BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Arrests more than doubled during Musikfest this year, with Bethlehem Police reporting 37 arrests and 178 total police incidents during the 2026 festival.
According to statistics released by the Bethlehem Police Department, officers made 37 arrests during Musikfest 2026, compared with 17 arrests during the 2025 festival.
That represents an increase of approximately 118%.
Police also handled 178 total incidents during this year’s festival, compared with 113 last year. The 2026 numbers represent the highest number of arrests and total police incidents reported at Musikfest in at least five years.
Most Arrests Involved Lower-Level Offenses
Of the 37 arrests reported this year, police data shows:
- 26 involved summary offenses
- 8 involved misdemeanor offenses
- 3 involved felony offenses
Despite the increase, Bethlehem Police said the overwhelming majority of arrests involved lower-level offenses and that there were no major incidents that threatened the overall safety of the festival.
Juvenile Arrests Increase
One of the biggest changes involved juvenile arrests.
Twelve of the 37 people arrested during Musikfest were 17 years old or younger, meaning juveniles accounted for nearly one-third of all arrests.
That is up significantly from 2025, when three juveniles were arrested.
Police statistics released following the festival did not specify what offenses led to the juvenile arrests.
The majority of those arrested were also from outside Bethlehem. Police data shows 31 of the 37 people arrested — approximately 84% — lived outside the city.
Public Drunkenness, Assaults and DUIs Among Incidents
Public drunkenness incidents increased from six in 2025 to 16 this year.
Police also reported two aggravated assaults, two DUIs and one weapons-related offense during the festival.
Four motor vehicle crashes were also included in the incident statistics.
Meanwhile, abandoned or hang-up 911 calls increased from nine last year to 30 this year, while parking complaints jumped from eight to 25.
Medical calls remained the largest single category of incidents, although they decreased from 48 in 2025 to 39 this year.
Most Police Activity Reported on North Side
The majority of police activity occurred on Bethlehem’s North Side, where the Main Street portion of Musikfest is located.
Of the 178 total incidents, 138 occurred on the North Side, while 39 were reported on the South Side near the SteelStacks campus. One additional incident was recorded outside those districts.
The two Saturdays of Musikfest were the busiest days for police, with 28 incidents reported on each Saturday.
Five-Year High
Police statistics show the number of Musikfest arrests over the past five years as:
2022: 21 arrests
2023: 29 arrests
2024: 28 arrests
2025: 17 arrests
2026: 37 arrests
Despite this year’s increase, police emphasized that Musikfest remained a safe event considering the size of the crowds attending the festival.
ArtsQuest reported approximately 1.26 million people attended Musikfest 2026.
Musikfest ran from July 31 through August 9, with a preview night held July 30.
