What's Happening in Bethlehem This Week: October 26-November 2, 2026

The week of Monday, October 26 through Monday, November 2, 2026 is Halloween week in the 18017 area. The City of Bethlehem and both townships hold trick-or-treat Friday, October 30 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, Freedom and Liberty meet in the rivalry football game Saturday at 1:00 PM, Lehigh hosts Bucknell at noon, Moravian is on a football bye with swimming at Elizabethtown, Wind Creek has three shows on the board, and the SteelStacks Zombie Ball caps Halloween night. This roundup covers Hanover Township (where 3650 Stephen Crane Ln sits), the City of Bethlehem, Bethlehem Township, the Bethlehem Area School District, well-reviewed places to eat, Wind Creek Bethlehem, and Lehigh and Moravian universities. Everything below was checked against official and current sources this week.

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

In Hanover Township, Northampton County, where 3650 Stephen Crane Ln sits, the Board of Supervisors holds its second October meeting Tuesday, October 27 at 7:00 PM at the Municipal Office, 3630 Jacksonville Road, the fourth-Tuesday session under the township's second-and-fourth-Tuesday meeting pattern. Agendas post ahead of each meeting on hanovertwp-nc.org. With leaves coming down fast, the township's curbside leaf collection runs from mid-October through late November or early December, weather permitting; leaves must be loose or in brown paper yard-waste bags, and plastic bags are not collected, per the public works page. Trick-or-treat in Hanover Township is Friday, October 30, 6:00 to 8:00 PM, per the Lehigh Valley With Littles 2026 Halloween guide.

In the City of Bethlehem, the headline is Halloween itself. The city's official page sets trick-or-treat night for Friday, October 30, 6:00 to 8:00 PM, with participating households asked to turn on their porch lights for the evening. The night before, the city hosts the Halloween Party on the Plaza Wednesday, October 28, 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Payrow Plaza, 10 East Church Street, a family-friendly celebration open to all ages and hosted by the Bethlehem Health Bureau per bethlehem-pa.gov. The 105th Annual Halloween Parade stepped off Sunday, October 25 at 2:00 PM from West Broad and Main Streets; if the weather forced a postponement, the official rain date is Sunday, November 1, which falls inside this week. The Bethlehem Farmers Market at Farrington Square runs its Thursday market October 29, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM (Thursdays, April 23 through November 12, so this is a late-season market). At SteelStacks, the Musikfest Cafe hosts The Brit Pack Friday, October 30 at 7:30 PM, the 9th Annual SteelStacks Zombie Ball Saturday, October 31 at 8:00 PM (an 18-and-over Halloween party with DJ Andrew Highland, tarot readings, aerialists, and a costume contest with cash prizes), and Bad Co. Legacy Sunday, November 1 at 7:00 PM, all per the official ArtsQuest listings at artsquest.org. For the listening room, check godfreydaniels.org for the week's lineup.

Bethlehem Township has a busy week of public meetings: the Planning Commission meets Monday, October 26 at 7:00 PM at the Municipal Building, 3535 Orth Street, under the fourth-Monday schedule; the second budget hearing runs Tuesday, October 27, 6:00 to 8:00 PM as the township builds its 2027 budget (the first hearing was October 22); and the Board of Commissioners holds its regular meeting Monday, November 2 at 7:00 PM under the board's first-and-third-Monday schedule. Confirm agenda items and the livestream link on the township calendar at bethlehemtownship.org. The township's annual leaf collection program runs through mid-December depending on weather, and trick-or-treat is Friday, October 30, 6:00 to 8:00 PM.

For family outings on Halloween weekend, the pick-your-own farms stay open: Grim's Orchard and Family Farms in Breinigsville (9875 Schantz Road) runs its Fall Festival weekends through November 1, so it is open Saturday, October 31 (grimsorchard.com), and Valley Fruits and Veggies in Bath (6100 Locust Road) runs its Fall Fest Fridays through Sundays, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, through November 1, covering both October 30 and 31 (valleyfruitsandveggies.com). The Lehigh Valley Zoo's Boo at the Zoo dates for 2026 were not yet published as of this writing; check lvzoo.org for updates.

Bethlehem Area School District, Freedom, and Liberty

The district runs a regular five-day school week inside this window, with one schedule change: Wednesday, October 28 is an early dismissal, a half day for middle and high schools only. Schools are then closed Tuesday, November 3 for a teacher in-service day and Election Day, per the district's 2026-2027 academic calendar.

Football week is the rivalry game: Freedom High School plays Liberty High School Saturday, October 31 at 1:00 PM at Liberty, 1115 Linden Street, an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Northampton Division league game and a PIAA District 11 Class 6A matchup. Liberty's weekly update lists a tailgate and the 1:00 PM kickoff, and both teams' published schedules confirm the date. For the week's full slate of field hockey, soccer, volleyball, cross country, and other varsity contests, the district maintains a day-by-day high school varsity athletics calendar on basdschools.org. Theater fans take note: the Freedom High School Theatre Company's production of "Mamma Mia" is slated for November; watch the company's Facebook page and the school's site for exact dates.

Good Places to Eat in Bethlehem

Fresh picks for Halloween night, the rivalry game, and a casual late-October evening out, all real, verifiable places and a short drive from Hanover Farms:

• Kumo Sushi at 825 Linden Street is a downtown sushi counter a block off Broad Street, handy before a show at Wind Creek.
• Kyoto Sushi & Hibachi Steak House at 2342 Easton Avenue, in the 18017 ZIP, brings hibachi and sushi close to Hanover Farms.
• Rakkii Ramen at 328 South New Street serves ramen bowls on the South Side, near Lehigh's campus.
• One Third at 3022 Linden Street, also in the 18017 ZIP, is an Asian kitchen with a 4.5-star average across about 55 reviews.
• Bruno Scipioni's Italian Ristorante & Pizzeria at 4034 Easton Avenue is a family-run Italian room with a 4.5-star average across about 70 reviews.
• Fiamma Italian Grill at 2118 Schoenersville Road rounds out the list for pizza and pasta near the property.

Call ahead on Halloween and game nights; the small kitchens fill up fast when trick-or-treaters and fans are out.

Events at Wind Creek Bethlehem

Three shows anchor Halloween weekend at the Wind Creek Event Center at 77 Wind Creek Boulevard. "Rumours of Fleetwood Mac" plays Friday, October 30 at 8:00 PM, the venue's Halloween Party 2026, "Dollhouse of Horrors," takes over Saturday, October 31, and Alice Cooper brings the "Alice's Attic Tour" Sunday, November 1 at 7:00 PM. Looking ahead, Chicago follows Thursday, November 5 at 8:00 PM, The Best of Steve Martin & Martin Short Friday, November 6 at 8:00 PM, and Adam Ray Saturday, November 7 at 8:00 PM. Tickets run through the venue's official channels at windcreekeventcenter.com.

Lehigh University and Moravian University

At Lehigh University, the Mountain Hawks play their fifth home game of the season Saturday, October 31 at noon, hosting Bucknell at Goodman Stadium, streamed on ESPN+. Academically, the week falls inside Common Hour Exams, scheduled Monday, October 26 through Thursday, November 5 per the registrar's academic calendar. The Bethlehem Farmers Market at Farrington Square keeps its Thursday hours, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, through November 12. As of this writing, the published Zoellner Arts Center calendar did not list a dated public performance inside this window, so check the season calendar for updates at zoellner.cas.lehigh.edu.

At Moravian University, Fall 8-Week Session 2 classes begin Monday, October 26. The football team is on its bye week this Saturday; the Greyhounds return to action at Wilkes Saturday, November 7 at noon and wrap the home slate with Senior Day against Lycoming Saturday, November 14 at Rocco Calvo Field. The swimming teams open their season Saturday, October 31 at Elizabethtown College in a tri-meet with Lebanon Valley. Payne Gallery at 346 Main Street keeps free public hours Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 4:00 PM; the 2026-2027 exhibition schedule was still being finalized at press time, so confirm the current show at moravian.edu/art/payne-gallery.

The Week Ahead in One Glance

• Mon Oct 26: Bethlehem Township Planning Commission 7:00 PM; Moravian Session 2 begins; Lehigh Common Hour Exams begin.
• Tue Oct 27: Hanover Township Board of Supervisors 7:00 PM; Bethlehem Township budget hearing 6:00 to 8:00 PM.
• Wed Oct 28: BASD early dismissal for middle and high schools; Halloween Party on the Plaza at Payrow Plaza 6:00 to 8:00 PM.
• Thu Oct 29: Bethlehem Farmers Market at Farrington Square 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
• Fri Oct 30: Trick-or-treat night 6:00 to 8:00 PM across the city and townships; "Rumours of Fleetwood Mac" at Wind Creek 8:00 PM; The Brit Pack at the Musikfest Cafe 7:30 PM.
• Sat Oct 31: Lehigh vs Bucknell noon (ESPN+); Freedom vs Liberty at Liberty High School 1:00 PM; Moravian swimming at Elizabethtown; SteelStacks Zombie Ball 8:00 PM; Wind Creek's "Dollhouse of Horrors" Halloween party.
• Sun Nov 1: Alice Cooper at Wind Creek 7:00 PM; Bad Co. Legacy at the Musikfest Cafe 7:00 PM; Halloween Parade rain date if needed.

Looking past the weekend: Bethlehem Township's Board of Commissioners meets Monday, November 2 at 7:00 PM, and BASD is closed Tuesday, November 3 for in-service and Election Day.

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 Halloween week 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.