Mark Your Calendars! The 19th Annual Jazz Festival Starts August 2nd All of Downtown Scranton will serve as center stage for an award-winning music festival as the 19th Annual Scranton Jazz Festival returns to the Electric City, Friday through Sunday, August 2 through 4. The festival is made possible through partnerships with Blu Elefante Events, PA Jazz Alliance Inc., Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau, First Friday Scranton, Lackawanna County, the City of Scranton, and Scranton Tomorrow, and with the generous support of sponsors and media partners. Featuring national, regional and local musicians, fans will enjoy the extensive variety and unique experience they have grown to expect, and love, along with a new Interactive Arts Market on Courthouse Square on Saturday. Through a partnership with Lackawanna Market, the marketplace will feature family-friendly entertainment and vendors. While enjoying the festivities, visitors to Downtown Scranton are encouraged to explore the many restaurants, pubs, cafés and retail shops in the Business District. Reminiscent of a New Orleans style festival, the Scranton Jazz Festival will feature two ticketed main stage performances and multiple free venues throughout Downtown Scranton. Main Stage artists include the award-winning swing group Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Saturday, and the Emmy nominated Scranton Jazz Festival Big Band with Grammy Award winning saxophonist Joe Lovano on Sunday. The Scranton Jazz Festival has garnered international recognition and has been mentioned in U.S. News and World Report for the cultural diversity and integrity it has brought to northeastern Pennsylvania. In celebration of its commitment to the arts, admission is free to the Jazz Walk on Friday and Saturday, with Trolly service, and to the Jazz Marketplace on Saturday. For more information, visit www.scrantonjazzfestival.org and follow Scranton Jazz Festival on social media.
Saint Joseph’s Center Summer Festival Kicks off Excitement As summer heats up, Saint Joseph’s Center is excited to announce a series of pre-events designed to build community enthusiasm leading up to this year’s Summer Festival, WNEP-TV Telethon, and Go Joe 27 Bike Ride. These Community Ride Alongs are a celebration of the collaboration with our valued community partners. The Ride Alongs, walks, and runs, continuing now through the end of July, will feature a variety of interests from Family Fun Walks and Bike Rides, to collaborations with local breweries and restaurants. “These pre-events are essential in encouraging excitement and bringing people together, all culminating at the Annual Summer Festival,” says Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, IHM President/CEO Saint Joseph’s Center, “These events wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our community partners who share our mission of making a difference in our community.” Saint Joseph’s Center is blessed to have so many community advocates who have helped grow these events into what they are today. Anthracite Bicycle Coalition has assisted in creating multiple “Rides” over the years and throughout the area including bringing in local restaurants like Barrett’s Pub in Archbald, Groove Brewing in Scranton, and McGrath’s Pub and Eatery in Dalton. This year, we are also pleased to include Scranton Running in some of these events along the Heritage Trail. The Rail-Trail Council of NEPA continues to host rides in Simpson and Forest City. Partners throughout Luzerne County include Wilkes-Barre Bike Gang, who host rides along the Levee Systems and local parks, and The Cycle Yard, who partnered with Susquehanna Brewing Company to bring stationary exercise bikes to their outdoor area. The community is also invited to join Saint Joe’s as they send off Joe Snedeker, WNEP Meteorologist, on his 27th Annual Go Joe Bike Ride on Friday, July 12th at Cooper’s Seafood House in Scranton. This Launch Party will feature Go Joe T-shirts and other merchandise sales, raffle chances, and much more. Go Joe 27 merchandise can also be purchased online through Saint Joe’s Website, stjosephscenter.org, with an optional free pick-up date of July 11, 3-6 pm. More details are located on webstore. The collaboration with partners extends beyond sponsorship to active participation in event planning, logistics, and community engagement. Each contributes unique resources and expertise to ensure the success of Community Ride Alongs. Please see the events listed below and join Saint Joseph’s Center for a fun-filled Summer! Wednesday, July 10, 2024, Archbald Ride & Walk at Trailhead & Barrett’s Pub: Registration: 5:30 pm Start Time: 6:00 pm Wednesday, July 10, 2024, Rails to Trails: Simpson/Morse Ave to Forest City – Start Time: 5:30 pm Wednesday, July 17, 2024, Wilkes Barre Gang – Start Time: 6:00 pm Sunday, July 14, 2024, The Cycle Yard at SBC, Pittston – Outdoor Spin Class – 12 pm Thursday, July 18, 2024, Groove Brewery/Olive Street Trailhead: Registration: 5:30 pm & Start Time: 6:00 pm Friday, July 12, 2024, WNEP Go Joe Launch Party, Cooper’s Seafood, Start Time: 4 pm Other fundraisers for Go Joe 27 and Saint Joseph’s Center include Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day on July 24th, Montage Mountain Water Park Day on July 21st, and a Liturgy at Saint Peter’s Cathedral in downtown Scranton on July 21st at 10 am. These pre-events will culminate in the eagerly anticipated Saint Joseph’s Center Summer Festival set to take place July 26th and July 27th from 4-10 pm, and July 28th from noon- 7 pm. For more information on the pre-events and the Summer Festival, please visit stjosephscenter.org and follow us on social media at “Saint Joseph’s Center”. Photo caption: MaryLou Grogan, Committee Chair; Lynn Gavin, Auxiliary Coordinator, Saint Joseph’s Center; and Sister Maryalice Jacquinot, IHM, President/CEO Saint Joseph’s Center.
NeighborWorks to Host West Scranton Fall Festival NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania is excited to present its second annual West Scranton Fall Festival this year! This two-part event is FREE to the public and will be held on Saturday, September 16! The rain date is September 23.The first part of the festival will be at Clover Field (400 W Locust St, Scranton) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Available activities will include art activities, music, magic, bounce houses, disc golf, the Fidelity ice cream truck, food vendors, and more!The second part of the festival will be at Allen Park (corner of North Main Avenue and Price Street) from 6-9 p.m. There will be live music, a fire pit, games, s’mores, and hot chocolate. Attendees are encouraged to get dinner at one of the many local West Scranton restaurants.
Mohegan Pennsylvania to Host Oktoberfest 2023 The region’s largest Oktoberfest is back where it all started. The festivities will kick off with a ceremonial keg tapping from each of our participating distributors for Oktoberfest at 5:00pm on Friday, September 15th. Over the course of this two-day event, guests will enjoy award-winning traditional entertainers, local bands, authentic German American cuisine, wiener dog racing, NEPA cornhole tournaments, strong arm contests and more than 50 beer selections including highlights like Shangy’s – The Beer Authority, Northeast Eagle, Wallenpaupack Brewing Co and L.T. Verrastro. Guests will also have the option to enjoy wine, spirits and various seltzers. NEPA Cornhole will be conducting walkup tournaments throughout the festival which will take place on the racetrack infield. Live entertainment at Mohegan Pennsylvania’s Oktoberfest will include fan-favorites, Bavarski Band, Schützengiggles Oompah Band, Joe Stanky and the Cadets, Alpine Horns Ensemble, HSV Bavaria, Ken Norton, Jay Luke and the return of talented singer and Germany’s own, Romy. The main stage will feature an area of over 1,000 seats for guests to enjoy this incredible lineup of entertainment. Oktoberfest will also feature local vendors offering authentic German American cuisine, traditional style fair options, pizza, pierogies and more; some of these vendors include The Alpine Wurst & Meat House, Luppo Russo Wood Fired Pizza, Yogi’s Pierogies, Lou’s Concessions, Cibo’s Pizza, Kernel Moonies Gourmet Popcorn, Best Cigar Pub and more. Additionally, Wiener dog races are back by popular demand! Attendees can register their furry friends in several heats of races throughout the festival. Attendees who register their wiener dogs for the race will receive free admission to Oktoberfest. There will be a Dachshund parade before each race and trophies will be awarded to the winning wiener dog! To register, click HERE. Okto-Bucks are the official currency of Oktoberfest 2023 at Mohegan Pennsylvania. Guests may purchase Okto-Bucks at the event ($1 = 1 Okto-Buck). Direct parking for the event is available on the racetrack with shuttle service to and from the festival grounds. Casino guests can access the event grounds through the racing lobby entrance. For more information about Oktoberfest, visit MoheganPA.com/Oktoberfest.
Planned Community Events Observe Scranton Jane Jacobs Festival The Center for the Living City, with community partner organizations including The University of Scranton, will offer a series of events for the Observe Scranton Jane Jacobs First City Festival. On May 5 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Scranton community members are invited to attend for a special event, Community Conversation: A Scranton City Dialogue. This Jane Jacobs inspired community conversation will focus on questions and themes she raised in a seminal 1987 letter to the City about “what Scranton is, has been, and can be.” This community dialogue event will be held via Zoom. For more information, please visit scranton.edu/ScrantonCityDialogue. Registration is required for this event at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ObserveScranton. This community dialogue is sponsored by The University of Scranton and The Center for the Living City in partnership with United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA, NeighborWorks of NEPA, Scranton Tomorrow, Valley in Motion, the Greater Scranton MLK Commission and the Scranton Area Ministerium. This special virtual dialogue event is a part of the Observe Scranton “Jane Jacob’s First City Festival,” a weeklong celebration of Jane Jacobs’s life and legacy hosted by The Center for the Living City. Festival events will take place in Scranton, PA and virtually from May 4, 2021, through May 8, 2021. Highlights include the Book Launch of Jane Jacob’s First City: Learning from Scranton, Pennsylvania and a Story Slam. In-person events will follow all Covid safety protocols. For more information about Observe Scranton and the festival events and exhibits, please visit observescranton.org. The Observe Festival will also offer a variety of events as a part of the First Friday Scranton offerings this May 7 from 5 – 9 p.m. At the Observe Festival HQ, community members are invited to participate in an interactive art exhibit that will allow participants to share their thoughts about the past, present and future of Scranton. This event will take place at 600 Spruce Street and is sponsored by The University of Scranton in partnership with The Center for the Living City and United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA. Another First Friday and festival offering is coordinated by the Northeast Art Project (NEAP) the “Light the Night Ride,” a community bicycle ride and contest, to Scranton. Community members can participate by either coming down to enjoy the incredible display or register in advance to participate. For more details or to register your bike for Light the Night Ride, visit NEAP’s website, northeastartproject.com, contact via email at admin@northeastartproject.com, or follow Northeast Art Project on Instagram and Facebook.
Observe Scranton Festival Join us for a weeklong community festival celebrating Scranton through the eyes of Jane Jacobs, its hometown iconic city activist, on what would be her 105th birthday. On May 4-8, free community exhibits will be located all over the city in collaboration with the Lackawanna County Library, Marywood University, the University of Scranton, the City of Scranton, and many private community-minded Developers, organizations, and businesses. Live Music, First Friday Celebrations, Book launch/signings, Flag raising, Bike rides and more. The Festival concludes with a special ticketed Fringe Festival event StorySlam.
