Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites Announces August 2024 Events

August 1st, 2024

In the wake of Moravian Church Settlements’ momentous inscription to the World Heritage list, events including free family programming, an alluring exhibition, retro dance party and Musikfest fun for all ages are set to entice new and previous visitors to the city of Bethlehem. 

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (July 31, 2024)—Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS) is celebrating the inscription of the Moravian Church Settlements to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage List. This distinguished recognition highlights the outstanding value to humanity offered by the Moravian Church Settlements. HBMS is proud to welcome guests to the Bethlehem sites and share the unique stories and historical significance of the Moravian settlers.    

“What an honor for Moravian Church Settlements— Bethlehem to join our fellow Moravian settlements in Germany, Northern Ireland and Denmark to form a single, transnational World Heritage listing for Moravian Church Settlements,” said LoriAnn Wukitsch, HBMS’s president and CEO. “With a rich tapestry of events centered around our hospitality exhibition, there are so many ways to get out and experience these historic sites! From our beloved Saturdays at Burnside to programs throughout Musikfest, everyone will discover their own way to savor the history and spirit of Bethlehem this month.”

HBMS released its slate of events and activities for August, including its latest exhibition, Checking In? Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations, Saturdays at Burnside, and six historic tours. During Musikfest, HBMS offers multiple events and tours for everyone visiting Bethlehem.

Checking In? Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations, which runs through January 2025, unveils the city’s long hospitality legacy. Starting with the first home in Bethlehem, guests will explore iconic establishments like the Crown Inn, Sun Inn, and Golden Eagle Hotel, and learn about some of Bethlehem’s most famous visitors!

This month’s free Saturdays at Burnside experience, “Create Your Own Walking Paper Horse,” is on Aug. 3 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Attendees will learn how horse-powered machinery impacted colonial farming practices and make their walking paper horses. The public is invited to visit the farm on the first Saturday of each month at no cost. 

The Luckenbach Mill is the location of two events during Musikfest: The Luckenbach Mill Pop-Up Shop is on the first floor from Aug. 2 to Aug.11, allowing guests to cool off and purchase souvenirs to commemorate the Musikfest experience. The shop is open Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Also located at the Luckenbach Mill on the second floor, the Lehigh Art Alliance Summer Exhibition is open from Aug. 2 to Aug. 11. This exhibit offers a variety of two- and three-dimensional works of art from regional artists,  all available for purchase. It will be open Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Proceeds from all purchases support Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites mission. 

HBMS is hosting the Goundie Garden Retro Dance Party on Aug. 2 and Aug. 9 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Goundie Garden, located behind the Goundie House. Nite Liters LLC and Soul Latineers partner with HBMS to bring back the popular 70s-style garden party with vinyl record spinning, a lounge area, and drinks provided by Xplorer Spirits and McCall Brewing Co. 

Throughout the Colonial Industrial Quarter and Moravian Museum courtyard, HBMS is hosting Colonial Craft Demonstrations, which allow guests to experience the materials and techniques employed by early Moravian artisans. Contemporary artists will demonstrate the creation of various products and wares important to the Moravian community. Dates and times of demonstrations are listed on HistoricBethlehem.org. 

The Musikfest Shuttle is new to Musikfest this year, providing transportation to and from the festival, with stops throughout via LANTA.

A perfect way to decompress during Musikfest, the Historic Bethlehem Heritage Trail offers an audio companion to enrich visitors with three centuries of incredible history. Guests can enjoy the trail on their own time and at their own pace, right on their phones, 24/7. Walk, run or bike while enjoying various features along the trail, including the buildings that make up  UNESCO-designated Moravian Church Settlements, two National Historic Landmarks, the newly designated Historic Moravian Bethlehem National Historic Landmark District, Victorian-era homes, and Bethlehem Steel buildings.

In August, HBMS offers multiple tours for everyone visiting Bethlehem. The Love, Lust, & Marriage tour gives guests an intimate look at what love, courtship, and marriage were like in early Moravian Bethlehem. The Heart & Soul: Moravian Music Tour takes visitors through the musical city, showing them the tradition of polyglot singing (singing in multiple languages simultaneously), instruments that are rarely played today, and the places early Moravians sang and played in.  The Historic Pub Walking Tour dives into how people acquired beer during prohibition, what John Adams drank when he visited Bethlehem, and the connections between early brewing and the early Moravians. The Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel Walking Tour features up-close views of the former steel plant, as well as an in-depth look at the steel-making process and the workers’ roles in our country’s history. The Old Bethlehem Walking Tour shares the 275-year history of Bethlehem’s unique beginnings since 1741 and explores how residents lived and flourished. HBMS offers a child-friendly tour for kids 2 years old and up, Playful Pathways: A Family-friendly Tour of Bethlehem, which shares Bethlehem’s history in a way that keeps guests of all ages entertained and learning.

This month’s tours are scheduled for the following dates and times:

• Fridays
  • Musikfest Schedule (Aug. 2 to Aug. 11)
    • 11 a.m.: Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel
    • 1 p.m.: Love, Lust & Marriage Tour
    • 3 p.m.: Historic Pub Walking Tour
  • Post-Musikfest Schedule (Aug. 16 to Aug. 21)
    • 1 p.m.: Old Bethlehem Walking Tour
    • 1 p.m.: Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel
    • 3 p.m.: Love, Lust & Marriage
• Saturdays
  • Musikfest Schedule (Aug. 2 to Aug. 11)
    • 11 a.m.: Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel
    • 11 a.m.: Playful Pathways: A Family-friendly Tour of Bethlehem
    • 1 p.m.: Heart and Soul: Moravian Music Tour
    • 3 p.m.: Historic Pub Walking Tour
  • Post-Musikfest Schedule (Aug. 16 to Aug. 21)
    • 11 a.m.: Playful Pathways: A Family-friendly Tour of Bethlehem
    • 1 p.m.: Old Bethlehem Walking Tour
    • 1 p.m.: Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel
    • 3 p.m.: Historic Pub Walking Tour
• Sundays
  • Musikfest Schedule (Aug. 2 to Aug. 11)
    • 11 a.m.: Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel
    • 1 p.m.: Heart and Soul: Moravian Music Tour
    • 3 p.m.: Historic Pub Walking Tour
  • Post-Musikfest Schedule (Aug. 16 to Aug. 21)
    • 1 p.m.: Old Bethlehem Walking Tour
    • 1 p.m.: Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel
    • 3 p.m.: Heart and Soul: Moravian Music Tour

Interested visitors can book custom or group tours on dates not on the calendar through HBMS’s website at www.historicbethlehem.org/visit-us/group-tours.

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