Some mainstay classics in the region will return this weekend, while other events will mark their debut.
The Morning Call has a list of best bets to check out.
Rush the library shelves
For those ready to lie down with a new book, the seventh Lehigh Valley Book Festival will unite bookworms and writer lovers this weekend.
This year’s theme, titled “Reading is Resistance,” seeks to encourage readers to step away from rising technology and “slow down, think deeply and engage with new perspectives and challenging ideas” by reading, per a blurb on the festival’s website.
The event begins with a Thursday book swap at Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre. The busiest day of the action, Saturday, features a two-hour kids’ fest, book festival expo and concurrent author presentations. Saturday programming will take place at the Bethlehem Area Public Library.
The festival, entirely led by volunteers, will conclude with a Sunday keynote at Cedar Crest College.
If you go: Entry to the event is free; for complete details, visit theendbooks.co/lehigh-valley-book-festival. Note: Sunday’s keynote is free to attend, but $30 tickets, available through the organizer’s website, will include the keynote speaker’s book “True Color” and two guaranteed seats.
Spring blooms in Catasauqua
There’s no blooming noticeable on any of the Lehigh Valley trees quite yet, but in Catasauqua, a family-friendly event on Saturday will nevertheless anticipate the slow-but-steady changing of the seasons.
“Catty in Bloom Festival” will debut from 1 to 5 p.m. at the borough’s municipal building, kicking off after a noon Easter egg hunt. The event will showcase local craft vendors, a food truck, ice cream and a flower bouquet bar.
For the kids, the Easter Bunny — eight days before the egg baskets will be filled to the brim for the Easter holiday — will make an appearance, according to organizers.
“It’s a day where families, neighbors, and local businesses can come together to celebrate the season and enjoy all that our community has to offer,” Chloe Krempasky, manager of Whitehall Area Chamber, wrote in a news release.
If you go: Festival will take place at 90 Bridge St., Catasauqua. Entry to the event is free, with a goodie bag provided to the first 100 guests.
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs host their season opener Friday, March 27, 2026, at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown. (David Garrett/Special to The Morning Call)
A French art fundraiser, with French style
An Emmaus arts nonprofit will host an inaugural “soirée fundraiser” on Saturday night, a French celebration featuring resident studio artists.
JuxtaHub will team up with local partner Embassy Bank for “The Collection Soirée.” Among the artwork at the fundraiser, all available for purchase, include painting, ceramics, mosaics and more.
Guests are encouraged to dress in “French Riviera” attire, with a music trio performance, wine, cocktails and bites serving as an addition to Saturday’s soirée, according to a news release. JuxtaHub Executive Director Ryan Hill, in the release, called the fundraiser a “meaningful opportunity to begin or add to an art collection they’ll treasure for a lifetime.”
If you go: The event will take place Saturday 7 to 9 p.m., at 375 S. 10th St., Emmaus. Tickets, at $150, can be purchased at juxtahub.com/soiree/.
IronPigs opening weekend
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will kick off a season of minor league baseball, pork races and en masse hot dog sales across Coca-Cola Park on Friday night.
With a 7:05 p.m. timeslot, the home game is scheduled against the Toledo Mud Hens. The IronPigs compiled an 87-61 record in 2025.
Friday’s opener precedes two more IronPigs matchups against the Mud Hens during the weekend homestand: a Saturday game at 4:35 p.m. and Sunday at 1:15 p.m.
If you go: Coca-Cola Park is located at 1050 IronPigs Way, Allentown. Tickets for any of the weekend games can be purchased at milb.com/lehigh-valley/tickets/promotions
Andreas Pelekis is a freelance writer. Reach out to him with weekend tips for next weekend at atp3417@gmail.com.