BETHLEHEM, Pa. \u2014 ArtsQuest has announced a new round of opening acts for the Wind Creek Steel Stage at PNC Plaza during this year\u2019s Musikfest, adding country, alternative rock, hip-hop, indie pop and soul performers ahead of the festival\u2019s headlining shows.<\/p>\n
Musikfest runs July 31 through Aug. 9 in Bethlehem, with a preview night on July 30. Now in its 43rd year, the festival is the nation\u2019s largest free music festival, featuring more than 400 performers and 500 performances across 16 stages, 15 of them free, and drawing more than 1 million visitors annually, according to ArtsQuest.<\/p>\n
The newly announced openers join previously revealed acts St. Lucia, George Pippen and Puddles Pity Party. ArtsQuest said in a news release that the lineup represents \u201cthe diverse sounds that define Musikfest\u201d and embodies \u201cthe festival tradition of introducing audiences to artists they may discover for the very first time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The opening-act schedule at the Wind Creek Steel Stage at PNC Plaza includes:<\/p>\n
July 30 \u2014 Fabry Orihuela<\/p>\n
July 31 \u2014 Blake Proehl and Lilly Moss<\/p>\n
Aug. 2 \u2014 St. Lucia<\/p>\n
Aug. 3 \u2014 George Pippen<\/p>\n
Aug. 4 \u2014 Puddles Pity Party<\/p>\n
Aug. 5 \u2014 TheRealZellyZel and K\u00fcf Knotz & Christine Elise<\/p>\n
Aug. 6 \u2014 Chandler Walters and Gillian Smith<\/p>\n
Aug. 7 \u2014 Kassi Ashton and Southpaw<\/p>\n
Aug. 8 \u2014 The Click Five<\/p>\n
Aug. 9 \u2014 David Wimbish & The Collection and Ryley Tate<\/p>\n
Headliners at the Wind Creek Steel Stage, with all shows beginning at 6 p.m. according to ArtsQuest, are scheduled as:<\/p>\n
July 30 \u2014 Grupo Niche (preview night)<\/p>\n
July 31 \u2014 Russell Dickerson<\/p>\n
Aug. 1 \u2014 John Mulaney, \u201cMister Whatever\u201d<\/p>\n
Aug. 2 \u2014 Third Eye Blind<\/p>\n
Aug. 3 \u2014 Train<\/p>\n
Aug. 4 \u2014 \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic, Bigger & Weirder 2026 Tour<\/p>\n
Aug. 5 \u2014 T.I. with special guest DaBaby<\/p>\n
Aug. 6 \u2014 Bailey Zimmerman<\/p>\n
Aug. 7 \u2014 Parker McCollum<\/p>\n
Aug. 8 \u2014 Yellowcard and Taking Back Sunday<\/p>\n
Aug. 9 \u2014 AJR<\/p>\n
Among the newly announced openers, Lilly Moss is a Bethlehem native and childhood cancer survivor whose singles include \u201cDeath of Me\u201d and \u201cSomebody Should.\u201d Blake Proehl, a former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver whose NFL career ended after a rookie-season injury, turned to music after a viral video of him singing for his grandmother and later appeared on \u201cAmerican Idol.\u201d<\/p>\n
TheRealZellyZel, a Pennsylvania rapper making his fourth Musikfest appearance, returned to performing after surviving a car accident in 2024 and is promoting his new album, \u201cDeparture.\u201d Chandler Walters, a Nashville-based steel guitarist, co-wrote Post Malone and Morgan Wallen\u2019s hit \u201cI Had Some Help\u201d and contributed six songs to Malone\u2019s \u201cF-1 Trillion\u201d album.<\/p>\n
Kassi Ashton, an MCA Nashville recording artist, received a 2025 ACM Award nomination for New Female Artist of the Year following her debut album, \u201cMade From The Dirt.\u201d The Click Five, the Boston-formed pop-rock band known for \u201cJust The Girl\u201d and \u201cJenny,\u201d will perform as part of its \u201cFor Lovers Tour.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryley Tate Wilson, an indie-pop singer-songwriter from Montgomery, Alabama, and a finalist on Season 23 of NBC\u2019s \u201cThe Voice,\u201d is a current Berklee College of Music student with a debut EP, \u201cHurry, I\u2019m Gone,\u201d due Sept. 24.<\/p>\n
ArtsQuest will also host the Musikfest Music Industry Conference Aug. 2-4. ArtsQuest said the conference features \u201cthree days of learning, innovation and connection at the intersection of music education and the modern industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
General admission to Musikfest is free, though individual Wind Creek Steel Stage headliner shows are ticketed separately. Tickets and additional information are available on the Musikfest website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Stay informed on Lehigh Valley events<\/p>\n Get the latest events news and updates from across the Valley.<\/p>\n