Family events in Allentown, PA

Kids ages 8 to 12 can dive into a weekly summer crafting club where every meeting brings a brand-new hands-on project. Sessions start with a fun creative warm-up, move into a guided craft, and leave room to personalize and experiment, then wrap up with a brief show and shine to celebrate each creation. Projects explore painting, gluing, and simple stitching while blending playful creativity with skill building and confidence boosts. Held in a welcoming craft clubhouse in Allentown, this screen-free experience lets makers get a little messy, make friends, and discover what their hands can do. Ideal for budding artists and curious makers who thrive when encouraged to explore new ideas and express themselves freely. Cost is $35 per week.

Movies in the Park presents open-air screenings of recent hits for an evening under the sky. At Cedar Rose Gardens, the feature is Freakier Friday. Set many years after Tess and Anna’s earlier identity mix-up, Anna is now a mother with a daughter and a soon-to-be stepdaughter, and as two families blend, she and Tess learn that history may repeat itself in surprising ways. Pre-movie activities are planned before the film begins.

We Got Your Back Backpack Day marks its fourteenth year with new additions and a variety of activities being planned in collaboration with community partners. Additional updates will share details about the activities, participating partners, and other information as the day approaches.

The Allentown Art Museum presents the launch of Neighborhood Saturdays, celebrating community, creativity, and the cultural energy of the greater Lehigh Valley. Visitors can meet local artists, experience poetry and music, explore the galleries, and enjoy light refreshments in the Museum Lounge. Hands-on ArtVentures in the Crayola Classroom invites participants to try printmaking while learning about symbols from Taino culture across Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The program also features a poetry performance by Noble Quills in the Trexler Gallery and Kress Gallery. Families can take part in La Hora de Cuento en español in the Rodale Classroom, along with an English story hour with Veronica Moore. An English tour of the American Galleries begins at the front desk. The Rodale Classroom also hosts an art making workshop with artist Devyn Briggs.

Now in its ninth year, this back to school giveaway at Bucky Boyle Park helps families prepare for the new school year. Families can bring children to receive assistance with school items. Vendors, sponsors, and volunteers are being accepted for the 2026 back to school event, and vendor opportunities remain available. For details or to get involved, call 484-619-8852 or email info@prculturepreservation.org.

Celebrate community at a family friendly festival in the Grace Church parking lot. Enjoy complimentary food, kid centered activities, face painting, bubbles, and plenty of outdoor play. Lawn games such as cornhole will be available, and there will be opportunities to connect with neighbors and longtime friends. This free community event is open to everyone.

The Party Animals bring a playful, high-energy spin to baseball in a matchup with The Firefighters. Look for imaginative on-field stunts, surprise moments, and plenty of fan participation that keep the pace lively regardless of the scoreboard. Hosted at Coca-Cola Park, the experience blends competition with showtime flair, creating an atmosphere that is equal parts ballgame and live performance.

Closing night at Musikfest brings a performance at Musikfest Café in a beautiful, air-conditioned room with views of the historic Bethlehem Steel Blast Furnaces. Fireworks follow afterward.

Designed for students in grades 3 through 8, this makerspace woodshop offers hands-on woodworking with actual tools. Participants plan and assemble wooden projects while building craftsmanship and strengthening creative problem-solving skills.

Geared toward grades 2 through 6, this modern band camp is open to beginners as well as more experienced young musicians. Students rehearse together, perform on real instruments, and collaborate as an ensemble. The session takes participants from the first group practice to a culminating performance, encouraging growth and confidence as musicians.

At Christ Lutheran Church in Allentown, this hands-on camp invites students to craft a ukulele from a kit and learn to play it. Guidance covers proper hand position, strumming, chords, rhythm, and essential music theory, along with a variety of songs to sing and play. Across the week, each participant assembles, paints, strings, and tunes a personal instrument. Those who wish can share what they have learned with a family-and-friends performance on the final day. All instruments, kits, and materials are provided.

Music Mondays invite littles age 5 and under and their parents or caregivers to enjoy a music-focused program. The event runs from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM upstairs in the Children’s Department.

Designed for ages 13 to 17, this Teen 1st Responder Camp at the Emergency Medicine Institute is for those interested in careers in healthcare or the first responder field. Participants connect with professionals from fire and police departments, EMS teams, K9 units, and wilderness medicine, as well as physicians and nurses, and they explore hospital operations with tours of areas such as the emergency department and trauma bay. Every camper earns American Heart Association CPR/First Aid and Stop the Bleed certifications while also building life and business skills over the week. Each teen prepares and presents a five minute talk to fellow campers on a health or public safety topic, and family members are welcome on the final day to watch. The fee is $200 and includes a camp T-shirt, a light breakfast each day, and the listed certifications. Registration is limited.

Cali Burrito teams up with the Bananarama food truck for a weekly dinner-and-dessert pairing. Bananarama serves banana whip sundaes made by freezing ripe organic bananas and whipping them into a soft-serve style treat that is cool, light, and naturally sweet. Choose creations like Strawberry Shortcake, Piña Colada, Cherry Pie, Sweet n Salty, Gimme S’More, and Peanut Butter Cup Crunch, or build your own with a lineup of dairy-free toppings, including gluten-free options. Enjoy a meal at the venue, take dinner home, or grab dessert to go. In case of inclement weather, check Bananarama’s social media to confirm service.

Each Tuesday at Menchie's Airport Center, Family Fun Nights offer $3 kids cups for ages 12 and under, appearances by guest authors and local community members, hands-on arts and crafts, games, and prizes. Information about featured guests and the dates they will appear is provided in advance.

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs face the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders at Coca-Cola Park in a matchup that also benefits Linda Ann's Greyhound Adoption. Tickets purchased through the designated fundraiser link direct a $6 donation to Linda Ann's and include $2 in ballpark credit that can be used for food, drinks, or merchandise at the team store.

Enjoy an open air reading as a local author shares passages from their own book in an Allentown park. Bring a chair or blanket, along with a snack and something to drink, and settle in to hear the story told in the author’s voice. If you already have the book, bring it for signing. Copies will also be available for purchase at the event for $17.

Tail Wagging Tuesday brings canines and baseball together at Coca-Cola Park as Freedom First Rescue teams up with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs for a dog friendly night at the ballpark. The IronPigs face the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders while fans enjoy the game and classic ballpark snacks alongside their pups. Every ticket purchased through the designated fundraiser link contributes $6 to Freedom First Rescue, helping support dogs seeking forever homes. Freedom First Rescue is a 501c3 with PA Kennel License #17625.

Centered on Velma Gratch & the Way Cool Butterfly by Alan Madison, this program follows a first grader who visits a butterfly conservatory and, with the help of a monarch, discovers that she matters. Participants will make a butterfly to take home as a reminder of their own uniqueness. Appropriate for ages 4 and up.

Allentown’s Back to School BASH 2026 brings the community together for a spirited kickoff to the new academic year at Cedar Beach Park. Organized by the Allentown School District, the Allentown Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Allentown, and presented by McClure Company, this free celebration features live music, interactive activities, games with prizes, and entertainment for all ages. Food trucks and community organizations will be on site, creating a lively setting to discover resources, enjoy great eats, and share school pride with family and friends. Designed to celebrate students and support families, it offers an upbeat experience filled with connection, energy, and plenty to do from beginning to end. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

Officers Stokes and Rodriguez of the City of Bethlehem Police Department present a lively bilingual retelling of The Wizard of Oz, with English and Spanish shared together. Inspired by The Wizard of Oz | El Mago de Oz by Carol Ottolenghi, the tale follows Dorothy along with the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Woodsman on their journey. After the story, participants can make a special craft to remember this timeless adventure. Suitable for ages 4 and up.

Cut The Scrap hosts a relaxed, hands-on workshop where teens ages 13 to 17 create a personal junk journal using found paper, ephemera, and mixed media materials. Participants learn how to build pages, add pockets and tucks, try decorative stitching, and explore collage techniques, then head home with a completed mini journal and new ideas to keep making. Instructors guide each step while encouraging individual style, so no two journals are alike. The setting is social and beginner friendly, with upbeat music, tactile supplies, and plenty of time to personalize pages with stickers, stamps, and vintage paper. This is a monthly session. The cost is $15 per participant, and space is limited.

This knitting class is designed for kids, offering an introduction to the basics for beginners while more experienced young knitters can dive into new projects with guidance from Marilyn, who has plenty of ideas. Please bring size 8 needles for the first session, or purchase them at The Knitter's Edge for $8.49. The fee is $10, payable in cash. To reserve a spot, call 610-419-9276.