Musikfest’s Jeff Parks is Retiring. Meet the Men Who Want His Job.

Musikfest Founder and lightning rod for entitled people who apparently hate having an awesome music festival in their town, Jeff Parks, is going to retire in three years.

Why announce this now? Well, he wants to make sure he has enough time to pick the best person to take over his mantle. He undoubtedly needs someone who not only loves to put on huge events that bring in money for the community including national acts, but someone who also likes to get flamed for doing so.

Whatever, I’m not going to go on a diatribe about how awesome Musikfest is at in this post, but, I think you know that I think Musikfest is awesome.

The rumors are true. Jeff Parks is retiring — in three years.

The Musikfest founder this week confirmed he’s set retirement for Jan. 5, 2015, and the festival’s nonprofit parent is embarking on a three-year plan to find his successor.

Parks had planned to wait until next month to announce plans, but agreed to talk to dispel rampant rumors spreading through Bethlehem that had him throwing in the towel to move out of state.

“Oh, I’d never leave Bethlehem, but yes I will be retiring, eventually,” said Parks, president of ArtsQuest. “I don’t want people getting the idea I’m going to hang around forever.” SOURCE: The Morning Call

Alright, so, that’s that. Now that we know Jeff Parks is stepping down, who is best suited to replace him and take the helm of not only Musikfest, but Artsuqest as a whole?

So, I put out an email and got a few responses from candidates in the area who want to make sure you vote for them to be Dictator and President of All Things Artsquest

 ”Johnny Casino here! Just call me Johnny C’s. Anyhoo, I’ve been President of Bethlehem for a long time and in that time I have learned that the best way to make things better here is to have casinos. Casinos everywhere. If I am elected as King of Artsquest, I promise to have slot machines in every porta potty at Musikfest! Always bet on black! That’s a quote from Wesley Snipes! YES!”

 ”HEY IT’S TOM RING FROM BROWN DAUB KIA! LOOK, I ALREADY HAVE A FREAKING CROWN! IF ELECTED KING OF ARTSQUEST I PROMISE EVERYBODY WILL DRIVE HOME WITHOUT A DUI AND I WILL THEN KISS YOUR MOTHER IN LAW OR SOMETHING. OMG WHY AM I YELLING ALL THE TIME? I CAN’T STOP. SERIOUSLY. I THINK I HAVE A CONDITION. HAVE YOU SEEN ME ON THAT BILLBOARD IN A DRESS? THAT WASN’T A MARKETING GIMMICK! I NEED SOME HELP. SOMEONE. MY THROAT!”

 ”Hello my peoples. I am Larry Holmes, the Easton Assassin! I beat Muhammad Ali. MUHAMMAD ALI, you dig? What otha sucka running for… umm

*turns to guy carrying his velvet sport coat*

What am I running for? oh…Musikfest King. What other guy up here has beat Muhammad Ali? I am on ESPN sometimes. I am going to TKO Musikparty 2014 and bring in KC and the Sunshiners Band every year! Vote Holmes Musikdisco!”

 ”Ed Motherfucking Hanna in the hizzaus. I just checked my forcastjjizzle and it looks like there is a storm front called ‘El Hanna’ moving into the Artsquest center. There will be a 100 percent chance of me making it raiiiiiiiin $100 bills! What’s that? Last year’s Musikfest got flooded out? Oh, I forgot, I’m Ed CONTROL THE WEATHER Hanna. Do the right thang.”

 ”Yes, I understand I’m a police horse. But, I’ve also been more involved than any other of these jokesters when it comes to Musikfest. Christ, I was brought on to the Bethlehem Police Force BECAUSE of Musikfest. I’ve been punched in the face, cursed at, kids pull my mane. And, you know what? That’s fine. Why? Because I love Musikfest. I pee there. I poop there. I eat hay bales. And, the best thing? I don’t even want to get paid in people money. What they hell do I need with people money? Just give me some carrots spiked with Bacardi 101 and we’ll call it a deal.”

 ”Musikfest is just another way for corporations to get their greedy hands on …”

*FIST*

 ”Larry says, ‘Occupy the pavement.’”

There you have it, folks.

Personally, I think the horse has a pretty good shot.

Anyone else in the running?

Mark my words though, I do think the successor is going to be a lady.

Best and Worst of Musikfest 2011 (Ice Luge Edition)

So, Saturday was my final real, real party day of Musikfest and it went accordingly. There was an ice luge that I did approximately 17 shots of “Shark Attack” off of. I also witnessed a child do shots of what I’m hoping was Ecto Cooler.

There was a fall (not mine) into an above ground pool that resulted in my medical expertise of pouring Vladimir Vodka into the fresh wound. (It worked, don’t judge.)

There was fall (me this time) into a sink and then my being woken up to some man caressing my ear. He seemed pretty cool, though. 

Pretty much a routine Musikfest weekend if you ask me. However, just like the day after a bender where you couldn’t even come within five feet of a beer without your stomach reenacting the French Revolution; typing about Musikfest makes me depressed and a bit shakey. 

Regardless, here are the high and lows of the past week.

Best stuff!

• Sands Steel Stage was a success. I was there to witness Buckcherry promote the use of drugs and it seemed to go over well. The real winner, however, is the venue, which provides so much more room, isn’t muddy, and was just well put together.
• The band line up at Volksplatz. From “Start Making Sense” to “Red Elvises,” Volksplatz was clearly the best free music stage of the fest. Free. Music. Just sayin….
• The band, “Here Come the Mummies.” With their weirdness and groovy beats, they were easily the surprise hit of the fest.
• The shuttle buses. What people thought was going to be so difficult and slow turned out to be easy and quick.
• The Southern Comfort Daq and Rita’s stand. AWESOME and full of alcohol.

Worst Stuff

• The rain :( The first Musikfest where a portion of the fest was closed. However, thankfully it was only for the last day.
• The PS3 “trailer.” It just seemed out of place and shady. Two years ago there was an open air Xbox360 trailer that encouraged people to come in and play games. This one gave off the “opium den” vibe.
• Not as many food vendors on Main Street? Could be me, but it seemed a bit bare.
• Of course, the unfortunate stabbing… not a great way to start off a fest.
• That poor horse ok, ok it was a mule, jesus, that pulled the Merry Go Round. He made my heart sink.

I promise that is the last you will hear from me about Musikfest until next year’s Musikfest. I am currently going into training for the Celtic Classic and just purchased my liver a trainer for two weeks. He’s going to be wearing a sweatband and doing some sit ups, son.

So, Musikfest, I bid you adieu! Until we meet again. We had a torrid love affair this week and I will never forget you, but all good things must come to an end.

Also, if you’re preggers, totally not me.

Teen Crips Gang Member Does The Musikfest Stabbing (Tweeny Platz)

I love how safe people think they are in any given moment.

In reality, if someone wanted to walk into your work with an AK-47 and start bullet facing people, there really isn’t any law, law enforcement agency or contingency plan that can stop it. There are certain things that you just hope societal mores and someone’s upbringing have precluded them from thinking of doing; such as driving a pickup truck through a McDonald’s Playland or stabbing someone at Musikfest.

EVEN IF everyone was searched on their way into Musikfest, the odds of getting a knife through are still super high. So, please don’t start talking about how this type of thing can be prevented on the spot. If someone wants to do this, it’s going to happen.

A 15-year-old boy, who police said is a Crips gang member, is charged as an adult for stabbing a man during a fight duringMusikfest’s opening night, according to a police news release.

The boy was arrested Sunday afternoon and is charged as an adult with criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment and possession of an instrument of crime. Police did not release the teen’s name, but said he is in Northampton County Prison under $250,000 bail.

The teen told police he is a member of the Crips gang, police said. No motive was given for the attack, but police said the stabbing happened during a fight. SOURCE: The Morning Call

Yes, all those stupid teens congregate in one area. … waiting for a point? Cause there isn’t one. Teens are going to go where they wanna go. Why are people so delusional that they think putting them in some designated paddock area will work or that by giving them a curfew it’ll work? 

In any event, read my friend Todd’s take on “puberty platz.” 

Musikfest 2011 Ruled. Sorry You Were Too Busy Complaining To Notice.

Did you guys know that Artsquest intentionally flooded the Monocacy Creek so that they could get you to donate in order to help vendors and themselves?

OMG! They ALSO put this cloud up in the sky last night so that people couldn’t see the fireworks. Damn Jeff Parks and his weather machines!

Did you know Artsquest is responsible for global warming?

I think Artsquest was a jury member in the Casey Anthony trial.

DID YOU ALSO KNOW that all Artsquest really wants to do is take all of your hard earned money so that they can install a huge dome over the city of Bethlehem that will suck all of the music into a big box and then no one will be allowed to do anything unless Jeff Parks says so?

Did you also know that Musikfest only exists so that people can complain about it while, in fact, it’s probably one of the top two reasons why I love to live, work and participate in the Lehigh Valley?

Many people voiced their displeasure with Artsquest on the Musikfest Facebook page. Probably because they know so much about running a huge festival or, you know, have thought of better ideas that bring together a community like Musikfest does.  

(To be fair, the MAJORITY of posts on the Musikfest Facebook page are positive.)

So, to those who may have been inconvenienced by the rain; to those who feel that beer is too expensive; to those who were unhappy that Nick Jonas was forced to cut short his set due to LIGHTNING STRIKES; for those who just want to rip and rip and rip on a festival that is put on by those who truly care about the community; I say to you….. have you seen the Allentown Fair lately?

I just want to say THANK YOU to all the Artsquest employees, Musikfest volunteers and vendors who come together to make the city that I live in one of the best cities on Earth for 10 days this year.

You should all be proud of yourselves, proud of putting together an awesome week, proud of handling problems as they arose and proud, maybe most of all, for taking so much criticism when all you’re trying to do is provide fun, entertainment and joy for those who attend.

I tip my hat to you, Artsquest.

Lehigh Valley Craigslist Missed Connections of the Week, August 12 (Who Cares if You Have a Wife?)

So, I found the book in the picture to the right while walking on Bethlehem’s south side yesterday. I refused to pick it up, but figured it was cool enough that I’d take a picture of it and share it with all of my friends who are super cool people.

Then, after a long night of drinking cheap liquor with strawberries and smoking hookah, someone, who then immediately was required to bleach their hands, decided to pick up this gross thing and take it home. So, it’s drying out now. Apparently it’s filled with some saucy, sexy unrequited love sonnets! I will be posting all the good passages….

Moving on…

The second weekend of Musikfest, or what I like to call “The Weekend That Never Was” is upon us!

Think of it as Christmas for your liver if your liver REALLY liked doing its job.

Also, check out our tons of Musikfest Photo Scavenger Hunt submissions! We still have ONE prize left. Who is gonna get it?

Ok, let’s begin…

For previous entries please go here.

I want to F**k the guy who wants to F**k the wife of the guy who wants (to F**k his neighbor m4m)

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Date: 2011-08-10, 4:04PM EDT

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If you ever want to add excitment to your life let me know  Wait, am I missing something?

Who is fucking who here? *rereads* 

Is this like Melrose Place because I’d totally be down. Sadly, it doesn’t have a location! Cmon, specify!

Ok, Ok, here’s a bonus m4m one then…

Lost e-mail to guy that I gave BJ to - m4m - 30 (Slatington)

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Date: 2011-08-08, 3:35PM EDT

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I stopped by your place one night and gave you a BJ, I lost your e-mail but it was something like “wooddust”, it had some numbers behind it but I cannot find it anymore, I would love to suck you off again, E-mail me if you read this and would like another BJ 

I’m kinda starting to think that the gays are getting a teeny bit too liberal with all this sex. Calm down, boys!

I think of you and dream of you all the time - w4m - 30 (Bethlehem)

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Date: 2011-08-01, 11:30PM EDT

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We work on the 2nd shift together, you are so not my type, and i am so not your type. I think of you a lot and i can’t wait to see you at work. i know i should not have these thoughts for so many different reasons, but they won’t stop no matter how much i try. I know you will never see this but i had to place my feelings out there.. Just one night is what i wise for with you…. 

Hey, opposites attract. I take two steps forward, you take two steps back. We come together cause opposites attract. And you know it ain’t fiction, just a natural fact. We come together cause opposites. Attract.

I came to repair your appliance - m4w (northampton)

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Date: 2011-08-10, 10:26PM EDT

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I came to repair your appliance in your apartment, when you answered the door all I could think was “damn your HOT” and couldnt keep my eyes off you the whole time we talked about how the molding needs to be removed when I return to install the part I ordered…I’d love to see more of you, if you think this is you and are intrested in anything at all give me an e-mail or maybee a hint when I return to install the part….your friend was hot too, maybee a 3-some if your into it…lol 

Does anyone do the milkman anymore? I mean, I can totally see that happening back in the day since women were basically subjugated while their husbands went out and womanized at work. So, the fact that they banged the milkman kinda makes sense. But, nowadays, I don’t really see ladies getting hot and heavy over some guy fixing the fridge. That’s so 1950s…

Black Jetta at wawa in Alburtis. - w4m - 24 (Alburtis)

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Date: 2011-08-05, 9:01PM EDT

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I was standing next to you when you got one of those instant coffees. I asked you if that kind tasted good, and you said it was your favorite but not as good as the real thing. I got some too and then I left. I saw you get into your car, well stared actually. I saw a ring but I want to try anyway. I have my own place and I would make that beverage from scratch for you. Reply with the flavor you had and what kind of watch you had on (I noticed). 

Who cares if he has a ring and possibly a loving family? He was politely talking to you about coffee. He MUST want to leave his wife and come marry you and make tons of babies in Aruba. So, go ahead and attempt to see if you can finagle him away from the woman who he pledged his love and devotion for. That seems like a really cool thing to do.

The Internet is full of dicks.

Car Intentionally Hits Bicyclist at Musikfest!

I live near Musikfest. In fact, I could literally lay on my side and roll down the hill and get to Musikfest and probably not have that many scratches. It’s awesome. I love to watch all the people have to remember where they parked and then go to their car and then open the door and then start it and drive home while I use whatever tiny bit of brain memory I have left to head me in the general direction of my place and I’m there two minutes later with my AC on and my Hall and Oates vinyls blasting.

That’s the life.

Driving to and from Musikfest must be so… taxing. I don’t know how anyone does it.

Hipsters and poor people, however, have decided to use these interesting X-Games vehicles called bicycles that allow them not only to travel to Musikfest as quickly as traffic addled cars, but also to not even have to store these “bikes” anywhere since they are so lightweight. 

Some car driver must have gotten mad.

A 24-year-old Bethlehem man was stopped on his bicycle on Main Street preparing to turn left onto Lehigh Street at 3:15 p.m. when a man in a car behind him intentionally struck him, knocking him off the bike, Lt. Mark DiLuzio said.

The victim, Joey Dragotta, got up and yelled at the driver what his problem was, and the man replied, “that’s your warning,” and sped off, DiLuzio said. The driver sped into Sand Island, nearly striking a Musikfest volunteer worker, he said. SOURCE: The Morning Call

Thankfully, the Morning Call gave us a description of the car! Maybe we can track down this criminal!

The man was driving a gray or silver Chevy Malibu or Impala.

Or a duck. Who can be sure?

Man Found in Head First in Garbage Can at Musikfest. Arrested.

Sigh.

It was just a matter of time until someone HAD to go that extra step. They couldn’t just settle with being regular arrested, they HAD to go and get publicly drunk and then do a handstand in a garbage can because, well, why not?

Maybe he’ll get some style points or something.

I’m guessing this guy didn’t lose a contact lens.

A 56-year-old Bethlehem was charged with public drunkenness Wednesday night after police found him waist deep in a garbage can as Musikfest ended for the night, police said.

Richard Follweiler, of Market Street, had his entire upper half of his body inside the garbage can with only his legs hanging out when an officer happened upon him at 11:02 p.m. on W. Second Street in the Americaplatz section, Lt. Mark DiLuzio said. SOURCE: The Morning Call

Maybe he was so confused about the fact that it was a new Amerikaplatz on the south side that he got super scared and ran for the nearest place to hide.

Or… he thought he spotted a half smoked cigarette in there and decided to do some spelunking.

Sadly, I’m going with the latter.

Palmer Parents Bring Kids on Drug Run (FACEBOOK PROFILES)

“Ah, nothing like a family road trip!

C’mon kids! Let’s get in the Pinto and head over to Allentown! Mom and Dad have a few things they need to pick up.

Sure, you can totally bring your Teddy Bear. You’re going to need it since we’ll probably end up in a holding cell all night until we are arraigned and possibly released.

But, since we’re huge drug addicts, the possibility of us making bail is slim to none. So, you’re probably going to want to bring a few extra Disney DVDs to keep you occupied.”

A man and woman were allegedly smoking and injecting drugs as they drove through Allentown with their two children, including an 8-month-old baby, sitting in the backseat, according to court records.

David St. Germain, (FACEBOOK PROFILE) 29, and Kristen E. Roensch, (FACEBOOK PROFILE) 31, both of Hollow View Drive in Palmer Township, were stopped at Penn and Oak streets in Allentown at 4:18 p.m. Tuesday and a detective said he found a crack pipe, syringes and drugs in the car.

Police say St. Germain and Roensch took their two children to score drugs in Allentown. SOURCE: The Morning Call

Wow.

I mean, they live so much closer to Easton. Just in the interest of saving gas alone, you would think they would have just driven down to Centre Square. They sell crack like candy bars down there.

Seriously take a second and step back and put yourself in these people’s shoes for a moment. 

Just think about what they did and what they risked for their own selfishness.

It is just appalling and should also serve as a lesson to any other destitute losers out there. Pull out.

Musikfest Police Blotter Round Up, Everyone’s Passed Out Drunk (FACEBOOK PROFILES)

Lynn Olanoff, of The Express-Times, probably really enjoyed her job today. Because, I know that I would have a blast checking out the police blotter after the first weekend of Musikfest.

But, I probably would have peed myself a ton so, better her than me. Let’s get started.

• At 2:20 a.m. Friday, Alan Bath, (FACEBOOK PROFILE) 31, of the first block of West Spruce Street in Bethlehem, was found passed out on the South Bethlehem Greenway near Adams Street. 
• At 3:04 a.m. Friday, Scott Lush, (FACEBOOK PROFILE) 28, of the 1700 block of Linden Street in Bethlehem, was found sleeping in the front yard of a home on 300 block East Washington Street with his legs in the roadway.
• At 9:59 p.m. Friday, Eric Madonna, (FACEBOOK PROFILE) 26, of the 4400 block of Route 309, Schnecksville, was found passed out on a bench at the Levitt Pavilion.
• At 11:30 p.m. Friday, Brian Baumbach, 42, of the 200 block of Aurora Street in Bethlehem, was found face down on the sidewalk in the 200 block of Aurora Street with his dog by his side.
• At 5:32 a.m. Saturday, Terence Aungst, 21, of the 500 block of Fourth Avenue in Bethlehem, was found sleeping on a bench at 400 Heckewelder Place.
• At 9:23 a.m. Saturday, Steve Schwartz, (FACEBOOK PROFILE) 35, of the 3000 block of Washington Street in Bethlehem Township, was found lying on the sidewalk in the 100 block of East First Street. SOURCE: The Express-Times

If I was a cop this would be the part of my job I most looked forward to. Waking up drunks? It’s like a video game.

I’d start with a slight nudge. Then I’d maybe give him a bit of jab. Then I’d go into total freakout mode and smack him and be like “OMG, WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE THERE IS A FIRE TSUNAMI!!!” And then they’d jump up and freak out and run aimlessly around until I tased them and arrested them.

Ah, daydreaming. Gotta love it.

Don’t forget to get in on our Musikfest Photo Scavenger Hunt! There are prizes!

Man Rescued from Delaware River! Then Gets Arrested.

I’m a pretty decent swimmer. I can totally do the butterfly stroke for like a long, long time. I actually used to teach swimming lessons to little kids.

Wrap your head around THAT.

However, even the best swimmers don’t stand a chance if their caught up in a flood or some crazy current.

And, when and hopefully if, they are rescued they are probably all like, “Yay! I’m rescured. I want to kiss the ground and love life.”

Or, they just get arrested like Bizarro Michael Phelps here…

A man who was swept by the Delaware River current was rescued unscathed, but was sent to the Northampton County Prison after police discovered he had an old warrant.

Police said Marcus Rojas, 31, was rescued near Wy-Hit-Tuk Park in Williams Township on Sunday morning after he was dragged downstream by the river current.

Rojas and his friend, Stacey Bunker Jr., (FACEBOOK PROFILE) 30, both of Easton, had illegally camped the night on a river island, police said.

After the rescue, police found that Rojas had outstanding warrants for driving under the influence of alcohol. SOURCE: The Morning Call

You can camp on Sterner’s Island in Bethlehem, I’m pretty sure. I called the city last year and they said, “Um, I guess, but why the hell would you want to do that?” 

Apparently it’s full of some awful overgrowth and such. But, that won’t stop me from at least trying it at one point.

Who is down for a camping trip where we have to caulk our wagons and float em?

Man, I could listen to Oregon Trail references all day long.

Don’t forget to get in on our Musikfest Photo Scavenger Hunt! There are prizes!

So, There Was a Musikfest Stabbing. What It Means To You.

Yep, there was a stabbing on the first night of Musikfest. This is not OK, but it’s also not a reason to freak out and wear kevlar. 

As much as it’s a cop out to say that this is an “isolated incident,” it has all the makings of an isolated incident.

Ostensibly, there was a disagreement, one dude obviously didn’t follow the “no knives at Musikfest” rule and someone got stabbed.

But, don’t let that keep you from getting more gyros. Seriously. Best. Thing. Ever.

An 18-year-old Allentown man remained hospitalized Saturday after being stabbed during Friday’s opening night of Musikfest activities in Bethlehem, police said.

The victim, who police did not identify, was stabbed twice in the torso during a scuffle that happened about 9:45 p.m. on the “S curve” between Main Street at the Hotel Bethlehem and the Hill-to-Hill Bridge, city police Lt. Mark DiLuzio said.

DiLuzio said the victim remained hospitalized Saturday afternoon at St. Luke’s Hospital Fountain Hill. The injuries are not life-threatening. 

SOURCE: The Morning Call

It’s really easy to blow this thing out of proportion, but it’d also be foolish to dismiss it.

Listen, if you’re asking for trouble, more times than not you’re going to get it. Anyone who thinks that their regular family Musikfest activities are going to be thwarted by knife wielding teenagers should take a deep breath.

They just wanna stab each other. 

Don’t forget to get in on our Musikfest Photo Scavenger Hunt! There are prizes!

Man Sneaks Through Ex-Girlfriend’s Window. Beats Her Face.

I always thought that Rapunzel had to have really bad scalp issues.

I mean, sure, she had long hair, but say the average Middle Ages dude weighs like 150 lbs, right? And ALL the Middle Ages dudes wanted to climb up her locks to see her looks. So, let’s just play it safe and say that 25 guys climbed up her hair. You’re telling me that her hair wouldn’t be falling out by the time she was 30? Seriously.

That does not seem like the best idea. What she SHOULD have done was taken her really long hair and then cut it into a lesbian pixie cut. THEN take all that extra hair, make a kick ass rope, and then use THAT to have the guys climb up.

Stupid fairy tales.

Wilson Borough are seeking the public’s assistance in finding a man wanted for burglary and assault.

Alejandro Rincon, 23, of Easton, allegedly entered his ex-girlfriend’s home on the 400 block of Fox Circle about 12:30 a.m. Sunday and began punching her in the face when she was in her bed, records say.

The woman’s daughter entered the room to help her mom and was also struck by Rincon, records say. Rincon allegedly broke a bedroom window to flee from the house, records say.

When Rincon is caught he will be charged with burglary, criminal trespass, two counts of simple assault and two counts of harassment.

Police ask anyone with information to call them through the Northampton County dispatch center at 610-759-2200. SOURCE: The Express Times

Ahh, this seems like a good way to get your frustration out. Why not just let the air out of her tires? Seriously. I mean, there are much more passive aggressive ways to get back at your ex. You don’t have to punch her in the face. Put laxatives in her soda or something. Jeez. Why is everyone so all or nothing?

Don’t forget to get in on our Musikfest Photo Scavenger Hunt! There are prizes!

LVwithLOVE Musikfest Photo Scavenger Hunt Challenge!

UPDATE: Click here for a downloadable LVwithLOVE Musikfest Photo Scavenger Hunt score sheet!

Ready for some Musikfest fun and prizes from local businesses including Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub, Starfish and Eskandalo!?

Well, get your camera phones ready and save this email address, cause you’re gonna need it:

This contest is going to be over the top simple. All you have to do is find the 11 items listed below, take a photo of them with your camera phone and then email them to me.

The first two people to complete the challenge will win a gift certificate from one of the three businesses above. The third gift certificate will be presented randomly to one of the other valid entries at the end of the fest. So, play all week!

Let’s get started.

Photo List

1. Posed photo with a Bethlehem Police Officer.

2. Posed photo with with either a pan flute player or the bell guy.

3. Photo of a man (or woman) with a mullet.

4. Photo of the outside of Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub

5. Photo of the outside of Starfish

6. Photo of the outside of Eskandalo!

7. Photo of you or one of your friends dancing like a lunatic at the Polka Tent.

8. Picture of a man (sigh, or a woman) without his or her shirt on.

9. Picture of ANYTHING proving you were at the SteelStacks on the South Side during Musikfest.

10. Picture of you or one of your friends playing one of the children’s games (or activities) at the Kids Fest area.

11. Picture of some teenagers on Main Street looking stupid. (This is just to piss them off.)

Bonus Points: If you get a picture with me (and I don’t know you) you will receive bonus points and a possible automatic prize. Follow me on twitter for clues to my location throughout the fest. 

Also, if you can find and take a photo of Bill White while he’s Eating His Way Through Musikfest, that’s super awesome and you should get a pat on the back. He said he’ll be walking slowly

How to submit Photos

Be sure to text or email them to my email address: lehighvalleywithlove@gmail.com

You can also tweet your photos if desired. But, you would also need to email them to make sure they are counted.

Tweet to @lvwithlove using the hashtag #LVWLfestHUNT

You’ll probably want to bookmark this link as well, even though I’ll post a permalink to the right on top of the Associated Mess ad.

We will also keep a gallery of photos but if you happen to send us something super risque we won’t post it, promise.

We do not condone any illegal activity and we’re assuming you’re going to do all these things safely. Seriously, don’t come crying to me. All that stuff up there is completely legal to do.

Submissions begin on Friday, Aug. 5 and Winners will be announced and contacted upon the conclusion of Musikfest. So, take photos early and often! We’ll keep you posted with some of the crazier pics we receive.

WOOHOO!

INTERVIEW! Mayor Johnny Casino Gets Ready for Musikfest

Man, I tell ya, when we are lucky, we are LUCKY! Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan, better known as Johnny Casino, was nice enough to give us a few minutes of his time to talk about this year’s Musikfest awesomeness.

Oh, before we begin, just so you’re prepared, we are doing a Musikfest Photo Scavenger Hunt starting Friday with THREE prizes: One from Starfish, one from Molly’s and one from Eskandalo! So, get your cell phone cameras ready and save my email address: lehighvalleywithlove@gmail.com.

Ok, crap, John is already shotgunning a beer. Let’s get this shit started before he passes out.

 So, Mr. Callahan, Are you excited for this year’s Musikfest? We have both a North and South side this year!

Yes. More places for me to drink at. I’m stoked. Oh, btw, this is my.. um..  friend, Trixie.

 Hehe. 

Um… ok. weird. Anyway. How do you think that Musikfest will do this year without America Platz? It has been removed due to a few venues now being at the Artsquest Center.

I’m actually a bit pissed that America Platz is gone. Um, hello, it was right by city hall. I didn’t even have to leave work to get toasted. I actually installed one of those fire ladders out my office window and sent some of our Hispanic workers to steal beer and funnel cakes for me. But, whatever.

 Wow, that is incredibly racist. So… moving on. What act are you excited to see this year? Maroon 5? Maybe Stone Temple Pilots? Or are you a Steely Dan kinda guy?

You know… I was telling Trixie here before how pissed I am that Jeff Parks didn’t sign GWAR. This is like the 1,000th time I have said, “JEFF PARKS SIGN FUCKING GWAR TO PLAY AT MUSIKFEST.” After all the money I’ve given him that I was supposed to give to elementary schools, you think he could at least do that…

  Yeah, Mr. John loves GWAR… hehehe

 Wait, but doesn’t Jeff Parks do tons of stuff for the community? I mean Musikfest brings thousands upon thousands of dollars to the city each year. Who cares if GWAR isn’t here?

Dude, seriously. Fine. Even if Jeff Parks doesn’t get GWAR, he could at least get the freaking Flock of Seagulls. I saw them on VH1 and they got reunited. Well, either them or Adam Ant. Fucking love that dude. 

Crap. Hey Jeff. We were just…. talking… about how great… this line up is this year.

  I heard what you were talking about you little miscreant. Alright, come up to my office on the top of Artsquest Center in the secret penthouse. We need to have that talk again.

  Penthouse?

STFU Trixie. Here’s $20. Go to Subway and get me three $5 BMTs. And get me one of those five hour energy things too. I’ll meet you outside in like 15 minutes. Keep the motor running.