What's Happening in Bethlehem This Week: September 18-25, 2026

The week of September 18-25, 2026 opens with a full fall weekend across the 18017 area. Freedom football plays at Nazareth tonight, Lehigh hosts Dartmouth at Goodman Stadium for Family Weekend on Saturday, the Vintage and Harvest Market returns to Burnside Plantation, and Moravian makes its first road trip of the season at Ursinus. This roundup covers the City of Bethlehem, Hanover Township (where 3650 Stephen Crane Ln sits), Bethlehem Township, the Bethlehem Area School District, Wind Creek Bethlehem, Lehigh and Moravian universities, and well-reviewed places to eat. Everything below was checked against official and current sources this week.

Around Bethlehem: Hanover Township, the City, and Bethlehem Township

Hanover Township, Northampton County, where 3650 Stephen Crane Ln sits, has a busy community calendar. The Mayors Wellness Campaign, the township Police Department, and Recreation are partnering with Avenues in Motion for a kids' Bike Rodeo and bike safety course; the exact date and time are posted on the township site at hanovertwp-nc.org. Two practical updates are worth knowing: Whitetail Disposal has begun serving as the township's trash and recycling hauler, and fiber-optic crews will be installing cable across the township over the coming months, so expect periodic lane work near neighborhood streets. In local news, Colonial Regional Police has a new chief, Darrin Wendling, named after a long-tenured chief retired earlier this month, with several departmental promotions. The township has also posted a Household Hazardous Waste Collection event on its site, so check the calendar for the date, and the America250 Celebration follows next Saturday, September 26, at the township complex on Jacksonville Road.

The City of Bethlehem weekend centerpiece is the Vintage and Harvest Market at Historic Bethlehem's Burnside Plantation: Market-to-Go pickup runs Friday, September 18, 4:00 to 7:00 PM, and the main market opens Saturday, September 19, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM with local vendors and seasonal goods. Historic Bethlehem also runs guided tours, including "Branching Out: Tour the Moravian Museum and Nearby Historic Sites" Friday at noon and Saturday at 2:30 PM, and "The Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel: Walking Tour" from the SteelStacks area Friday at 2:30 PM and Saturday at noon. The Bethlehem Farmers Market returns to Farrington Square Friday, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. For music, Godfrey Daniels hosts Iain Matthews and No Grey Faith Friday at 8:00 PM and Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert Saturday at 8:00 PM, while the Musikfest Cafe has Billy Bauer Band, a Dave Matthews Band tribute, Friday at 7:30 PM and Emo Kids, a live emo-night party band, Saturday at 7:30 PM. Sunday brings the Lehigh Valley Wicked Plant Fest to the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks at 10:00 AM. The Celtic Classic Highland Games and Festival returns next weekend, September 25 to 27, filling downtown with pipe bands and Highland athletics.

Bethlehem Township keeps its standing rhythm. The Board of Commissioners holds its regular meeting Monday, September 21 at 7:00 PM in the Municipal Building at 3535 Orth Street, livestreamed on the township site for residents who cannot attend. The Community Center on Farmersville Road runs its weekly Mahjong Monday open play from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, the Autumn Club senior social Monday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, and Senior Drop-In with bingo and cards Wednesdays from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. The Zoning Hearing Board meets Wednesday, September 30 at 6:30 PM. Confirm times on the township's official calendar before heading out.

Bethlehem Area School District, Freedom, and Liberty

The Bethlehem Area School District observes Yom Kippur on Monday, September 21, and all BASD schools are closed that day. On the football slate, Freedom (Patriots) travels to Nazareth for a 7:00 PM EPC league game Friday, September 18, after a 32-31 win over Phillipsburg on September 11, while Liberty (Hurricanes) hosted Northampton Thursday night, September 17, following a 28-14 win over Stroudsburg on September 10. Next week Liberty plays at Whitehall Thursday, September 24 and Freedom hosts Dieruff Friday, September 25, both at 7:00 PM. For families planning ahead, the district has a half day Wednesday, October 14, with high schools dismissing at 11:00 AM, middle schools at 11:30 AM, and elementary schools at noon.

Good Places to Eat in Bethlehem

Fresh picks for game nights, market days, and campus visits, all a short drive from Hanover Farms:

• Apollo Grill at 85 West Broad Street is a long-standing downtown favorite with a 4.6-star average across more than 1,000 reviews.
• Francisco's Salvadoreño at 100 East Broad Street earns a 4.8-star average for Salvadoran plates right on Broad.
• Martellucci's Pizzeria at 1419 Easton Avenue is a 4.5-star neighborhood pizzeria near the Union Boulevard corridor.
• Aqui Es: A Taste of Mexico at 821 Linden Street serves Mexican classics with a 4.4-star average.
• The People's Kitchen at 639 Linden Street stays a budget-conscious favorite with a 4.6-star average and happy regulars.
• Billy's Downtown Diner at 10 East Broad Street remains the dependable breakfast-anytime stop before a long market or campus day.

Call ahead on game and market nights, and check hours before you go; several kitchens keep limited hours this time of year.

Events at Wind Creek Bethlehem

Comedian Ali Wong headlines the Wind Creek Event Center Saturday, September 19 at 8:00 PM, a fitting bookend to the market-day evening. The September run closes out with Tom Jones Thursday, September 24, Boys Like Girls Friday, September 25, and Black Veil Brides with Caskets, Archers, and Autumn Kings Saturday, September 26. Newly confirmed for October: Ann Wilson of Heart with Tripsitter Friday, October 2 (tickets from about $82), comedian Jordan Jensen Saturday, October 3, Whiskey Myers Saturday, October 10, The Basement Yard Live podcast and comedy show Friday, October 16 (tickets roughly $40 to $112), and Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox on its "The Future Is Vintage" world tour Saturday, October 17. Tickets run through the Wind Creek Event Center's official channels.

Lehigh University and Moravian University

At Lehigh University, it is Family and Founder's Weekend, and the headline is Mountain Hawks football, 3-0 on the season, hosting Dartmouth Saturday, September 19 at noon at Goodman Stadium, streamed on ESPN+. Lehigh Wrestling adds a "BBQ Tailgate with Champions" on the Goodman Campus from 10:00 AM to noon before kickoff. At Zoellner Arts Center, LUAG hosts All-Ages Artmaking, "Stitch Your Own Story Flag" with artist Rebecca Kelly, Saturday from 1:00 to 2:30 PM in the LUAG Main Galleries, free and open to all ages, and bass-baritone Dashon Burton gives the Paul Salerni Biennial Art Song Recital Sunday, September 20 at 3:00 PM in Baker Hall. The Bethlehem Farmers Market at Farrington Square runs Friday, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on the campus edge. Looking ahead, the "Well Being Concert" with Piers Faccini and Ballaké Sissoko is Wednesday, September 23, Graham Nash plays Baker Hall Thursday, September 24 (reportedly sold out), and the Department of Theatre opens "Witch" Friday, September 25 at the Diamond Theater.

At Moravian University, football makes its first road trip of 2026 in the program's 100th season under first-year head coach Chris Sapp: the Greyhounds play at Ursinus Saturday, September 19 at 7:00 PM at Patterson Field in Collegeville. The team carries a 0-2 record after home losses to Muhlenberg and Rowan. On campus, Payne Gallery at 346 Main Street keeps public hours Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 4:00 PM, with free admission; check Moravian's events calendar for the gallery's fall exhibitions and the music department's concert schedule before you go.

The Week Ahead in One Glance

• Fri Sept 18: Freedom at Nazareth football 7:00 PM; Vintage and Harvest Market-to-Go 4-7 PM at Burnside; Farmers Market at Farrington Square 10 AM-2 PM; Billy Bauer Band at Musikfest Cafe 7:30 PM; Iain Matthews and No Grey Faith at Godfrey Daniels 8:00 PM.
• Sat Sept 19: Lehigh vs Dartmouth noon at Goodman (ESPN+); Vintage and Harvest Market 10 AM-4 PM; LUAG artmaking 1-2:30 PM; Moravian at Ursinus 7:00 PM; Emo Kids at Musikfest Cafe 7:30 PM; Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert at Godfrey Daniels 8:00 PM; Ali Wong at Wind Creek 8:00 PM.
• Sun Sept 20: Lehigh Valley Wicked Plant Fest at SteelStacks 10:00 AM; Dashon Burton art song recital at Baker Hall 3:00 PM.
• Mon Sept 21: BASD closed for Yom Kippur; Bethlehem Township Board of Commissioners 7:00 PM; Mahjong Monday 1-4 PM at the Community Center.
• Tue Sept 22: Hanover Township Board of Supervisors, regular session at 7:00 PM (standing fourth-Tuesday schedule).
• Wed Sept 23: Lehigh "Well Being Concert" with Piers Faccini and Ballaké Sissoko; Senior Drop-In 1-3 PM at the Bethlehem Township Community Center.
• Thurs Sept 24: Liberty at Whitehall football 7:00 PM; Tom Jones at Wind Creek 8:00 PM; Graham Nash at Zoellner 7:00 PM (sold out).
• Fri Sept 25: Freedom hosts Dieruff 7:00 PM; Boys Like Girls at Wind Creek 8:00 PM; Celtic Classic opens 4:00 PM; Lehigh "Witch" opening night 7:30 PM.

As always, event details, times, and lineups can change, so confirm directly with the township, city, school, venue, or university before heading out. I research this roundup fresh every week from official and current sources, and I never publish an event I cannot verify.

While you are out enjoying fall weekends in Bethlehem, remember that 3650 Stephen Crane Ln in Hanover Farms is listed at $414,900, with 3 bedrooms plus an office or possible 4th bedroom, 1.5 baths, an in-ground pool, and a covered patio. To arrange a private tour, call Tim Tepes at (484) 275-0056 or use the contact page.