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MUSIKFEST
“United We Jam”
In 2004, more than one million people came together to celebrate the 10-day event known as Musikfest - a festival that entertained as well as educated the community while providing a boost to the region’s economy.

Musikfest, “America’s Music Festival,” continues to grow in stature as the most diverse music festival in the United States. With performances on the glass armonica, the harp and the world’s only portable carillon; musical styles ranging from classical to gospel to salsa; emerging artists like Chris Botti, Lucy Bonilla and Jonatha Brooke; and popular acts like Clay Aiken, Crosby Stills & Nash and Chingy, the event featured 10 days of musical cornucopia.
From the opening evening through the closing-night night fireworks spectacular, Musikfest provided festival patrons with a diverse selection of music from around the world as well as a quality cultural family experience.
The festival started off with a bang as the Lehigh Valley felt the full effect of “Clay-Mania.” The American Idol sensation had fans young and old screaming for more following his 90-minute Straub Chrysler Jeep RiverPlace show on opening night - a concert that sold out faster than any other show in Musikfest history.

Also in 2004, Musikfest’s Plaza Tropical celebrated its fifth anniversary with great flourish. Focusing on the diversity of music from Latin America, especially the styles from the Caribbean that are relevant to many Latinos in the Lehigh Valley, Plaza Tropical has been a success in engaging people from the Hispanic community in the festival. The site features Holy Infancy Church as a food vendor, showcasing foods from Portugal and Puerto Rico. The church also hosts a tri-lingual (English, Spanish and Portuguese) church service on Sunday at Musikfest. Other Latino food vendors have been also recruited for the venue.



In 2004, 8 percent of Musikfest’s volunteers were members of the Latino community. On the Plaza Tropical stage, HALA presented its dance students, as well as a very popular salsa dance competition. HOLA, the AM regional Latin radio station, presented a day of outstanding contemporary Latin music and Baby J, host of “Sabroso Video,” presented a showcase of popular Latin acts. The attendance of Hispanics at Musikfest is now close to 10 percent of the audience at the festival.
In celebration of the jamming, improvisational nature of music, Musikfest also featured plenty of good, old “jams.” Depending on the night, festival attendees could find an acoustic guitar jam, drum circle, jazz session, blues jam, or even a night rocking by talented, world famous jam band artists.

During the festival, 1,978 volunteers hailing from 14 states assisted at the event. Fifty-five volunteers observed their 20th year with Musikfest, while 49 people volunteered for the 10th year in a row - all of which highlights just how much Musikfest, and the diverse creative experience it brings, means to the community. The volunteers are the backbone of ArtsQuest and are really appreciated for all their efforts, hard work and time.