August Volunteer Spotlight 2022

Each month, our volunteer committee decides on volunteers to spotlight. For August 2022, we wanted to recognize a volunteer who is a familiar face in our beer tents during Musikfest: Patsy Hebor!

Q: What inspired you to begin volunteering?
A: The first year of Musikfest for the first few days I drove through downtown Bethlehem after visiting a family member in the hospital. Each night I was amazed and excited watching the people having fun downtown. On Wednesday our family member was released from the hospital, my husband left with friends for Canada, and I went to Musikfest. Went every day until closing on Sunday night. I immediately knew I wanted to be involved. After the festival, I went to the Musikfest Office on Main Street and inquired about volunteering. I started volunteering at the office with any projects that needed extra hands, stuffing envelopes, rolling posters, etc. Musikfest 1985 I volunteered for 5 evening shifts doing different functions. I loved it and from that point on I was hooked.

Q: What is something your fellow volunteers would be surprised to learn about you?
A: I think they would be surprised at how much I have invested my time for Musikfest. After volunteering at the second festival, I decided in the future I wanted to volunteer for only one function, and I thought that since most people worked it would be more helpful to volunteer during the day. That was the start of me taking vacation every year to volunteer. I thought serving wine in 1985 was fun so I scheduled to work at wine all 9 days at Festplatz. I was surprised to find out that they were short staffed every night, and on most nights, I worked right through. This was the beginning of a long and varied journey volunteering with Musikfest and ArtsQuest which included some unique opportunities for example, being a Site Supervisor at Spielplatz and spending time on the Volunteer Committee, being part of the phone committee, MarktPlatz, Haunted Haunts, Halloween Parade, Banana Factory and more.

Q: Do you volunteer anywhere besides ArtsQuest?
A: Not anymore, I used to be involved in local, state, and national political groups.

Q:What is your favorite Musikfest memory?
A: A: There are two things I always remember the first Musikfest in 1984 the Allentown Symphony Orchestra performed on a weekend afternoon at Kuntsplatz and I remember sitting on the grass in the shade just listening to the beautiful music it was so relaxing. And in the early years of Musikfest I remember standing on Main Street watching the people going to Hotel Bethlehem for the Musikfest Balls that used to precede the opening day of the festival.

Q:Other than MusikFest, what is your favorite Lehigh Valley event?
A: Celtic Fest. I was asked to volunteer at Celtic Fest many times and I always responded by saying Musikfest is where I volunteer, Celtic Fest is just for me to enjoy.

Q: If you could pick any act to play at Musikfest, who would you pick and why?
A: : A lot of acts I have wanted to see have already been at Musikfest. For a long time, I would have like to see Meatloaf perform, but since that is no longer possible, I haven’t really thought about anyone else.