Celebrating collaboration, shared learning, and the power of free live music, the annual Levitt Group Site Visit gives staff and board members of Friends of Levitt nonprofits the exciting opportunity to experience another Levitt venue in action. For this year’s group visit, which took place Friday, August 15 through Sunday, August 17, members of the Levitt network came together in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks.

Over the course of the weekend, staff and board members from Levitt Pavilion Arlington, Levitt Pavilion Dayton, Levitt Pavilion Denver, and Levitt Shell Sioux Falls—as well as developing venues in Houston, New Orleans, and San Jose—joined the Levitt SteelStacks team and members of the Levitt Foundation board and staff to exchange ideas, connect with one another, and experience the ways free, live music builds community in Bethlehem. Through behind-the-scenes tours, presentations, session discussions, and of course concerts, the group expanded their knowledge and shared insights and best practices on a broad range of topics related to deepening impact of their Levitt concert series, from stage production and audience engagement to fundraising and event programming.

Throughout the weekend, attendees witnessed first-hand how Bethlehem’s story is interwoven with music—past, present, and future—illustrating the profoundness of the arts in building vibrant communities. Scroll down for highlights!

Day 1: Friday

Friday began with a tour of Bethlehem’s historic Moravian Church, which was founded in 1741 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024. As part of the church’s tradition, men, women, and children of all ages practiced, taught, and performed a wide variety of instruments and choral pieces in worship spaces, gathering halls, and living quarters. Indeed, the entire city of Bethlehem holds a rich artistic heritage that placed music at the heart of worship, spiritual life, and community building—inspiring a centuries-long dedication to musical expression as a unifying force.  

That legacy endures today, from Bethlehem’s musical Moravian roots to the 40-year tradition of Musikfest—the largest free music festival in the country—and the nearly 50 free summer concerts presented annually at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks since 2011. Together, these traditions reflect how cultural expression continues to shape Bethlehem, while exemplifying the transformative role of the arts in communities everywhere. 

 

 

On Friday evening, the group headed to Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks, the focal point of the expansive ArtsQuest campus, for a pre-concert dinner reception and to raise a glass to the start of an inspiring weekend. Following dinner, electrifying blues rock guitarist and powerhouse vocalist Joanne Shaw Taylor ignited the stage with an incredible energy that had the audience clapping and stamping their feet to the beat. It was an unforgettable performance!

 

 

Day 2: Saturday

Over breakfast Saturday morning, ArtsQuest Chief Programming Officer Patrick Brogan and Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks Executive Director Shayna Super spoke about the decades-long cross-sector investment and collaboration required to establish and maintain the ArtsQuest campus as a premier destination for music, art, and entertainment—including nearly 15 years of free concerts at Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks. Alongside reflections from board members and staff from Levitt venues—new and experienced—stories of successful donor and sponsorship cultivation, creative strategies for revenue generation, proactive problem-solving regarding safety and security, and more served as actionable insights for attendees to build upon towards even deeper community engagement and exciting, meaningful programming.

 

 

Levitt SteelStacks’ thoughtful approach to programming was on full display during the subsequent tour of the iconic Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks venue, where the group had the chance to explore backstage, onstage, and across the lawn to the ArtsQuest Center. The tour featured the venue’s unique position as one outdoor stage in an open-concept, multi-use arts space. Intentional partnerships with local organizations like Lehigh Valley Health Network, Movement Moves Media, and Lehigh Valley NPR’s WDIY 88.1 FM, and an active and growing volunteer network, ensure the campus remains nimble and responsive to evolving community needs.

 

 

Later that afternoon, the group ventured to the Smithsonian-affiliated National Museum of Industrial History and the Bethlehem Steel Plant, where they were immersed in a century’s worth of American industrial artifacts and experienced the SteelStacks blast furnaces up close. Stories of the rise and fall of industry towns that proliferated across the rust belt were on display, showcasing the heights of American industrial might and the consequences of its decline. As the historic home of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, once one of the world’s largest steel and shipbuilding companies, Bethlehem, Pa. could have been another story of neglect if not for the community’s immense creative revitalization efforts. Each part of the tour was a full-circle, powerful testament to the importance of creative placemaking in our communities. 

 

 

Saturday night at Levitt SteelStacks was exhilarating, as an audience of 4,000 gathered for Dancing Dream: A Tribute to ABBA. Smiles, laughter, and disco grooves filled the Levitt lawn. From children and teens to lifelong fans who heard ABBA’s first chart-topping hit “Waterloo” in 1974, the crowd spanning generations shared joy, nostalgia, and created lasting memories. 

 

 

Day 3: Sunday

On Sunday, Levitt network members gathered over brunch to reflect on the past couple days, inspired to bring new ideas back to their communities. Among the many moments of inspiration, one stood out in particular regarding the lasting impact of the Levitt mission. 

While exploring downtown Bethlehem on Friday, Becky Edmondson, board member of Levitt Houston, mentioned to a local shop owner that she was in town with the Levitt Foundation. In a moment of serendipity, the shop owner revealed a personal connection: her mother had given her a clipping of a 1985 Parade Magazine article by Mortimer Levitt accompanied with the hand-scrawled words, “Read this every day.” 

For the past 40 years, the shop owner has kept that article on her refrigerator, drawing daily inspiration from Mortimer’s principles. The article highlighted his belief in bringing people together, the magic of making others feel invited, and the importance of joy in everyday life—all values that continue to reflect the ethos of the Levitt Foundation today. As the 2025 Levitt Group Site Visit came to a close, and participants departed for their own communities around the U.S., Mortimer’s sentiments offered a meaningful reminder of the power of free live music to bring people together.