Another weekend, another round of festivals in the Lehigh Valley.
The first weekend of ArtsQuest's annual Oktoberfest celebration starts Friday and runs through Sunday at the SteelStacks complex. The event continues Oct. 7-9. (The second half of Oktoberfest includes the inaugural "Hasselhoff-Off Competition.")
In keeping with tradition, Oktoberfest will feature a plethora of themed activities (lederhosen not included). There will be a Craft Brewers's Village, the popular Dachshund Race, "Celebrity Skills Challenge," live music and "The Great Lakes Timber Show," Celebrity Skills Challengein which lumberjacks will compete in chainsaw carving, axe-throwing, wood-chopping, crosscut-sawing, modified chainsawing and log-rolling.
Check out the full Oktoberfest schedule on the event's website.
While Bethlehem will be celebrating its German heritage, downtown Easton will be eating, drinking and stinking of garlic. Easton Garlic Fest returns Saturday and Sunday.
Attendees will have the opportunity this weekend to spend two days gorging on a variety of garlic-themed dishes and desserts, ranging from garlic ice cream to garlic chicken wraps. More than 60 vendors are scheduled to be on hand.
Naturally, a food festival would not be complete without a cook-off or two. This year's celebration will feature the Gastric Garlic People's Choice Contest, Dangerous Dessert Contest, Farm to Table Iron Chef Cook-Off, First Responders Cook-Off and the 3 Mayors Cook-Off.
Easton Garlic Fest hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
For more information on Garlic Fest, visit the festival's website.