BETHLEHEM, Pa. – All week long, thousands of people have been attending and enjoying Musikfest, and while you may have noticed large crowds, that comes hand-in-hand with an increase of security.
69 News Reporter Sydney Kay was at the Southside of Musikfest with more on how the city prepares for this type of event.
Running across ten days and hosting more than one million people, Musikfest is the largest event the city of Bethlehem hosts each year.
We spoke to the Chief of Police, Michelle Kott, who tells us it takes months of planning and working with other agencies to keep everyone safe.
Police officers patrolling Musikfest is a sight festivalgoers will see as frequent as performers filling the stages across the city.
“Any given night, it depends on anticipated crowd sizes, the weather. On Tuesday, for example, we had 70 officers out throughout the day at Musikfest,” Kott said.
Keeping everyone safe, Kott says the department teams up with local, state, and federal partners for the 10-day event.
That includes setting up an Operations Center, manned by the chief herself.
“You can’t see me, but I am everywhere and anywhere I need to be to make sure that we are getting resources to where we need to be,” Kott said.
Whether it’s helping people find the shuttle or a lost loved one, she says she’s grateful for her officers answering the call to take care of the community.
That also includes reminding the public to be vigilant and take extra steps to keep themselves safe.
“If you’re going with your family, make sure you guys have a point where you’re going to meet if you get separated. Maybe take a picture of the kids when you first arrive so you know what kind of clothing they were wearing,” said Bethlehem Police Capt. William Audelo.
Safety spreads across security, but health as well, with trained professionals onsite and ready in case of an emergency.
“It’s very hot out, so make sure you’re hydrating and you’re taking rests and taking breaks and getting out of the sun a little bit to be safe here and having a good time at fest,” said LVHN per diem Physical Therapist Donna Passno.
If you see something, say something is what all first responders want festivalgoers to remember here at Musikfest.
They also say patrol doesn’t stop throughout the event, they still have units out on the roads in the city, so they encourage everyone to plan ahead and utilize a rideshare to prevent drinking and driving.
Did we catch you at the festival on Wednesday? Check out our photo gallery here!
Visit 69 Newsplatz on Spring Street, located between Festplatz and Plaza Tropical at Musikfest 2026.