duo’s hit single “Classic” not only reached No.14 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts but also stayed stuck in America’s head throughout the early 2010s. It was aptly nominated for catchiest song at the Radio Disney Music Awards in 2014 and 2015.

Also performing at Air Products Americaplatz Aug. 9 is pop/rock band Augustana who hail from Santa Ana, CA. Known for their 2006 hit song “Boston” which shot up to No.34 on the Billboard Hot 100, they opened for One Direction in 2015 and are a must-see of fans of sentimental pop/rock or the former One Direction fangirl.

Another featured artist at the Air Products Americaplatz stage Aug. 7 is Nine Days, who are known for their unforgettable anthem “Absolutely (Story of a Girl)”, which peaked at No.6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2000. Their rock sound shaped the 2000s, and they continue to release critically successful rock albums, like their 2016 “Snapshots”.

Also on Aug. 7, The Vindys are performing at the Air Products Americaplatz. They are a pop/R&B/rock fusion band that gained national acclaim with live performances opening for Pet Benetar, ZZ Top and Ann Wilson. Their music has been featured in ESPN commercials, while their music video for “Bugs” earned an exclusive selection at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

For jazz fans, or even fans of dynamic performances and fresh sounds, pop/jazz saxophonist Grace Kelly hits the Air Products Americaplatz stage on Aug. 9 and PNC Stadtplatz on Aug. 10. She has been featured in Vanity Fair and performed on the “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” as part of their house band with John Baptiste. Kelly has been releasing albums since she was 12 and she continues to hit career highlights and deliver unmissable performances

Ashlyn Leary, a Bethlehem native, will be performing at the Lyricplatz at the Frank Banko Arthouse Cinema Aug. 6 and the Yuengling Lagerplatz stage on Aug. 7. She is a student at Lehigh University currently studying Astrophysics and Sociology. She was classically trained on the guitar, and she now uses those talents to perform a unique acoustic indie sound inspired by her favorite 90s alternative bands.

Other SouthSide highlights include, blues performer Nikki Hill making her Musikfest debut at the Air Products Americaplatz stage on Aug. 6; New Orleans jazz/hip-hop vocalist and trumpeter Shamarr Allen, also makes his debut at the Air Products Americaplatz stage on Aug. 6, he has performed with Willie Nelson, Patti LaBelle and Lenny Kravitz. Boys Go to Jupiter, who describe themselves as sugary punk or lush soul, are performing on Aug. 2 at the Air Products Americaplatz stage.

North Side Highlights

On Bethlehem’s North Side the Amish Outlaws hit the Service Electric Festplatz Aug 4 and the Air Products Americaplatz on Aug. 5. A six-piece rock band made up of three former Amish men who never went back to the Amish way of life after their time on Rumspringa, they now perform Amish-themed parodies of decidedly un-Amish music and repeat ‘Festers will know them as a Musikfest mainstay.

On the North Side at the PNC Stadplatz attendees can see tributes of their favorite classic bands in everything from Life After Dead: A Grateful Dead tribute, The Warped Band – The Ultimate Tribute to Warped Tour, Strawberry Fields – a tribute to the Beatles in full costume featuring members of the Broadway musical, Beatlemania and many more. If you want to see the music you love, from Britpop to Phil Colins, reimagined by a uniquely talented musician, you will likely find something to latch onto.

Coming to the Hotel Bethlehem Platz Aug. 3 and the Lutron Jazz Cabaret Stage at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas on Aug. 10, jazz/bossa nova/pop artist, Corrine. She started her career in the Pennsylvania countryside and now her 2024 single, “Ticked Pink” is getting rave reviews from jazz fans to outlets like All About that Jazz.

Throughout Musikfest it’s always possible that festgoers will find their favorite new artist, and that new favorite might be one of these up-and-coming artists performing at the North Side’s Yuengling Lagerplatz.

Mindy Murray, performing Aug. 2, is a folk/Americana artist whose music is shaped by the traditions of Celtic traditions, Americana and Appalachia. Murray started her music career in the 1970s as part of the New York City folk scene. After putting music on the backburner to run a medical practice, she was gifted a Martin Guitar by her husband for their 25th anniversary, and the rest is history. Murray’s folk and oral history traditions are perfect for someone who wants to feel connected to the past, while reflecting on the future.

Mosey Beat, a progressive funk rock group performing on Aug. 3 and Aug. 4, is a three-piece band from Pennsylvania whose melding of genres and the improvisation that is a core part of their show helps deliver a unique lively performance every time, without fail.

A mix of rock and classical, ARKAI, performing Aug. 8 and 9, is a celloist, violinist duo who use their instruments to mix the sounds of orchestra and rock. Their unique sound has taken them across the country, from performing for the LA Lakers to opening for Grammy Award winner, Jon Batiste. Their performances both honor the tradition of classical music while innovating and pushing music somewhere new.

Bringing bluegrass, country and rock to PNC Stadtplatz is The Jack Wharff Band. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, The Jack Wharff Band is known for their electric live performances, masterful instrumentation and their ability to make music that consistently defies the confines of genre. The young band burst onto the scene last year with snippets of jaw-dropping original songs posted to TikTok and Reels. They dropped their most recent album, “Richmond’s Most Wanted” right before the fest, so be ready to hear their brand-new hits Aug. 7.

For more information and to view all participating vendors and performers, visit musikfest.org. You can also download the free Musikfest app, powered by PNC, allowing you to customize your schedule and access an interactive Musikfest map, emergency weather information, shuttle schedules, best parking lot locations and more! The app is available to download at the Apple and Google Play app stores.

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 ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL; 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 nearly 40 percent are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region.