31st Edition of MUSIKFEST to Run 8/1-5

Dinosaurs roaming through the festival grounds, performers who love to play with fire and a replica of a U.S. Space Shuttle are among the many new highlights and attractions guests will find when they attend the 31st edition of Musikfest this August. The event, the largest free music festival in the nation, will feature more than 500 performances on 14 stages over 10 days, as well as 65 food vendors, 45 artisans and tons of family fun.

From Aug. 1-5, the music and dance of Tahiti and Hawaii will take center stage at Handwerkplatz presented by Air Products as Polynesian Dance Productions presents traditional Polynesian dancers including a Maori Fire Poi dancer. Performances will take place Aug. 1-5 at 5, 6:30 and 8 p.m.

Families looking for an out-of-this-world experience at Musikfest are invited to fly into FLYLVIA Plaza Tropical, where they can embark on an educational odyssey via Space Shuttle Blake. Presented by FLYLVIA, this 4/10-scale replica of a U.S. Space Shuttle features a state-of-the-art classroom to learn about space missions and travel. It's at Musikfest all 10 days; see www.musikfest.org for details and times.

On the second weekend of Musikfest, there's little doubt that festival-goers will be asking one question: "Have you seen the dinosaurs yet?" From Aug. 8-10, the Netherlands-based street theater group Close Act Theatre will present "Saurus," featuring 18-foot-tall artistic dinosaurs walking (and roaring) amongst crowds. Look for them in the area between Wells Fargo Festplatz & FLYLVIA Plaza Tropical; show times are 4, 6 and 8 p.m.

Musikfest may showcase a wealth of food over 10 days, but Bethlehem showcases a world of great eats all year long. This year, the festival is partnering with several Bethlehem-based restaurants to shine the spotlight on some of the city's awesome dining options with the new "Restaurant Row" promotion. Anyone who buys a Musikfest mug or runs into the Musikfest Street Team powered by Think Energy will receive a free coupon book featuring great deals by Corked, Hotel Bethlehem, Mama Nina's Foccacheria, McCarthy's Red Stag Pub & Restaurant, The Brick and Bethlehem Brew Works. Up to 50,000 of the books will be distributed during the 10 days of the festival.

The littlest 'fest fans are invited to get in on all the musical magic this year as Musikfest's offers its first-ever Music Camp Aug. 2, noon-3:30 p.m. The camp, for ages 6-10, is led by internationally-known folk musician and music educator Daria Marmaluk-Hijioannou, who will teach participants how to create their own instruments. The afternoon concludes with an actual concert at Musikfest, with the children taking to the TD Community Stage on the Air Products Town Square for a jam session. Camp cost is $90; registrations may be made at www.musikfest.org.

Other new attractions and activities at Musikfest include:

Share Your Musikfest Story - For the first time its history, Musikfest is inviting patrons to share their stories by recording video clips at the ArtsQuest Member booth at Wells Fargo Festplatz. ArtsQuest will use the stories as a way to document the festival's rich history, as well as share them online via social media. For more info, visit www.musikfest.org/stories.

Pamper Yourself at the 'fest! -.At Metro Beauty Academy Main Street, guests can enjoy chair massages and manicures courtesy of the Metro Beauty Academy students and staff. Plus, they can enter to win great prizes including a Metro Beauty Academy spa package.

Nine New Food Vendors - Offering everything from gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and grilled pork chop on a stick, to falafel, hummus, Pad Thai and more.

Spark Orthodontics Kinderplatz is for Kids! - That's right, Musikfest's family venue is back to its original name, Kinderplatz (the 'Children's Place' in German). We've added new rides (Bear Affair Slide and F-80 Jets), plus look for special appearances and activities by the Philadelphia Union of the MLS, Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania and more.

The App is Back! - The festival's popular free app, which had more than 1.4 million page views last year, is back! The app features artist bios for more than 300 performers, searchable performance schedules, a comprehensive festival map and more. It's available at www.apple.com/itunes or www.musikfest.org/awesome-information/app-support/.

Enjoy a Taste of Italia - From 5-10 p.m. daily on First Street, in front of the St. Luke's University Health Network Visitor Center at SteelStacks, South Italy Imports will offer free tastings of its exquisite wines, which come directly from 12 vineyards in Italy. Wines will also be available for purchase at the South Italy Imports booth, as well as the Mack Café at the Levitt Pavilion.

For more information on Musikfest 2014, please visit www.musikfest.org.

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