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WDIY is celebrating 30 years of community radio from its home in Bethlehem’s historic Flatiron Building. Since first going on air in January 1995, the station has become a hub for local voices, diverse music, and civic engagement across the Lehigh Valley.

We had a chance to sit down with Executive Director Margaret McConnell on the roof of the Flatiron Building, overlooking the valley WDIY serves. She talked about everything from the station’s ten-year founding journey, to its 130 dedicated volunteers, to the challenge of replacing federal funding cuts.

“Try to replace 15 percent of your personal budget,” McConnell said. “That is a part time job. We have to fill that gap.”

We also talked about WDIY’s commitment to future generations through its youth media program, which has already trained more than 200 students to host shows and create podcasts.

“Through WDIY we combat homelessness, address mental health, prevent teen suicide, alleviate senior citizen loneliness, and spread joy,” McConnell said. “WDIY is not just a radio station. It is a beacon of hope, support, and empowerment for everyone in our community.”

The 30th anniversary celebrations continue with concerts, community programming, and a unique new fundraiser at the State Theatre in Easton — Lehigh Valley Hollywood Squares.

Learn more about Lehigh Valley Hollywood Squares at: https://www.wdiy.org/lehigh-valley-hollywood-squares

Watch Episode: https://youtu.be/1f3M-X8Iw88

Eight-time Grammy winner Ziggy Marley is heading back to Bethlehem for a special night of music and message. On Saturday, September 27, 2025, Ziggy Marley & Burning Spear bring the Do the Reggae Tour to the Wind Creek Event Center.

We had a chance to sit down with Ziggy for a quick conversation ahead of the show, and he talked about everything from his new children’s book Pajamming, to family collaborations, to carrying forward the legacy of his father, Bob Marley.

We also shared our memories of Ziggy playing Musikfest in Bethlehem, where our late friend Reverend Hopeton Clennon once introduced him on stage.

“People need this music, people need this message,” Ziggy said. “They need the joy and togetherness right now.”

Beyond the tour, Ziggy says he’s already looking ahead: “Right after this tour is finished, I’m going in the studio to make one of the greatest albums ever.”

Tickets for Ziggy Marley & Burning Spear at the Wind Creek Event Center are available now: Get Tickets

Watch Episode: https://youtu.be/g4G_KtQKo7s

We sat down with Jane Ervin, Board Chair of The Fund to Benefit Children & Youth, and Bob Black, Event Chair of Pickleball for a Purpose and Chair of St. Luke’s Board.

The Fund has been serving the Lehigh Valley for more than 30 years, providing critical support to abused, neglected, and at-risk children — from beds and tables to utility help and enrichment programs.

In this episode we cover:

How The Fund fills urgent needs that government and community agencies can’t

Why pickleball was chosen to launch their first-ever tournament fundraiser

What attendees can expect on October 11 at St. Luke’s SportsPlex

Why 100% of donations go directly to helping kids

Learn more about Pickleball for a Purpose → https://helplehighvalleychildren.org/Pickleball/

Watch Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxgOoWhrDMw

We visited The Foundry Recording Studio in Bethlehem to talk with co-directors Jason Wegfahrt and Justin Blackstone.

The Foundry was created to be more than a professional recording space. It is also a community hub where musicians, producers, and engineers can work, learn, and connect.

In this episode we cover:

How the idea for The Foundry began in local classrooms

Why access, community, and education guide everything they do

How they make recording more approachable and less intimidating

Their vision of helping put the Lehigh Valley on the national music map

Learn more about The Foundry → https://thefoundryrecordingstudio.com

Watch Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmHeS48ACiA

Lesbians Connect is one of the fastest-growing community movements in the Lehigh Valley. On this episode of the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast, George Wacker sits down with founders:

Meagan and Rebecca, Founders of Lesbians Connect

We talk about:• How Lesbians Connect started and quickly grew from small meetups to major mixers• The importance of safe and empowering spaces for lesbians, queer women, trans women, and non-binary individuals• Why their events are welcoming and community-focused• How connections made at mixers are building lasting friendships• Their biggest upcoming event — Lez Bash: The Autumn Remix at Big Woody’s in Bethlehem on September 27

LinksLesbians Connect: https://linktr.ee/lesbiansconnect

Watch Episode: https://youtu.be/C1rOVk5SDAE

Housing is one of the hottest topics in the Lehigh Valley right now. On this episode of Off the Record with Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast, George Wacker and Northampton County Commissioner Jeff Warren sit down with two leaders on the frontlines:

Gina Loiacono, Director of Community Engagement and Grants at Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley

Marc Rittle, Executive Director at New Bethany 

We talk about:• Habitat’s 142 homes in the Valley and what it takes for families to qualify• The reality of transitional housing and how New Bethany is adapting programs to meet demand• The difference between affordable housing and attainable housing• The stigma around low-income housing and how nonprofits are working to change it• Habitat’s ReStores in Hellertown and Whitehall and how donations fuel more homebuilding

“No child should ever wonder where to lay their head at night.” — Gina Loiacono“At the end of the day, there is more power in the private sector than the public sector when it comes to housing.” — Marc Rittle

Links

Subscribe for more conversations about the people and issues shaping the Lehigh Valley.

Watch Episode: https://youtu.be/lISGtsiMk6s

The Stirner Modern Gallery in Easton presents the Louis Lamont Exhibition, opening September 13.

Curated and installed by Bibi Monnahan, this exhibition brings together nearly 100 works of Lamont’s vibrant folk art, blending them with furnishings, masks, and artifacts from the Karl Stirner collection.

Hear from:

Jonas Stirner, gallery founder and sculptor, on continuing his father Karl’s legacy

Bibi Monnahan, curator and designer, on creating the show’s loft-like installation

The story of Louis Lamont, outsider artist and friend of Karl Stirner, whose paintings tell raw and colorful stories of everyday life

“His paintings have such a sincere perspective of the world… weddings with drunken brides, the chain lady, snow scenes, Allentown, Chicago, New Orleans.” – Jonas Stirner

“They were dusty, they hadn’t been shown or hung or dusted off in years. They were just waiting to be rediscovered.” – Jonas Stirner

Stirner Modern Gallery, Easton Exhibition opens September 13 More info: stirnermodern.com

Special thanks to sponsors: Michael Bernadyn with RE/MAX Real Estate, Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub, Banko Beverage Company, Wind Creek Event Center, WDIY 88.1 FM

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Watch Episode: https://youtu.be/LNeLUT6rQtM?si=et7JPuXmx_UaSJ5E

The Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast sits down with the featured authors of the Society of the Arts’ Cocktails with the Authors (October 15, 2025) and Luncheon with the Authors (October 16, 2025).

This year’s lineup includes:• Adriana Allegri, debut author of The Sunflower House• Alison Gaylin, Edgar and Shamus Award–winning author of We Are Watching• Jason Rekulak, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Pictures and The Last One at the Wedding

These events bring acclaimed authors to Allentown for conversations, panel discussions, and book signings. Proceeds benefit arts education at the Allentown Art Museum, the SOTA Print Fund, and the SOTA Education Endowment.

Tickets and info: https://www.sotapa.org/lwta More episodes: https://lehighvalleywithlovemedia.com/podcast

Special thanks to sponsors: Michael Bernadyn with RE/MAX Real Estate, Molly’s Irish Grille & Sports Pub, Banko Beverage Company, Wind Creek Event Center, WDIY 88.1 FM

Follow us on Substack.

Watch Episode: https://youtu.be/05iM_rx7rPE

For more than a century, A-TREAT has been part of the Lehigh Valley story. The sodas and seltzers we grew up with, the flavors that feel like home. Now the brand is doing something new: using that fizz to fight pediatric cancer.

In this episode of the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast we are on site at the A-TREAT facility with Luke Jaindl, Vice President of Jaindl Companies, and Michelle Zenie Rounds, Executive Director of the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley (PCFLV).

Together they share the story behind “Fizz That Fights” Lemon Twist Seltzer, a limited edition release that puts community first. Every bottle helps raise awareness and support for PCFLV’s mission to provide hope, programs, and direct assistance to more than 450 local families navigating childhood cancer.

We talk about:

How the A-TREAT and PCFLV partnership came to life

Why local matters, from Jaindl’s rescue of A-TREAT in 2015 to PCFLV’s hyperlocal mission

The importance of awareness initiatives like “30 Days, 30 Stories” during Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month

A-TREAT’s unique place in Lehigh Valley history, from Big Blue to holiday flavors, and what the future looks like

Listen in for community, history, and a whole lot of fizz.

Learn more about PCFLV: https://www.pcflv.org/

Watch Episode: https://youtu.be/7RpzdyyKQ_A

On this episode of the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast, George Wacker sits down with Michael Fickes, songwriter and frontman of Roman Patterns, to talk about the band’s debut full-length album Somewhere on the Highway, out now on Shaky Records.

The album follows their 2024 Darts EP and features 11 brand new tracks, including the singles Modern Man and Daylight Saloon, plus a reimagined cover of Fuel’s hit Hemorrhage (In My Hands). Recorded and produced at Shaky Records, the album blends grunge and alternative rock influences from the late 90s and early 2000s with modern indie rock sensibilities.

Michael shares how his creative partnership with producer Shaky reignited after a long break from music, how family and friends contributed to the record, and why Roman Patterns is focused on the studio rather than the stage — at least for now.

Listen to Somewhere on the Highway:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube