BETHLEHEM, Pa. — On the eve of the last day of Christkindlmarkt, German traditions met with the rhythm of Latin beats on the SteelStacks campus.
On Saturday, inside ArtsQuest’s Palette & Pour in the ArtsQuest Center, Clave Legacy, a Latin quintet, presented a free, festive “Silent Night on the Latin Side” concert.
It blended classic Christmas melodies with salsa and bomba rhythms.
“Bethlehem is known as Christmas City, but it’s also incredibly diverse. This music represents families who celebrate the holidays with coquito instead of eggnog, with rhythm.”
Clave Legacy pianist and leader Hector Rodriguez Jr.
The lively performance, organized by ArtsQuest’s Latin Programming Committee, offered audiences an early taste of ArtsQuest’s upcoming Los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings celebration, which will occur from 2 to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 4.
Clave Legacy pianist and leader Hector Rodriguez Jr. said the faith-based quintet wanted to reimagine holiday music in a way that reflects Latin culture.
“Christmas music doesn’t have to sound one way,” Rodriguez said.
“In Latin households, you hear salsa, bolero, jazz and traditional rhythms all mixed. We wanted people to feel that joy — to maybe dance a little, smile a little and experience the holidays through our music.”
The set featured familiar seasonal tunes such as “White Christmas” and “Here Comes Santa Claus,” infused with bright piano, up-tempo trumpets and percussion-driven beats that gave the Christmas classics a Caribbean flair — a nod to the band’s Puerto Rican roots.
“Bethlehem is known as Christmas City, but it’s also incredibly diverse,” Rodriguez said.
“This music represents families who celebrate the holidays with coquito instead of eggnog, with rhythm.”
About El Dia de Los Reyes
Joining Rodriguez and other members of the quintet was Miguel Perez-Soto, a percussionist with Clave Legacy and member of ArtsQuest’s Performing Arts board and senior planner at B. Braun Medical.
One of his favorite traditions, he said, is participating in ArtsQuest’s Three Kings Celebration, now in its 14th year, especially when the children line up for their gifts.
“Preserving this day brings me back to my days growing up in Puerto Rico and the experience of knowing that under my bed the Magi’s and their ‘co-conspirators’ [the camels] left a special present that will enlighten my holidays.”
Miguel Perez-Soto, a percussionist with Clave Legacy and member of ArtsQuest’s Performing Arts board
The free family event will include a toy distribution by the Three Kings.
It coincides with Epiphany Day on Jan. 6, a Christian feast day celebrated at the end of the Advent season.
“Preserving this day brings me back to my days growing up in Puerto Rico and the experience of knowing that under my bed the Magi’s and their ‘co-conspirators’ [the camels] left a special present that will enlighten my holidays,” Perez-Soto said.
Scheduled activities include a performance by Herencia Jibara, a bilingual story reading with the Three Kings radio personalities from La Mega Radio, and visits with Einstein the snow camel.
Three Kings Day, or El Día de Los Reyes, is celebrated in Spain and in Central, Latin and South American countries to commemorate the journey of the three wise men (Gaspar, Melchior and Baltazar) to present the baby Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
As it is customary for loved ones and family members to give gifts to one another, there will be a free toy giveaway (for those younger than 12) at 3:30 p.m.
As in years past, the event is sponsored by Allentown’s Marine Toys for Tots division in partnership with PPL, La Mega, along with B. Braun Medical and Lagom Care.
For last-minute shoppers: Christkindlmarkt, which closed early on Friday because of a power outage, will celebrate its final day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21.