With summer's end comes one of my favorite bittersweet events - I love it as it's always a wonderful time full of fabulous food, great music, and unforgettable atmosphere, but with it comes a gentle sadness because it means fall is right around the corner, the last hurrah for warmer weather.
I could only be referring to Musikfest, a 10-day festival in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that never fails to bring a wealth of free musical performances to the Lehigh Valley, and in my 27 years of enjoying life, I have yet to miss a single one (which is a record I fully intend to maintain as long as I can). There is always a plethora of unique and delicious food, not to mention some of the coolest cultural creations around (such as the stilt-walking street performer group Saurus, who dresses up like giant dinosaurs and gently terrorize festival-goers!). And of course we can't forget the amazing artisanal community that comes to sell their wares at the fest, from handmade soaps and looseleaf teas to homemade salsas and bonsai trees - you never know what cool gifts or souvenirs you might find!
This year I had the unique pleasure of working as a photographer for the festival, a goal I'd been working towards for several years, and an opportunity I was excited to finally take hold of. Not only did I get to photograph one of my favorite bands from the years of teenager-dom ( shoutout to Chevelle for being just as great live as they are in studio!), but I also was granted backstage access to shoot some of the festival's musical regulars like Scythian and March Fourth (who happen to be two of my personal favorites).
These are some of my favorites that I think best encompass the vibe of this fabulous summer festival, & hope to see you there next year - I'm already counting down the days!
