Bethlehem Museums and Historic Sites Announce July 2024 Events | The great book of the valley

Events include free family programming, the annual Blueberry Festival and the continuation of the nonprofit’s latest exhibit, “Checking In?” Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations.”

“We look forward to hosting a jam-packed series of summer events for visitors from near and far looking for fun with a historic twist,” said LoriAnn Wukitsch, president and CEO of HBMS. “The Blueberry Fest is back for its 37th year and will be a super fun event for guests of all ages. We are excited to be able to take advantage of local vendors at this community building event.

Checking in? Bethlehem’s Alluring Accommodations is a multi-site experience that explores Bethlehem’s long heritage of hospitality and takes attendees to local landmarks including the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts and the Sun Inn. Guests 21 and older can purchase a $30 check-in combo ticket, which includes admission to the event, a self-guided tour and a Christmas City Spirits tasting experience, including a complimentary tasting glass, at the Sun Inn. Admission to the all-ages exhibit can be purchased at HistoricBethlehem.org.

This month’s free Saturdays at Burnside experience, ‘Create Your Own Bee Hotel’, takes place on July 6. Participants will learn about the crucial role of bees in pollination and create a bee hotel to provide nesting space for these insects. The public is invited to visit the farm for free on the first Saturday of each month. Open to all ages, in July, Burnside also highlights the “Farm in the Town,” which has been a part of the Moravian community since 1748. Additionally, guests can participate in “You Point, We Pick,” where they select fresh and organic products. produce, herbs and flowers that they would like to take home, and a volunteer gardener will pick them in exchange for a donation.

• A certified guide leads the walking tour of Old Bethlehem in period costume and shares the 275-year history of Bethlehem’s unique beginnings since 1741. The Colonial Industrial District walking tour takes visitors to the nation’s first industrial park to discover how the early Moravians established the greatest concentration of crafts and trades in the American colonies.

• On the Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel walking tour, visitors learn about Bethlehem Steel, which was once the nation’s second-largest steel producer and helped build some of the states’ most important landmarks -United States, notably the Golden Gate Bridge and the Chrysler Building. The 90-minute walking tour offers close-up views of the old steel factory and an in-depth look at the steelmaking process and the role of workers in our country’s history.

• The John Adams Walking Tour highlights Bethlehem’s role in the American Revolution and what the second president, John Adams, had to say about the city in 1777.

• The Moravian Stories Tour explores the founders of Bethlehem, the Moravians! Guests learn about the important buildings and monuments that influenced the Bethlehem we know today while highlighting what made the Moravian community unique.

• HBMS offers a kid-friendly tour, Playful Pathways: A Family-Friendly Tour of Bethlehem. During the tour, participants learn about the history of Bethlehem in a way that entertains and teaches children and adults of all ages. It is a walk suitable for strollers and open to everyone from 2 years old. Children under 5 years old can attend for free.

The following tours are regularly scheduled on weekends:

• Friday

  • 1:00 p.m. – Walking tour of Old Bethlehem

  • 1:00 p.m. – Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel

  • 3:00 p.m. – Moravian Stories Tour

• Saturdays

  • 11:00 a.m. – Fun trail: a family visit to Bethlehem

  • 1:00 p.m. – Walking tour of Old Bethlehem

  • 1:00 p.m. – Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel

  • 3:00 p.m. – John Adams Walking Tour

• Sundays

  • 1:00 p.m. – Walking tour of Old Bethlehem

  • 1:00 p.m. – Rise & Fall of Bethlehem Steel

  • 3:00 p.m. – Heart and Soul: Moravian Music Tour

ABOUT BETHLEHEM MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC SITES