ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE
By Carrie Havranek, Amy Unger and Christopher Hippensteel | Photography by Marco Calderon and Alison Conklin
This year, we are more inspired than ever by the unshakeable, tireless, spirited businesses in our community. Despite a pandemic temporarily closing so many of their doors, we saw pivoting and persistence like never before. We are so proud to celebrate these businesses that garnered more than 26,000 votes from Style readers!
Best Date Location
Three Oak Steakhouse
Take date night to the next level at Three Oak Steakhouse, with an extensive wine and dinner menu, beautiful interior and unbeatable views of Downtown Easton from their rooftop seating.
323 Northampton St., Easton | 610.559.5510 | threeoaksteakhouse.com
Best Concert Venue
PPL Center
Allentown's PPL Center is the Valley's largest events venue, holding 10,000 at its can't-miss concerts. An Evening with Michael Bublé is on the calendar for this March! And what's a concert without concessions? Choose from Chickie's & Pete's, Tim Hortons and more.
Photo courtesy of PPL Center
701 Hamilton St., Allentown | 610.224.4625 | pplcenter.com
Best Trivia Night
Fegley’s Brew Works
Fegley’s Brew Works’ trivia nights start at 8 p.m. every Wednesday, so assemble your team, brush up on your (mostly) useless knowledge and duke it out for some fun prizes!
812 W. Hamilton St., Allentown | 610.433.7777 | 559 Main St. Suite 101 Bethlehem | 610.882.1300 | thebrewworks.com
Best Radio Personality
Mike and Steph, B104
Listening to Mike and Steph in the morning on B104 is like eavesdropping on two old friends catching up. “We have a great time. We laugh, we joke, we put that on the air,” says Mike Kelly, one half of the dynamic duo that also includes Stephanie Wells. “We try to be very real about the whole process.” They first joined forces on the airwaves to help Lehigh Valley listeners get up and get moving nearly 10 years ago. Wells says their easygoing on-air dynamic was forged naturally. “We have a chemistry that I think everyone who works in this realm hopes for.” Of course, a very early alarm clock is part of the deal. Kelly is out of bed around 4 a.m.; Wells has a longer drive and an even earlier start time. While Wells says she’s quick to reach for a cup of coffee to jump-start her day, Kelly doesn’t touch the stuff. “You don’t want to see me on coffee,” he says. Wells is quick with her retort: “You don’t want to see me not on coffee.”
610.720.1041 | b104.iheart.com
Best Radio Station
Cat Country 96
Tune in for continuous country favorites, entertaining banter and your local news! Plus, they'll be broadcasting the Philadelphia Eagles games all season long!
catcountry96.com
Best Local TV Personality
Eve Russo, WFMZ-TV, Channel 69 News
69 News anchor Eve Russo is no stranger to this award, as she’s claimed it several times during her tenure at the station. Catch her alongside Jaciel Cordoba at sunrise, where she coordinates and produces multiple guest segments.
Photo courtesy of 69 News
wfmz.com
Best Local Musician
The Aardvarks
The Aardvarks formed from a team of veteran musicians, and they’ve gradually evolved into a force to be reckoned with on the Lehigh Valley music scene. From covers to original music, there’s no artist or genre The Aardvarks won’t touch. Book them for your next event or catch them live at your local bar, and enjoy some of the best local rock n’ roll.
Photo courtesy of The Aardvarks, Donatelli Entertainment
theaardvarks.net
Best Podcast
Lehigh Valley with Love
Many a mover and shaker has taken a turn behind the mic for the Lehigh Valley with Love podcast. “I had Dan Roebuck in my attic. It was weird,” says George Wacker, owner of Lehigh Valley with Love Media, LCC, who co-hosts the podcast with comedian Tyler Rothrock. Race car driver Marco Andretti and sportswriter Jack McCallum have also been guests on the show. But Wacker says he’s just as interested in interviewing those who aren’t necessarily bold-faced names in the Valley, but who still have compelling stories to tell, like small-business owners and community leaders. “We never wanted to lose sight of having local people on the show, in addition to celebrities.” When the pandemic hit, the podcast had to shift gears; the team churned out about 100 episodes as part of its Quarantine Video Series. Wacker says it ended up being a learning experience that prompted him to think about changing and expanding Lehigh Valley with Love’s podcast offerings, including launching a network to support other podcasts. Whatever the future holds, Wacker says getting to this place has been a lot of fun. “It was a labor of love. There was never the possibility of getting paid. We just wanted to create something, and it’s been phenomenal.”
lehighvalleywithlove.com
Best Romantic Overnight Stay
Historic Hotel Bethlehem
With luxury accommodations, a top-notch taproom and unmatched views of Downtown Bethlehem, the Historic Hotel Bethlehem is the ideal in-town getaway. For the daring couple, there’s the highly sought-after haunted Room 932, which has been host to plenty of paranormal activity over the years.
437 Main St., Bethlehem | 855.264.2598 | hotelbethlehem.com
Best Tattoo Shop
Sick Ink Studios
Whether you’re looking for something small or a full sleeve, the team at Sick Ink Studios can hook you up. If you’re in need of some new ink, you can find them open daily.