The arrival of 2026 can mean only one thing: another year packed with the best live entertainment the Lehigh Valley has to offer.
Over the next 12 months, the region’s stages will welcome something for everyone — from world-renowned artists and top-tier comedians to Broadway sensations and beloved regional favorites. As we do at the start of each year, here’s a look at some of the highlights music and performance fans can look forward to across the Lehigh Valley in 2026.
Several legendary acts will make what may be their final visits to the region as they embark on farewell tours. The sendoffs begin at Allentown’s PPL Center, where two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Sir Rod Stewart brings his One Last Time Tour to town on Saturday, March 14. The evening promises a career-spanning set filled with unforgettable hits from his more than 50 years in music.
Classic-rock icons Journey follow on Thursday, June 11, with their Last Frontier Tour. Billed as a special “Evening With” performance, the show reunites guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain from the band’s pivotal ’80s lineup for an extended, all-Journey set with no opening act.
Also in Allentown, Archer Music Hall rings in the new year with a diverse slate of artists.
Alternative rockers Seahaven perform their album Winter Forever in its entirety on Tuesday, Feb. 3, celebrating its 15th anniversary. Maggie Lindemann brings her ethereal pop sound to the stage on Sunday, March 1, followed by melodic death-metal favorites Nekrogoblikon on Thursday, March 12.
Comedy fans will want to make their way to the Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem. Bill Engvall delivers his signature humor on Friday, Feb. 6, followed by SiriusXM host, Grammy Awards emcee and New York Times best-selling author Trevor Noah on Saturday, Feb. 14.
Mandy Patinkin, seen here on Dec. 5, 2025 in New York City, performs Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the State Theatre in Easton. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Songwriter, author, actor and rock music star Sebastian Bach, seen at Comic-Con on July 26, 2024., performs Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe. (Michelle Guerrero / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Wolfgang Van Halen (Andraia Van Halen)
Charley Crockett performs at the Palomino Stage during the 2024 Stagecoach Festival at Empire Polo Club on April 27, 2024, in Indio, California. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Stagecoach/TNS)
Jason Aldean performs at New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Comedian and TV host Daniel Tosh (LiveNation)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 10: Trevor Noah performs onstage during the Comic Relief Live 2025: A Benefit to Build Brighter Futures for Kids at Carnegie Hall on December 10, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Comic Relief)
Bill Engvall
Nekrogoblikon opens the show for GWAR at the Ace of Spades in Sacramento. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)
Maggie Lindemann(Amy Harris/Associated Press)
Journey lead guitarist Neal Schon performs in concert at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Rod Stewart performs in concert at the Xcel Energy Center on Sunday, August 10, 2014. (Pioneer Press: Scott Takushi)
Gabby’s Dollhouse Live! (of Gabby’s Dollhouse Live!)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 09: Rob Thomas performs during SiriusXM and Pandora PopRocks: The Holidays in New York City at Hammerstein Ballroom on December 09, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Go Go Gadjet (Contributed photo)
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Mandy Patinkin, seen here on Dec. 5, 2025 in New York City, performs Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the State Theatre in Easton. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Daniel Tosh, co-creator and star of Tosh.0, which ran for 12 seasons on Comedy Central, brings his My First Farewell Tour to Wind Creek on Sunday, June 14.
Tribute acts remain a fan favorite, and 2026 offers a full lineup at the Musikfest Café. The venue will host Hey Nineteen (Steely Dan) on Saturday, Jan. 10; Hollywood Nights (Bob Seger) on Friday, March 6; Mamma Mania! (ABBA) on Friday, April 3; and The Seven Wonders (Fleetwood Mac) on Saturday, April 25.
Country music also makes a strong showing in the new year. Jason Aldean brings his Full Throttle Tour to PPL Center on Friday, Jan. 30, while rising star Charley Crockett takes the stage at Wind Creek Event Center on Saturday, March 7.
Pop and hard rock collide at Wind Creek in 2026 as well. Rob Thomas delivers an intimate evening with Sidewalk Angels on Friday, Jan. 16, before Wolfgang Van Halen’s band Mammoth cranks up the volume on Saturday, March 14.
Beloved regional performers return to familiar stages throughout the year. High-energy favorites Go Go Gadjet kick things off with back-to-back shows at the Musikfest Café on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 30 and 31. The Amish Outlaws follow with a performance on Saturday, Feb. 21.
In downtown Easton, the historic State Theatre welcomes the new year with Broadway-caliber talent. Broadway’s Rock of Ages Band hits the stage on Saturday, Feb. 28, delivering the electrifying sound that defined ’80s rock with original musicians and vocalists from the hit production. March brings the Tony Award–winning musical Kinky Boots, with performances on Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 8 at 1 p.m.
Later in the spring, Tony-winning Broadway icon and Emmy-winning actor Mandy Patinkin takes the stage with Jukebox on Thursday, April 23.
North of the Valley, Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe hosts a pair of classic rock and metal pioneers. On Saturday, March 21, Sebastian Bach — the original voice of Skid Row — returns with a powerhouse set spanning his storied career. He’s followed by Glenn Hughes, whose legendary vocals helped define Trapeze, Deep Purple and Black Country Communion, along with an acclaimed solo career. Hughes brings his Chosen Years Tour to the venue on Friday, April 17.
Further south, the Sellersville Theater showcases an impressive lineup, highlighted by powerhouse female blues guitarists. Blues virtuoso Ana Popovic headlines on Saturday, Jan. 10, followed by the electrifying Joanne Shaw Taylor on Wednesday, March 25. The venue also welcomes The Harry Chapin Band on Saturday, Jan. 17, featuring Steve Chapin, Big John Wallace, Howard Fields, Clark Wallace, and Arlen Hlusko performing Chapin’s classic songs while sharing stories behind the music.
On Tuesday, Feb. 24, Vicki Peterson (The Bangles) and husband John Cowsill (The Cowsills) perform together, drawing from their new album Long After the Fire alongside hits from their respective iconic bands.
Classical music lovers also have much to anticipate in 2026. Miller Symphony Hall welcomes Grammy-winning pianist Emanuel Ax for a special weekend of concerts on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14 and 15, featuring works by Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. Later in the season, the orchestra and conductor Diane Wittry present Mozart’s Requiem on Saturday and Sunday, April 25 and 26 — a timeless masterpiece celebrated for its emotional depth and spiritual power.
Younger audiences won’t be left out. The State Theatre in Easton welcomes Gabby’s Dollhouse Live! on Tuesday, Jan. 26, bringing the beloved animated series to the stage. Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem follows with Grimmz Fairy Tales on Sunday, March 1, an inventive children’s production that reimagines classic Brothers Grimm stories through a modern, urban lens.
From legendary farewell tours and laugh-out-loud comedy to Broadway favorites and standout regional talent, 2026 is shaping up to be another thrilling year for live entertainment in the Lehigh Valley.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or simply looking to discover something new, the region’s stages are ready to deliver performances that promise lasting memories. Mark your calendars — this is one year you won’t want to miss.
James Wood is a freelance entertainment writer. His new music-themed novel, “Beyond What We Know,” is available now. He can be reached at jimmywood@gmail.com.