Touchstone Theatre Announces Spring Latinx Block Party

Touchstone Theatre presents the second Latinx Block Party/Fiesta Latina of their socially-distanced 2020-21 season, on Saturday, April 24, 6-9p. This open-air celebration of local Latinx community and culture will also be the first event to take place on Touchstone's newly constructed Barrio Stage.

Touchstone kicked off their 2020-21 season in September with a Latinx Block Party, celebrating the end of the summer and the power of the local community. Both parties are part of an ongoing initiative, started with the theatre's Festival UnBound, aimed at empowering and uplifting local individuals and organizations making an impact in the Latinx population of South Side Bethlehem.

Local musical favorite Héctor Rosado provides live music with one of his bands, Héctor Rosado y Su Orquestra Hache, and community guests will speak about their work in Bethlehem throughout the evening. Urbano Mexican Kitchen supplies food and drink for cash purchase.

This event also marks the official unveiling and ribbon-cutting of Touchstone's new Barrio Stage, an outdoor performing arts venue adjacent to Touchstone's parking lot. This construction project started in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and the company's need for increased outdoor performance space with safe social distancing. Touchstone hosted a number of outdoor, socially-distanced performance events in fall of 2020 and will continue using the new Barrio Stage throughout the warmer months of the year to create accessible art for the community.

The Barrio Stage was generously supported by the Air Products Foundation and was financed in part by a grant from the federal US Department of the Treasury, under the administration of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community & Economic Development and the Northampton County Department of Community & Economic Development.

"We are thrilled to support this outdoor stage at Touchstone as a gathering place to celebrate community, music, and art," shares Laurie Hackett, Director of Community Relations and Philanthropy at Air Products.

The Latinx Block Party "Padrinos" Event Sponsors are Mesa Modern Mexican, UPMCFY, and WDIY. Additional support for Touchstone Theatre is provided by season sponsor RCN. WDIY provides media sponsorship, and Working Dog Press provides print sponsorship.

The Latinx Block Party takes place Saturday, April 24, 6-9p, at Touchstone's new outdoor Barrio Stage (321 E. 4th St. Bethlehem, PA 18015). Doors open at 5:30pm for first come, first served seating at socially distanced tables; masks required unless seated at a table. Food and drink available for cash purchase. There is no cost to attend; donations are welcome.

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