Bethlehem’s Touchstone Theatre has opened its 2021-22 season with the third edition of its “Festival UnBound.”

The five-day celebration of visual arts, music, dance, original theater and community dialogue, Sept. 29 - Oct. 3, is at venues throughout Bethlehem.

The first year of “Festival UnBound” in 2019 marked the 20th year after Touchstone presented “Steelbound,” an original theater piece staged in 1999 in a former foundry. Steel-making ended in 1995 at the Bethlehem Steel Corp. southside plant. Bethlehem Steel went out of business in 2003.

In its first year, “Festival Unbound” was a 10-day festival centered on themes of diversity, sustainability, health, youth leadership and interconnectedness.

Last year, the festival continued, adapted for COVID-19 safety with outdoor and live-streamed events.

This year’s festival is all in-person, although many of the events are outdoors, in the form of plays, discussions, dance parties and jam sessions by Touchstone members, local artists, guest artists from beyond the Lehigh Valley and a community art project led by festival artist in residence Anne Labovitz.

Minnesota artist Labovitz will bring her “I Love You Institute” to all of the festival events, where she’ll guide audience members through the creation of squares for a Community Quilt, inspired by the prompt of “What are you grateful for?”

Labovitz says “I Love You Institute” is her long-term social practice project using art-making and relational listening to normalize saying “I Love You” as an alternative to conflict. After its unveiling at the closing ceremony, the quilt will remain in the permanent collection of Touchstone Theater for display and celebrations.

“It’s fulfilling to see the various initiatives started in year one of the festival grow and take shape in different and deeper ways in the third year,” says Touchstone Theatre Artistic Director Jp Jordan.

“You can look at the accomplishments of UnBound’s Homecoming and Latinx Leadership Committees to see how these recurring events can really bring people to the table and build a stronger community,” Jordan says.

“It’s also very exciting to bring new partners into the fold, such as our first of hopefully many collaborations with the Indian American Association of the Lehigh Valley,” says Jordan.

The festival began at 8 p.m. Sept, 29, Charles A. Brown Ice House, 56 River St., Bethlehem, with “The Frontera Project,” a bilingual, interactive experience by guest artists from Mexico and the United States, that uses theater, movement and music to engage in a conversation about the U.S.-Mexico border.

Members of the Indian American Association of the Lehigh Valley led the audience in learning Bollywood and Garba folk dance in “East Meets West: An Evening of Indian Dance,” 7 p.m. Sept. 30, Barrio Stage, outdoors, Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem.

A community jam session with food, friendship and fiesta is “Bombazo,” a celebration of Latinx culture, was at 7 p.m. Oct. 1, Barrio Stage.

Touchstone is partnering with the Bethlehem Food Co-op, friends from Afros in Nature, and youth from the Bethlehem Area School District for “Mending the Food Chain,” a morning of performance and conversation, 10 a.m. Oct. 2, Esperanza Garden, between Taylor and Webster streets, South Bethlehem Greenway.

From 1 - 4 p.m. Oct. 2 at Charles A. Brown Ice House, it’s “(re)Making Our World,” art inspired by the intersectional disability arts movement, including films about Kinetic Light, an acclaimed dance ensemble that features disabled dancers; a visual arts exhibition, and a theater performance examining questions of aging and independence.

“Homecoming: Black Women Speak” is at 5 p.m. Oct. 2, Barrio Stage.

A “Devotional Gathering” for those of any religion or no religion featuring poetry, music and words of gratitude, is at 10 a.m. Oct. 3, Barrio Stage.

The festival’s “Closing Celebration” will feature conversations with local farmers, organizers and others about what is sustainable; a joyful noise celebration by community singers, and a closing processional to the Lehigh River at 2 p.m. Oct. 3 at Sand Island Park, 56 River St., Bethlehem. The finished Community Quilt will be carried to Sand Island and suspended from the Sand Island Bridge.

A discussion series, noon Sept. 29 - Oct. 1, is at Cafe the Lodge, 427 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem. Food is available for purchase. The series is moderated by Moravian University Professor and Touchstone Ensemble Member Christopher Shorr.

“Festival Unbound” events are free. Reservations are encouraged. Donations are accepted.

Information: http://www.touchstone.org

“Curtain Rises” is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com

Next week: Fall Preview, Part 4: State Theatre