Halloween is Saturday, and communities from Reading to Allentown to Easton are offering up lots of spooky entertainment.
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), traditionally a Mexican holiday that honors the dead, will return to the Arts Park in Allentown from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The event will be held in partnership with Interlace Cultural y Desarrollo Integral Mexicano de Lehigh Valley and The Baum School of Art. It’s an opportunity for families to enjoy music, dance, and cultural celebration.
Día de los Muertos is a holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink, and celebration. A blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion, and Spanish culture, the holiday is celebrated each year from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. While Oct. 31 is Halloween, Nov. 1 is “el Dia de los innocents,” or the day of the children, and All Saints Day. November 2 is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on Oct. 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on Nov. 2.
Participating vendors for the Dia de los Muertos celebration will be limited to local, authentic Mexican businesses and organizations.
Blood-drenched ‘Carrie’ at Muhlenberg
An immersive version of a musical inspired by a horror book and film highlights Halloween at Muhlenberg College’s Empie Theatre in Allentown.
“Carrie: The Musical,” adapted from Stephen King’s 1974 debut novel and the 1976 film, tells the story of Carrie White (Abby Bera), a teenage outcast living under the rule of her controlling mother. When she discovers she can move things with her mind, Carrie’s world begins to change.
When Carrie is humiliated at the prom, she unleashes her powers, causing chaos and destruction. The musical explores themes of bullying, religious extremism, and the consequences of not conforming to societal norms.
Written by Lawrence Cohen, with music by Michael Gore and lyrics by Dean Pritchford, “Carrie” has had a legendary, troubled history. In 1988, it premiered on Broadway, where it was a notorious flop, but despite its initial failure, it gained a cult following, and a revised off-Broadway production in 2012 received mostly positive reviews.
The production is presented in a way patrons have never seen before, said director James Peck.
“They’re effectively building a theater,” Peck said. “A big inspiration for the design has been German Expressionism, so there are these enormous panels that loom over the stage. It has this sense of ‘Welcome to the Thunderdome.’ It’s ominous. From the minute people walk into the theater, they’ll have that sense that they’ve entered another zone.”
The production is using a thrust stage, which means the audience is on three sides.
“It’s super up close and personal,” Bera said. “The audience is going to be right there.”
Choreographer Lyndsey Vader said it’s been “wild” working with the thrust stage.
“All the musical theater choreography I’ve done has been for the proscenium stage,” she said. “The thrust stage has re-activated my love for audience proximity and the immersive experience. We hope that the audience really feels a part of the story.”
Another immersive touch is the prom scene in which Carrie gets dumped with pig’s blood. Usually production use red lights for the scene, but Muhlenberg is going to use actual red liquid.
“It’s going to look like actual blood,” Bera said.
“We’ve had one test,” Peck said. “Lyndsey Vader was our stand-in for Abby. We dumped a gallon of water from 10-and-a-half feet, which is where it’s going to fall from, to make sure that it wouldn’t hurt and to see how far the splash zone would be, so that we won’t get blood on the audience.”
Peck said the music also enhances the production’s sinister tone.
“There are chord progressions and shapes that give it a creepy vibe,” Peck said. “If you think about your favorite horror movie, there’s definitely music playing when the big bad is lurking behind the door. It seems like an oxymoron, but it doesn’t feel like one.”
Peck called Bera and Amaya Romero, who plays Carrie’s mother, “extraordinary singers.”
“There are several numbers which they have together that are sort of grand opera,” Peck said. “They’re these soaring arias. They sound amazing together.”
The audience can attend in costume on Saturday for a trick-or-treat surprise.
Tickets cost $24 for adults, $22 for seniors, and $12 for students.
Performances will be at 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Spooky magic in Easton
Northampton Area High School and Muhlenberg College graduate David Caserta has been practicing illusions since he received his first magic set at age 6. Now, he performs all over the world, and at 4 p.m. on Saturday, he’ll stage his “Haunted Illusions” show at the State Theatre, which is located at 453 Northampton St. in Easton.
His show of mind-blowing magic and comedy promises to bring the whole audience into the act. Caserta will have people levitating, disappearing, and reappearing right before the audience members’ eyes. Featuring never-before-seen illusions created exclusively for this show, it is a night filled with thrills, laughter, and plenty of surprises. The audience will be captivated by dazzling spells, uproarious comedy, and interactive moments that pull everyone into the fun. As seen by millions on “America’s Got Talent” and “Penn and Teller Fool Us,” Caserta is one of the top touring illusionists in the country, delivering a production packed with cutting edge lighting, music, and effects. Caserta is a native of Moore Township, Northampton County.
Tickets cost $34.25 for adults and $27.95 for children age 12 and under.
Houdini in Reading
“Houdini: A Magician’s Journey” will be presented at 7 p.m. on Friday at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Berks County, which is located at 416 Franklin St. in Reading, where Harry Houdini spoke a century ago.
In February 1926, the Rev. L. Griswold Williams invited Houdini to speak at what was then known as Universalist Church of Our Father. At the time, Houdini was nationally known not only for his legendary escapes but also for his campaign to expose fraudulent mediums and spiritualists. Friday’s show will revisits that chapter of Houdini’s life.
Blending historical storytelling and theatrical magic, magician Joel Delgado invites the audience to experience the world Houdini challenged while exploring an enduring question: How do you know what you believe is true?
The event is intended to be respectful of the historic character of the venue while creating an engaging, educational, and entertaining experience that connects Reading’s history with the enduring legacy of one of the world’s most famous performers.
The performance will be suitable for a general audience and will focus on entertainment, history, skepticism, and the art of illusion. Audience members may be invited to participate in demonstrations.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Reading Pride Celebration and the LGBT Center of Greater Reading.
The show is directed by Adolfo Busó.
Tickets cost $25.
Halloween on Penn
Reading invites its residents to join Mayor Eddie Morán for a spooktacular evening at the sixth annual Halloween on Penn. From 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, there will be ghoulishly good fun for all ages on the 600 block of Penn Street.
Dozens of vendors will offer free candy, prizes, and Halloween goodies; pumpkin-decorating; and a Halloween-themed photo booth.
Attendees are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes.
The Reading Parking Authority will offer free parking from 4 to 9 p.m. at its South Penn Garage, which is located at 626 Cherry St.
VOCES8 at Zoellner
Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem will present “VOCES8” at 4 p.m. on Sunday at Baker Hall.
VOCES8’s performances are both emotionally moving and beautifully executed. The British ensemble is the world’s top-streaming classical vocal group and approaches its music with incredible skill and depth, creating a rich, layered sound that feels almost sacred. Its transcendent harmonies will lead the audience through centuries of music, from contemporary pop covers to timeless traditional and classical works.
The 2026 Opus Klassik winner and Grammy Award-nominated British vocal ensemble inspires people through music and share the joy of singing. Touring globally, the group performs an extensive repertoire both in its a cappella concerts and in collaborations with leading orchestras, conductors, and soloists. Versatility and a celebration of diverse musical expression are central to the ensemble’s performance and education ethos, which is shared both online and in person.
Tickets cost $35 and $45.
VOCES8 is the flagship ensemble of music education charity the VOCES8 Foundation.
There will be a free pre-show talk at 3 p.m. with Lehigh University’s director of choral activities, Sarah Frook Gallo, about the VOCES8 musical program and the workshop it conducted with Lehigh choir students.
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