Category:Music and dance halls in Allentown, Pennsylvania

Music and dance entertainment has been a staple of entertainment in Allentown since the settlement was founded by William Allen in 1762. Formal venues for organized entertainment began in the 1880s when the Hagenbuch Opera House in the 800 block of Hamilton Street was opened. In the 1890s, both the Academy of Music at North Sixth and Linden Street and the Lyric Theater at North Sixth and Court Street were opened. In the early 1900s, Mealeys Auditorium opened in 1910. In the 1930s, The Glenn Miller Orchestra appeared here several times. During the first half of the Twentieth Century, many other venues were opened:

• Empire Ballroom (1940-1943)

Hanover Avenue on the Allentown-Bethlehem city line. Built origionally as part of Central Park, the Empire hosted Big Bands in the early 1940s. Artie Shaw, helen O'Connell, Larwence Welk (who later brought his music to the Allentown Fair), Charlie Spivak and Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra all appeared here.

• Rainbow Room at Central Park
• Castle Garden at Dorney Park

Vaughn Monroe, Freddy Martin, Kay Kyser and Carmen Cavallaro were some of the bands who played here.

• Lyric Theater (now Miller Symphony Hall)

Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Harry James and Count Basie