Entertainment for everyone – Times News Online

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, currently on its “All the Good Times” farewell tour, headlines the entertainment highlights set to take place at local and regional venues over the next two weeks.

The country group, which named the tour after their 1972 studio album, will play Penn’s Peak.

Country singer-songwriter Phil Vassar and rock band 38 Special will also perform at the Peak, while the Mauch Chunk Opera House welcomes back central Pennsylvania band The Badlees.

Outside of music, comedian Wanda Sykes brings her show “Please & Thank You” to Wind Creek Event Center. Meanwhile, the Mahoning Drive-In Theater welcomes “Mystery Science Theater 30000” creator and star Joel Hodgson to a “MST3K” fan event.

PENN’S PEAK

325 Maury Road, Jim Thorpe

866-605-7325, pennspeak.com

• Phil Vassar, 8 p.m., October 5. The Lynchburg, Virginia-born country singer-songwriter has ten studio albums to his credit. Vassar’s hit singles include “Carlene,” “Just Another Day in Paradise” and “In a Real Love.”

• Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 8 p.m., Oct. 10. The country group was formed in California in 1966 as a jug band and consists of founding members Jeff Hanna and Jimmie Fadden. Nitty Gritty, which has released over two dozen studio albums, scored a mainstream hit with an early 1970s cover of “Mr.” Bojangles.”

• 38 Special, 8 p.m., October 11. The rock band was founded in 1974 in Jacksonville, Florida and consists of founding member Don Barnes.

MAUCH CHUNK OPERA HOUSE

14 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe

570-325-0249, mcohjt.com

• Nyke Van Wyk & Friends, 8 p.m., October 5. Van Wyk, a violinist, combines classical and Celtic music with a contemporary style.

• The Badlees, 6.30pm, October 13. The roots rock band, founded in Selinsgrove in 1990, consists of Pete Palladino and Bret Alexander, among others. The Badlees’ 1995 album “River Songs” produced the hit single “Angeline is Coming Home.”

VIC’S JAZZ LOFT

IN THE STABIN MUSEUM

268 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe

570-325-5588, vicsjazzloft.com

• Todd Marcus Quartet, 7 p.m., Oct. 4. In addition to Marcus on bass clarinet, the quartet consists of Charlie Ballantine on guitar, Evan Gregor on bass and Hugh Kline on drums.

• “For the Birds,” 6:30 p.m., Oct. 11. The gala benefiting the Carbon County Environmental Education & Rehabilitation Center will include a live owl presentation and a jazz performance.

THE MAHONING DRIVE-IN

635 Seneca Road, Lehighton

484-613-1314, mahoningdit.com

• “Mystery Science Theater 3000” fan event, April 4-5. October. “MST3K” creator and star Joel Hodgson will be in attendance along with “MST3K” executive producer/writer Harold Bucholz. Following the episodes of “MST3K,” which premiered in 1988, there’s a “Joel’s Drive-In Pick.” VIP entry at 4:00 p.m.; General admission at 6 p.m

• Halloween-A-Thon II, 6 p.m., Oct. 11 and 12. Exhumed Films and the theater will show four films from the original “Halloween” series, including the original 1978 film. Two non-Halloween films will also be shown: 1988’s “Night of the Demons” and 2007’s “Trick R Treat.” Sunset show time.

SIGNATURE EVENT CENTER

137 Erin Lane, Brodheadsville

570-872-1444, secpoconos.com

• Voices of Rock, October 4, 7 p.m. The line-up includes Terry Ilous of XYZ, formerly of Great White, as well as Anthony Corder of Tora Tora, Danny Vaughn of Tyketto and Ben Hans of Trixter.

• Metal Fest, 7 p.m., October 5. New Jersey band Incognito Theory celebrates the release of their new album “Days of Reckoning.” The band combines southern rock, groove metal and grunge rock. Surrender to Eden and MadWorld will also appear, among others.

• Stand-up comedy, 7 p.m., Oct. 11. The line-up includes Joe Galletti, Taylor Andrews, Todd Lawrence, Jeff Nye, Russell Austin, AJ Hiller and Gene Metschuiet.

BECKY’S DRIVE IN

4548 Lehigh Drive, Walnutport

610-767-2249, beckysdi.com

• 36th Annual Lehigh Township Benefit Festival & Car Show, 8 a.m., Oct. 6. The event benefits the Dream Come True – Blue Ridge Chapter. Rain date: October 13th.

• 12th Annual Trunk or Treat #1, 4 p.m., Oct. 12. Guests distribute homemade packaged sweets to children and can decorate suitcases. The event also includes costume contests and Halloween movies.

WIND CREEK EVENT CENTER

77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem

610-297-7414, windcreekeventcenter.com

• Wanda Sykes, 7:30 p.m., October 4. Born in Portsmouth, Virginia and raised in Maryland, the comedian began her stand-up career in the late 1980s. As a writer, actress and producer, Sykes has six stand-up specials to her credit and has appeared and sung roles in various films and television series.

STATE THEATER

453 Northampton St., Easton

800-999-7828, statetheatre.org

• “The Vampire Circus,” 7:30 p.m., Oct. 10. Francisco Santos, a veteran Cirque Du Soleil performer, created the show, which combines circus cabaret and theater. Set in 19th century Bohemia, Count Dracula is contemplating a plan for world domination when he decides to open a traveling circus with his gypsy bodyguards.

• “Bluey’s Big Play,” 6 p.m., Oct. 17. “Bluey,” the Australian children’s series, made its U.S. debut on Disney Junior in 2019. In this film adaptation, siblings Bingo and Bluey have other plans when Dad feels like a Sunday afternoon break.

SHERMAN THEATER

524 Main St., Stroudsburg

570-420-2808, shermantheater.com

• Dirty Honey, 7:45 p.m., October 6. The rock quartet, founded in Los Angeles in 2017 and still under contract at the time, reached No. 1 on Billboard’s mainstream rock charts in 2019 with its debut single “When I’m Gone.”

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band will perform at Penn’s Peak on October 10th. ATTACHED PHOTO

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