BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The weather has been forcing people to rearrange their holiday plans on the fly, sometimes by the hour.
Fans watching the World Cup and celebrating America’s upcoming big birthday were moved indoors at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem Friday night.
“If you’re not on time, you’re late,” Max Buendia said.
The Allentown man and his friends showed up on the lawn of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks one hour before their Argentina team faced off against Cape Verde — despite the scorching heat.
“We got the shade, so we came at a good time,” Rose Rodriguez said. “We got some water and just, you know, try to go in, get some cool air every now and then.”
Friday evening at ArtsQuest, as Fourth of July celebrations got moved inside for the heat wave, fans visiting specifically for the soccer —
“It’s not soccer, it’s fútbol for us,” Buendia said.
Fans visiting specifically for the fútbol could watch inside or outside.
“The heat doesn’t impede on anything,” Buendia said.
“Well, I’m Caribbean, so to me, this is a normal day,” Rodriguez said.
Though just a little later that night, a brief thunderstorm did bring everyone inside.
“At ArtsQuest, we’re super lucky to have a very adaptable staff,” Cory Stevens, Executive Director of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks and Volunteer Program Manager for ArtsQuest, said.
But coming up this weekend, plans are moving back outside as fútbol games continue — and America celebrates its Semiquincentennial: The big 250.
“This is a celebration 250 years in the making,” Stevens said. “We didn’t want to miss that and we’re getting a sense that the crowd didn’t want to miss that either.”
“It’s the 250th year of the greatest country in the world,” Buendia said. “So I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
The first show, featuring the Allentown Band at 5:30 p.m. will move inside to Musikfest Cafe. But then, a Bruce Springsteen tribute band will perform outside on the Levitt Lawn, as planned, by 8:30 that night.
“We’re expecting the heat’s going to drop as the sun goes down,” Stevens said. “And then we want everyone outside for the fireworks when they go off around 9:00.”
As for the superfans, seemingly unaffected by the heat: They’re doing their part to stay cool and safe.
“Just keep electrolytes on me at all times,” Jayden Ortiz, from Whitehall, said. “Drop it in a little 16 ounces of water. Good to go.”
Buendia put a towel over his head.
“Just put this on here, pour some water before,” he said. “And then I just stay cool the whole time.”
ArtsQuest encourages anyone watching the World Cup outside during the height of the heat to continue viewing inside as they please.