Free Activities in Bethlehem, PA

Bethlehem, PA is home to many festivals and events throughout the year. While some of the festivities cost money, several are free and open to everyone. If you're looking for family fun in the Lehigh Valley without spending a lot of money, then come to one of these free festivals in Bethlehem.

Celtic Classic
The Celtic Classic Festival and Highland Games is the largest free Celtic festival in the country. This annual event takes place the last weekend of every September, starting on Friday evening and ending on Sunday night. Whether you have a Celtic background or not, you'll have a great time at this festival.

The events take place in downtown Bethlehem, PA under the Hill-to-Hill Bridge, and include free concerts, highland games, massed bagpipe bands and a parade. Whether you enjoy watching the haggis eating contest, caber toss, or Irish dancing, there's something for everyone. Multiple tents house all sorts of live music, including big-name bands like Enter the Haggis, Gaelic Storm and The Red Hot Chili Pipers.

Food, drinks, and all sorts of goods and souvenirs are available for purchase, but there's no charge to walk around the grounds and enjoy the entertainment for the whole family. We take our kids every year, and if you can only go one day, Saturday is the best. Begin with the parade at noon, walk the fairgrounds all afternoon and listen to the massed bands as the sun sets. This is our family's favorite festival of the year, and a wonderful way to be entertained for free.

Musikfest
Downtown Bethlehem, PA is also home to one of the largest music festivals in the country, Musikfest. For ten days every August, Bethlehem is transformed with multiple areas called "Platzs," which showcase all sorts of musical styles. Each night features a big-name performer or band, and tickets to this concert must be purchased, but all of the other concerts throughout the festival are free.

During this festival, you can hear several concerts a day as you walk around the grounds. There's even a kids' tent with children's musical artists performing during the day. Our family likes to pack a lunch and eat it in the kids' tent at one of the tables during the first concert of the day at noon. There's also a kids' craft tent sponsored by Crayola ® with free arts and crafts projects to do each day.

The grounds also house lots of food and vendor tents, which cost money, but admission to the festival is completely free. If you enjoy music, you're sure to find several concerts you'll love at Musikfest.

Bethlehem Fireworks
Downtown Bethlehem, PA puts on three fireworks shows every year: 4^th of July, the last night of Musikfest, and New Year's Eve. There are multiple viewing spots around downtown to view the show, and it's completely free. For a fun night with the family, pack a blanket and some snacks, snag a good viewing spot, and enjoy some time together watching a wonderful fireworks show. And on New Year's Eve, you can also watch the giant PEEP® drop at midnight, just before the big fireworks show.