Over the past four decades, Musikfest has drawn big musical names \u2014 and big crowds \u2014 to Bethlehem.<\/p>\n
Musikfest\u2019s lineup has evolved along with our musical tastes. Headliners over the years range from Don McLean at the first Musikfest in 1984 and Ray Charles in 1987, to modern acts like rockers Train (returning this year for their sixth Musikfest performance) and country star Megan Moroney in 2025.<\/p>\n
Crowds have also grown.\u00a0The first festival in 1984 drew just 182,000 attendees. Last year\u2019s Musikfest shattered attendance records, with an estimated 1,449,000 people and the most headliner tickets ever sold.<\/p>\n
In addition to Train, headliners for the 43rd annual Musikfest include two other repeat performers: Third Eye Blind, making a third appearance and its second in a row; and AJR, returning for its second Musikfest.<\/p>\n
Rounding out the headliners this year are Grupo Niche on preview night, Russell Dickerson, comedian John Mulaney, \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic, T.I. with special guest DaBaby, Bailey Zimmerman, Parker McCollum, and Yellowcard and Taking Back Sunday.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s festival runs July 31-Aug. 9.<\/p>\n
Who else has played Musikfest?\u00a0Here\u2019s a look at all the headliners over the years, according to ArtsQuest.<\/p>\n
1980s<\/p>\n
1984: Don McLean, Louis Armstrong All-Stars, Rob Stoneback Big Band, Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, Allentown Symphony Orchestra, Johnson Mountain Boys, Allentown Band<\/p>\n
1985: The Association, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Pete Seeger, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Koko Taylor, Arvell Shaw & The Louis Armstrong Legacy Band, Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra<\/p>\n
1986: Judy Collins, Tom Paxton, Robin & Linda Williams, Christine Lavin, Arlo Guthrie, Woody Herman, Carlos Montoya, Lionel Hampton, The Turtles, Allentown Band<\/p>\n
1987: Ray Charles, The Spinners, Dizzy Gillespie, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Joan Baez, The Clancy Brothers, The Lettermen<\/p>\n
1988: Bethlehem American Legion Band, The Tannahill Weavers, The Marvelettes, Four Freshmen, Kevin Eubanks, Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Zydeco Band, Chuck Mangione, Tito Puente, Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, The Mamas & the Papas, Rita Coolidge, Maureen McGovern<\/p>\n
1989: Allentown Band, The Duprees, The Lettermen, Sammy Kaye Orchestra, Livingston Taylor, Flora Purim, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Clancy Brothers, Johnny Rivers, Nancy Wilson, The Association<\/p>\n
1990s<\/p>\n
1990: Diane Schuur, The Temptations, Marie Osmond, Spyro Gyra, Three Dog Night, Mitch Ryder, Buddy DeFranco, Woody Herman Orchestra, Artie Shaw<\/p>\n
1991: Los Lobos, Blood, Sweat & Tears, The 5th Dimension, Eddie Rabbitt, Queen Ida, Stanley Jordan, Little River Band, Tommy Makem & Barley Bree<\/p>\n
1992: Kingston Trio, Mary Wilson, Maureen McGovern, Trisha Yearwood, Lou Rawls, America, REO Speedwagon, Tommy James, Neil Sedaka, Captain & Tennille<\/p>\n
1993: Brian Hyland, Jan & Dean, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Grover Washington Jr., Air Supply, Al Martino, Crystal Gayle, Johnny Rivers, Gordon Lightfoot<\/p>\n
1994: The Lettermen, George Benson, Restless Heart, Russ Freeman & The Rippingtons, Dan Hill, Peabo Bryson, Ben E. King, Jay Black, Manhattan Transfer<\/p>\n
1995: The Everly Brothers, Yellowjackets, The Neville Brothers, River City Brass Band, Kathy Mattea, Three Dog Night, Eddie Money, Roberta Flack, Restless Heart<\/p>\n
1996: The Guess Who, B\u00e9la Fleck & Flecktones, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Diamond Rio, The Commodores, All-4-One, Vic Damone<\/p>\n
1997: KC & the Sunshine Band, Tom Jones, Patti LaBelle, Little Richard, Blessid Union of Souls, Hall & Oates, Buddy Guy, Al Jarreau, Tracy Byrd<\/p>\n
1998: Celia Cruz, Jos\u00e9 Alberto \u201cEl Canario,\u201d Savage Garden, Ray Charles, Indigo Girls, Trace Adkins, Wayne Newton, Village People, The Chicks<\/p>\n
1999: Hootie & the Blowfish, Train, Tony Bennett, Foreigner, Joey McIntyre, Jonny Lang, Kenny Rogers, Branford Marsalis, Mark Chesnutt<\/p>\n
2000-2009<\/p>\n
2000: Savage Garden, Wheatus, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Robert Cray, Sugar Ray, Duran Duran, Foghat, Boyz II Men, Molly Hatchet, Paul Rodgers<\/p>\n
2001: Elvis Crespo, Fuel, The Neville Brothers, Indigo Girls, Chicago, Montgomery Gentry, Aaron Carter, O-Town, Huey Lewis & the News<\/p>\n
2002: The Guess Who, Blue \u00d6yster Cult, Kansas, Little River Band, Lifehouse, Dishwalla, Michael Bolton, Peter, Paul & Mary, Shaggy, Hootie & the Blowfish, Allentown Symphony Orchestra<\/p>\n
2003: Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Staind, The B-52\u2019s, O-Town, Earth, Wind & Fire, Steve Winwood, The Beach Boys, Martina McBride, Jethro Tull, Melissa Etheridge<\/p>\n
2004: Clay Aiken, Huey Lewis & the News, Peter Frampton, Chingy, Alice Cooper, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Lonestar, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, The Temptations, Etta James<\/p>\n
2005: Donna Summer, Clay Aiken, Seether, Jo Dee Messina, The Beach Boys, George Thorogood, REO Speedwagon, Keith Urban, Steve Miller Band, Parliament-Funkadelic<\/p>\n
2006: Alice in Chains, Train, LL Cool J, Trace Adkins, KC & the Sunshine Band, Melissa Etheridge, Styx & Kansas, Kenny G, Carrie Underwood, Heart<\/p>\n
2007: The Black Crowes, Ludacris, B.B. King, Meat Loaf, The Moody Blues, Patti LaBelle, Deep Purple, Joe Walsh, Big & Rich, Stone Sour<\/p>\n
2008: Avril Lavigne, Collective Soul, Kool & the Gang, Boston, Poison, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jethro Tull, Stone Temple Pilots, Lonestar, Diamond Rio, John Fogerty<\/p>\n
2009: Commodores, The Wallflowers, Chris Isaak, Yes, Asia, David Cook, Third Eye Blind, B-52\u2019s, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Puddle of Mudd, Pat Benatar, Blondie<\/p>\n
2010-2019<\/p>\n
2010: Counting Crows, Norah Jones, Martina McBride, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heart, The Doobie Brothers, Styx & Blue \u00d6yster Cult, Adam Lambert, Selena Gomez & the Scene, Sublime (with Rome)<\/p>\n
2011: Stone Temple Pilots, Maroon 5, Miranda Cosgrove, Steve Miller Band, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Steely Dan, Straight No Chaser, Buckcherry, Nick Jonas, Train<\/p>\n
2012: Young the Giant, Sublime With Rome, MGMT, Huey Lewis & the News, Joe Cocker, Goo Goo Dolls, Dukes of September Rhythm Revue, Jane\u2019s Addiction, Sheryl Crow, Daughtry, Boston<\/p>\n
2013: Carly Rae Jepsen, OneRepublic, Skillet, Frampton\u2019s Guitar Circus, George Thorogood, Styx & Foreigner, KC & the Sunshine Band, Darius Rucker, Kesha, Avenged Sevenfold<\/p>\n
2014: Craig Thatcher Band, The All-American Rejects, Jason Derulo, Sheryl Crow, The Moody Blues, Steely Dan, The Avett Brothers, Alan Jackson, Weezer, Keith Urban<\/p>\n
2015: Duran Duran; The Flaming Lips (with Chappo & VoirVoir); Culture Club; O.A.R. (with Allen Stone & Brynn Eliott); Jerry Seinfeld; Reba McEntire (with Caroline Kole); ZZ Top (with The Craig Thatcher Trio); 3 Doors Down & Collective Soul (with Eighteenth Hour); Darius Rucker (with Cassadee Pope); Snoop Dogg (with Trouble City All\u2010Stars); Alice in Chains<\/p>\n
2016: X Ambassadors (Rachel Platten & Jukebox the Ghost); Run\u2010DMC; Dierks Bentley (with Tucker Beathard); Tribute to Prince & David Bowie (Swift Technique & Band From Mars); Boston; Don Henley (with Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors); Bush & Chevelle; Sabrina Carpenter; Lady Antebellum (with Lauren Jenkins & Post Monroe); The Avett Brothers (with Langhorne Slim)<\/p>\n
2017: Santana; Chicago (with Devon Gilfillian); Father John Misty (with San Fermin); Live; Aloe Blacc; Godsmack; Toby Keith; The Band Perry; Lee Brice & Justin Moore; Jethro Tull<\/p>\n
2018: Styx & Joan Jett & the Blackhearts; Daughtry; Jim Gaffigan; Dierks Bentley (with LANCO); Kesha; Gary Clark Jr.; Grouplove; Brantley Gilbert; All Time Low & Dashboard Confessional; Jason Mraz (with Brett Dennen)<\/p>\n
2019: Earth, Wind & Fire; The Chainsmokers; Steve Miller Band (with Marty Stuart & his Fabulous Superlatives); Lady A; Weezer; Train & Goo Goo Dolls; Incubus; The Revivalists; Godsmack; Phillip Phillips; Brad Paisley<\/p>\n
2020-2025<\/p>\n
2020: The Uptown Band; The BRUCE Show (Bruce Springsteen cover band); Craig Thatcher Band; Hector Rosado Orchestra; Danielle Ponder & fireworks (Musikfest was virtual this year due to the COVID pandemic)<\/p>\n
2021: Darius Rucker; Phillip Phillips; Preservation Hall Jazz Band; Sam Hunt; Shinedown; Jimmie Allen; Colin Hay Band; KT Tunstall; Zedd; The Wood Brothers<\/p>\n
2022: Boyz II Men; Kip Moore; Willie Nelson & Family; Poison; Counting Crows; Ziggy Marley; Disturbed; Kelsea Ballerini; Ja Rule & Ashanti; Alabama; Olga Ta\u00f1\u00f3n<\/p>\n
2023: AJR; Walk the Moon; G\u2010Eazy; Dan + Shay; Walker Hayes; Keith Sweat & Monica; Goo Goo Dolls; Gabriel Iglesias & Faux Friends; El Gran Combo; Maren Morris; Train<\/p>\n
2024: Greta Van Fleet (with the Beaches); Sugar Ray; Better Than Ezra; Tonic; Shinedown (with StopGap Solution); Jowell & Randy (with Luis Figueroa); Slash (with ZZ Ward, Robert Randolph & Grace Bowers & the Hodge Podge); Old Dominion (with Kassi Ashton); Lynyrd Skynyrd; Black Eyed Peas; Big Time Rush (with Crash Adams & Sorelle); Ludacris; ZZ Top (with Foghat)<\/p>\n
2025: Megan Moroney (with JP Saxe); Riley Green (with John Morgan); The Avett Brothers; Darius Rucker; The Black Crowes; Chicago; Nelly; Gilberto Santa Rosa; Third Eye Blind (with Boys Like Girls); Jordan Davis; The Black Keys (with The Velveteers)<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.mcall.com\/2026\/07\/26\/musikfest-2026-guide-when-lineup-food-parking\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Over the past four decades, Musikfest has drawn big musical names \u2014 and big crowds \u2014 to Bethlehem.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":254792,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154,1681,1213,22777,289,432],"class_list":["post-254791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem","tag-bethlehem-headlines","tag-bethlehem-news","tag-entertainment","tag-music-and-concerts","tag-musikfest","tag-things-to-do","tag-top-stories-tmc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=254791"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254791\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/254792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=254791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=254791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=254791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}