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Allentown Art Festival celebrating 60 years this weekend

One of the summer’s biggest festivals is celebrating its 60th year this weekend. The Allentown Art Festival, which runs along a stretch of Delaware Avenue and some of its side streets, runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. More than 375 artisan exhibitions will line Delaware Avenue from West Tupper to North streets, as well as Virginia, Franklin and Allen streets.

“Franklin is especially beautiful, I happen to think, because it’s a more quiet street. It’s shady. And a lot of the artists love that spot because it’s a little bit quieter than Delaware,” said Rita Harrington-Lippman, President of the Allentown Village Association. “Delaware will be absolutely packed this weekend, especially with the weather we’re expecting. It should be a great show.”

Both days are expected to be warm and sunny, with temperatures reaching 80 degrees.

The artists in the show will be selling everything from art to pottery to jewelry and more. Harrington-Lippman said visitors can expect to see new and returning artists, many of whom will demonstrate their art in addition to selling it.

“We have just about anything that you could imagine and actually things that you can’t imagine, because people are so incredibly creative. They use objects that they find and turn into beautiful artwork,” Harrington-Lippman said. “They do many, many different things. And these are not things that you’ll find in stores or the mall. We’re bringing artists directly to the public.”

This year will also be the first time that the Allentown Art Festival will feature live music at designated points throughout the showing.

“We’ll be having music all day at the Wilcox Mansion. There will be people playing on the lawn of the Theodore Roosevelt site. The lawn and the front porch will be filled with musicians this year,” Harrington-Lippman said.

Also happening concurrent to the Allentown Art Festival is the Allen West Festival, which runs along Allen Street west of Elmwood Avenue.