7th Annual PEEPSFEST Returns to SteelStacks, 12/30-31

Family fun is the name of the game at PEEPSFEST, the annual two-day New Year's Eve festival at the iconic SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Each year, fans arrive from all over the country to enjoy family-friendly activities and marvel at the PEEPS Chick Drop - a 4.5-foot tall, 85-pound lit PEEPS Chick that descends at 5:15 p.m. on Dec. 31 to commemorate the beginning of an exciting new year.

This year is sweeter than ever with more activities for families and more community organizations joining the fun. New for 2015 is the PEEPS Chick Rising on Dec. 30 at 11:00 a.m. Everyone loves to see the PEEPS Chick Drop on New Year's Eve but now they can also see the PEEPS Chick rise out of its crate on Dec. 30 to take its place high in the sky with the iconic SteelStacks as its backdrop.

Other new and returning activities include: the PEEPS diorama competition, PEEPS s'mores making, vulture mask making, trivia games and plate rubbings. Feeling wild? See live animals including a great horned owl, red tailed hawk, black rat snake and more with the Wildlands Conservancy on Dec. 30. The family fun continues with Dutch Springs. Partnering with ArtsQuest and Just Born for the third year in a row, they will again be providing programming in the Blast Furnace Room. Activities will include building a spaghetti tower at the Leaning Tower of PEEPS, seeing what it feels like to breathe underwater like a scuba diver with Rub-A-Dub-Dub Scuba in a Tub, learning about and meeting a dog sled team member (part of their educational PLAY Program), and getting your picture with Splash, Dutch Springs' new mascot! Don't forget to stop by and watch the amazing scientific demonstrations by the Da Vinci Science Center each day in the Kids Cinema at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 1:00 pm.

"Each year we look forward to celebrating the New Year and the fun surrounding our beloved PEEPS brand with families from near and far," said Matt Pye, Just Born Quality Confections Vice President of Corporate Affairs. "We are excited to partner with ArtsQuest to continue to make PEEPSFEST the premier New Year's Eve Family celebration."

Kicking off the Celebration

On Dec. 30, PEEPSFEST is hosting a series of events that will kick off with its newest attraction - the PEEPS Chick Rising at 11:00 a.m.! Sponsored by Chick-fil-A, this memorable event will create traditions for families for years to come.

· Magician Ari Felber will attend and put on a show at 10:40 a.m.

· Sponsored by Red Robin, the annual PEEPFEST Mascot Dash begins at 12:30 p.m. Parents are encouraged to cheer on their kids during the PEEPFEST Kids Fun Run, beginning at 12:40 p.m.

· Named 'best party entertainer' by New York Magazine, Danna Banana will be performing live in Creativity Commons.

· The feel-good, hand-clapping, toe tapping music of Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band will be heard live in the Musikfest Café.

· Community artwork activities with Mikayla's Voice will commence from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. where children are invited to create tissue paper decoupage and handprint artwork. Stop by their inspiring wheelchair painting hands-on exhibit, where PEEPS themed artwork will be created at 3:00 p.m.

The New Year's Festivities Continue

The family fun carries on through Dec. 31 at PEEPSFEST with even more community activities that are sure to please!

· Sponsored by St. Luke's University Health Network and Red Robin, parents are encouraged to participate in the PEEPSFEST 5K which will kick off at 1:00 p.m.

· Popular kids band Rolie Polie Guacamole will be performing live in the Musikfest Café.

· Appearances and demonstrations by the Bethlehem Mounted Police Horses will commence at 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on the Levitt Pavilion lawn.

· Two-time Grammy nominees Brady Rymer & The Little Band That Could will wow the crowd with their energetic, rockin' live music at 4:30 p.m.

· The night concludes with the world famous PEEPS Chick Drop, which will commence at 5:15 p.m. and is followed by a firework show.

PEEPSFEST is presented by Just Born Quality Confections and ArtsQuest. Festival hours are Dec. 30, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Dec. 31, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, although a few select activities, such as the family disco lounge and PEEPSFEST 5K, require an admission ticket or additional charge. Proceeds from PEEPSFEST will help to support the festival and ArtsQuest's other free programming for the region.

For more information on this annual celebration and ways to get involved with the festivities, please visit www.steelstacks.org/peepsfest.