(BETHLEHAM, PA) -- Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Bailey Zimmerman performed at Musikfest on Thursday, August 6, 2026 and photographer Mathew Katz was on hand to take photos. Founded in 1984, Musikfest is the nation's largest free music festival and is a 10-day celebration of performing and visual arts held every August in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Hailing from Louisville, Illinois, Bailey Zimmerman is one of country music’s brightest stars, known for his chart topping hits and authentic gritty sound. After first gaining traction by posting original songs to social media in 2020, Zimmerman rocketed into the spotlight with the viral success of “Fall in Love,” which made him the fastest debut country artist to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart in over a decade.
In 2023, Zimmerman released his debut album Religiously. The Album. which arrived as not only the biggest streaming debut for a country album in history, but also the biggest all-genre streaming debut since 2021. The “comfortably bruising and appealingly bruised” (The New York Times) album also features his fourth consecutive No. 1 single “Where It Ends,” his 4x-Platinum, No. 1 debut single, “Fall In Love,” and its 5x-Platinum follow-up, the six-week No. 1 mega-hit “Rock And A Hard Place.” The album debuted at #3 on the Top Country Albums chart and #7 on the Billboard 200, instantly positioning him as one of the genre’s most impactful new voices.
In 2024, Zimmerman continued to dominate the charts with singles "Holy Smokes,” “Holding On” and “New To Country” all of which made a splash. August of 2025 saw the release of Zimmerman’s Sophomore album Different Night Same Rodeo which features superstar collaboration “Backup Plan” featuring Luke Combs as well as Top 10 and platinum single “Holy Smokes,” in addition to “New To Country,” “Hell or High Water,” “Holding On,” “Comin’ In Cold,” and more.
Zimmerman has earned multiple award nominations, including nods from the Billboard Music Awards, ACM Awards, People’s Choice Country Awards, and CMT Music Awards—cementing his status as one of country music’s fastest-rising stars. He has ignited television audiences across the country with show-stopping performances on Good Morning America, TODAY, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards, and the 2024 CMT Music Awards and more. Beyond the stage, Zimmerman has drawn widespread acclaim from top-tier media outlets including Forbes, Rolling Stone, Variety, Los Angeles Times, Billboard, American Songwriter, and more.
Featuring more than 400 performers and 500 performances across 16 stages (15 are free), Musikfest attracts over 1 million people each year!
Next year's Musikfest takes place from August 5–15, 2027.
Here are more photos from the concert.
