unkajunk\u2018s annual New Year\u2019s Eve show leads the post-Christmas entertainment events set for local and regional entertainment over the next two weeks.<\/p>\n
The northeast Pennsylvania retro funk-soul band, marking its sixth New Year\u2019s Eve performance at Mauch Chunk Opera House, formed in 2015.<\/p>\n
ArtsQuest and Just Born Confections also help ring in the new year with the annual Peepsfest celebration at SteelStacks.<\/p>\n
Other venues getting in on the New Year\u2019s festivities include Country Junction, Wind Creek Event Center, Mount Airy Casino Resort and jazz club the Deer Head Inn.<\/p>\n
Among non-New Year\u2019s fare, Deer Head welcomes artists such as Bill Charlap and Nellie McKay, the latter a 2000 graduate of what later became Pocono Mountain East High School. Sherman Theater, meanwhile, hosts pop-punk\/rock band Patent Pending.<\/p>\n
PENN\u2019S PEAK<\/p>\n
325 Maury Road, Jim Thorpe<\/p>\n
866-605-7325, pennspeak.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Machine, 8 p.m. Saturday. The band, formed in 1988, performs the music of English rock band Pink Floyd. The Machine takes part of its name from Pink Floyd\u2019s 1975 track \u201cWelcome to the Machine.\u201d<\/p>\n
MAUCH CHUNK OPERA HOUSE<\/p>\n
14 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe<\/p>\n
570-325-0249, mcohjt.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 New Year\u2019s Eve with Hunkajunk, 9:30 p.m. Dec. 31. Formed in 2015 and based in northeast Pennsylvania, Hunkajunk performs retro hits, modern classics and original jams. The group, which has made New Year\u2019s Eve at the opera house a tradition over the last several years, features, among others, Justine Williams, Brett Andrew and Kyle O\u2019Brien.<\/p>\n
STEELSTACKS<\/p>\n
101 Founders Drive, Bethlehem<\/p>\n
610-332-1300, artsquest.org<\/p>\n
\u2022 The Discoteks, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Musikfest Caf\u00e9. Odell M, former bassist of disco group The Trammps, formed The Discoteks in 2014. The band pays tribute to Motown and the 1970s disco era.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Holiday Drag Brunch, 11 a.m. Sunday, Musikfest Caf\u00e9. The event, featuring Elektra Fearce St. James and other queens, includes brunch, cocktails, performances and an interactive holiday game with the audience.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Peepsfest, 3 to 6 p.m. Dec. 30 and 31, SteelStacks. The indoor\/outdoor event includes music, games, crafts and activities. Other highlights include bracelet making and recipes from \u201cPeeps in the Kitchen\u201d with Chef Julie of Levy Restaurants. In addition, the Wildlands Conservancy and the Da Vinci Science Center will present science and nature shows, while Good Shepherd Rehabilitation presents The Sensory-Friendly Space at PBS39. A 400-pound, 4-foot-9-inch Peeps chick, at 5:35 p.m. on both days, will descend for the New Year\u2019s countdown. A fireworks display follows.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Steal Your Peach, 8:30 p.m. Dec. 31, Musikfest Caf\u00e9. The tribute act fuses the music of rock groups Allman Brothers Band and Grateful Dead.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Philadelphia Funk Authority, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 2, 2026, Musikfest Caf\u00e9. The band performs soul, R&B, funk, dance and party music from the past 40 years.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Mysterious Ways and Chasing Daylight, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 3, 2026, Musikfest Caf\u00e9. The groups pay tribute to rock bands U2 and Coldplay. Mysterious Ways takes its name from U2\u2019s same-titled 1991 song. Two tracks from Coldplay\u2019s 2002 album \u201cA Rush to the Head\u201d inspired Chasing Daylight\u2019s name: \u201cDaylight\u201d and \u201cThe Scientist,\u201d the latter containing the line \u201cRunning in circles, chasing tails.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Three Kings Celebration, 2 to 6 p.m. Jan. 4, 2026. Many Latin American countries celebrate El D\u00eda de los Reyes\/Three Kings Day as a religious and cultural tradition. The event includes Latin band Herencia Jibara and a story reading at the Musikfest Caf\u00e9, Einstein the Snow Camel at Air Products Town Square, and toy distribution, plus arts and crafts, at Fowler Blast Furnace Room & Loft.<\/p>\n
COUNTRY JUNCTION<\/p>\n
6565 Interchange Road, Lehighton<\/p>\n
610-377-5050, countryjunction.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 Kids New Year\u2019s Eve Party, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 31. The event includes bumper cars, mini bowling, arcade games, tickets for prizes, hot chocolate, popcorn, characters and a New Year\u2019s Eve countdown at 1 p.m.<\/p>\n
WIND CREEK EVENT CENTER<\/p>\n
77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem<\/p>\n
610-224-4625, windcreekeventcenter.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 New Year\u2019s Eve Laser Party, 9 p.m. Dec. 31. The event includes music from DJ Smith and a light show.<\/p>\n
SHERMAN THEATER<\/p>\n
524 Main St., Stroudsburg<\/p>\n
570-420-2808, shermantheater.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 Patent Pending, 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The pop-punk\/rock band, formed in 2001 in Long Island, New York, released its debut full-length album \u201cSave Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine\u201d in 2006. Sophomore set \u201cSecond Family\u201d followed in 2011, with a Billboard \u201cDreamseeker Artist of the Year\u201d win coming in 2012. Patent Pending\u2019s Nintendo-\/\u201cSuper Mario Bros.\u201d-inspired EP, 2014\u2019s \u201cMario and the Brick Breakers: Greatest Hits,\u201d features the track \u201cHey Mario.\u201d The band, with six studio albums and numerous EPs to its credit, released its most recent single \u201cDelirium\u201d in May.<\/p>\n
MOUNT AIRY CASINO RESORT<\/p>\n
312 Woodland Road, Mount Pocono<\/p>\n
877-682-4791, mountairycasino.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 A Wickedly Emerald New Year\u2019s Eve, 9 p.m. Dec. 31, Event Center. The celebration includes an open bar, light hors d\u2019oeuvres and live entertainment.<\/p>\n
DEER HEAD INN<\/p>\n
5 Main St., Delaware Water Gap<\/p>\n
570-424-2000, deerheadinn.com<\/p>\n
\u2022 Nellie McKay, 7 p.m. Saturday. The English-American singer-songwriter\/pianist, who grew up in Mount Pocono, released her latest album \u201cGee Whiz: The Get Away From Me Demos\u201d in May. The set contains unused demos presaging McKay\u2019s 2004 debut album \u201cGet Away From Me\u201d and collaboration with producer\/engineer Geoff Emerick, who worked with the Beatles. McKay made her Broadway debut in the 2006 revival of \u201cThe Threepenny Opera.\u201d Carbone will accompany McKay on violin.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Gabrielle Stravelli Trio, 5 p.m. Sunday. Stravelli released her most recent studio album \u201cBeautiful Moons Ago\u201d in 2024. The singer-songwriter provided vocals, along with Kate McGarry, on the Rondi Charleston\/Fred Hersch album \u201cSuspended in Time: A Song Cycle,\u201d released in February. Aside from Stravelli on vocals, the lineup features Saul Rubin on guitar and Pat O\u2019Leary on bass.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Eric Mintel Quartet, 7 p.m. Dec. 29. Aside from Mintel on piano, the lineup features Nelson Hill on saxophone and flute, Jack Hegyi on bass and Dave Mohn on drums.<\/p>\n
\u2022 New Year\u2019s Eve Celebration, Dec. 31. Dinner service begins at 6:30 p.m., with music from The Nancy Reed Quartet from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The lineup features Nancy Reed on vocals, Skip Wilkins on piano, Tony Marino on bass and Spencer Reed on drums.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Bill Charlap, 5 p.m. Jan. 4, 2026. Charlap, son of Broadway composer Moose Charlap and singer Sandy Stewart, will present a solo piano show. The New York City-born pianist\/educator, known for his interpretations of American popular songs, has worked with artists such as Phil Woods, Tony Bennett, Gerry Mulligan, Wynton Marsalis, Freddy Cole and Houston Person. Charlap and Dee Dee Bridgewater, both with numerous albums to their credit, released the duet set \u201cElemental\u201d in June.<\/p>\n
Hunkajunkts annual New Year\u2019s Eve show at the Mauch Chunk Opera House. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO<\/p>\n
Peepsfest tacks returns to SteelStacks Dec. 30 and 31.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"unkajunk\u2018s annual New Year\u2019s Eve show leads the post-Christmas entertainment events set for local and regional entertainment over…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":71157,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":{"0":"post-71156","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bethlehem","8":"tag-bethlehem","9":"tag-bethlehem-headlines","10":"tag-bethlehem-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71156","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=71156"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71156\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71157"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}