It was an enjoyable evening in Kirby Park for America250PA’s celebration last Saturday. Mike is pictured with Oscar and Stacey Kile of Geisinger.
Courtesy of Mike McGinley
Happy birthday, America!
As we’re gearing up for the 250th celebration of America’s birth, I’m taking a moment to pause about the unique role Pennsylvania plays.
I know Pennsylvania is considered the birthplace of the nation since the Declaration of Independence was signed and the Constitution was written here, so it makes sense our beloved state is at the center of the party.
This was evident at Wilkes-Barre’s Kirby Park last week as thousands flocked to hear Lady A, En Vogue and Eddie Day & TNT on Saturday night.
It was a true celebration. The energy was incredible, and people were thrilled to attend a free show as part of America250PA’s festivities.
Thanks to Cassandra Coleman and her incredible team for organizing this, bringing together so many parties, sponsors and first responders to make the event safe and enjoyable.
Cassandra was working on the planning for the last 8 years.
I remember when she told me about it back in 2018, and to see it come to fruition was thrilling.
Admittedly, I didn’t think I knew any Lady A songs, but as soon as the band began, I realized they were the sounds behind “Need You Now” and “American Honey.”
These are both huge songs, especially “Need You Now” which was a major crossover hit on both the country and pop charts.
Of course, many knew En Vogue from their huge 1990s hit like “Hold On” and “My Lovin’” which are still on airwaves today.
The girl group has sold more than 20 million records globally and despite debuting as a group more than 30 years ago, it’s clear they’ve still got it.
I absolutely loved seeing the crowd dancing and singing along to both groups.
Just as neat was seeing the crowd respond to Eddie Day & TNT. The community always loves when he takes the stage.
In summary, it was awesome to see the area come together and also to chat with others from out of town.
I love seeing our region in the spotlight and hope this is the beginning of many future shows of this caliber.
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Mike McGinley is a Times Leader columnist who is often called a man about town. Email him your thoughts at mikejmcginley@gmail.com.