The Lehigh Valley is home to what is billed as the country’s largest free music festival. Musikfest, held over 10 or 11 days every August in Bethlehem, brings together artists who span all genres of music. They perform on stages, indoors and outdoors, spread across the city. Nearly all performances are free, with no gates to pass through and no tickets required.

Musikfest 2023 wrapped up on Aug. 13, and it was a record setter. The attendance was 1.33 million. The previous record was 1.24 million, last year.  

The festival draws people from coast-to-coast and from around the world. Attendees at this year’s event came from 46 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and 10 countries - Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Germany, Mexico, Spain, Senegal, Sweden, and The United Kingdom, according to ArtsQuest, the nonprofit that organizes Musikfest.

All those visitors are exposed to the Lehigh Valley’s high quality of life and livability, which bolsters the region’s economic development efforts.

“Visitation to the region is really the front door of economic development,” Don Cunningham, President and CEO of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. (LVEDC), said in an interview with LehighValleyNews.com.

Cunningham is a former Mayor of Bethlehem who has seen the festival grow from a primarily local event to one with global appeal.

He said it has grown to become a broad economic vehicle and marketing event. The immediate financial boost to the economy is estimated by ArtsQuest at $70 to $75 million in spending by guests on hotels, food, shopping, and other activities. The broader payoff comes in the contribution that Musikfest makes to the region’s quality of life, something that attracts businesses.

Companies want to locate in vibrant communities where there are a lot of cultural and entertainment options for their employees. Employees who find their communities to be engaging and interesting are more likely to put down roots and stay.

“It all begins with people discovering the quality of life and the attractiveness of the Lehigh Valley,” Cunningham said. “Musikfest, for 40 years now, has been this incredible marketing vehicle, showcasing not only Bethlehem, but the uniqueness and the authenticity of the Lehigh Valley."

In a news release, Kassie Hilgert, President and CEO of ArtsQuest, noted regional cooperation and community support as key in putting on such a successful festival, saying they value the positive effects that arts have on a community. She thanked the 1,000 Musikfest volunteers, Mayor J. William Reynolds, and the police department.

“Something special happens every August where we all row together in the same direction, making Musikfest a tremendous success year after year,” Hilgert said.

ArtsQuest puts on many other festivals, concerts, and events, including the nationally renowned Christkindlmarkt, throughout the year. The nonprofit runs the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks and the Banana Factory Arts Center. Its programming reaches more than 1.9 million people each year and has a combined economic impact that tops $136 million, according to ArtsQuest. More than half of the programming is free.

(Photos by Jeff Auger, courtesy of ArtsQuest)