In case you're not going to WMGK's free Fourth of July concert on Saturday featuring Foghat and Marshall Tucker Band, here's what is happening in Center City Philadelphia:
Sunoco Welcome America 4th of July Festivities
- 10 am Independence Day Ceremony, Independence Mall
- 11 am Independence Day Parade, Historic Philadelphia
- 12 noon Ice Cream Festival, Penn’s Landing
- 12:30 pm Happy Birthday America, Independence Visitor Center
- 1:30 pm Bell Tapping Ceremony, Liberty Bell
- 8 pm Concert with Sheryl Crow, and The Roots, Ben Franklin Parkway
- Fireworks following the concert (sometime between 10-11 PM), over the Philadelphia Museum of Art
OUTDOOR FILM SERIES CONTINUES THIS SUMMER
SEASON AT PENN’S LANDING
Every Thursday night in July and August, a different popular film will be featured outdoors on a big screen at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, located on Columbus Boulevard at Chestnut Street. The films are free and begin at dusk or approximately 8:30 pm. Here is the schedule:
- Thursday, July 2 “Mama Mia”
- Thursday, July 9 “Dream Girls”
- Thursday, July 16 “Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix”
- Thursday, July 23 “The Dark Knight”
- Thursday, July 30 “Baby Mama”
- Thursday, August 6 “The Express”
- Thursday, August 13 “Marley and Me”
- Thursday, August 20 “Medagascar II”
- Thursday, August 27 “Tale of Desperaux”
A free kayaking program will be offered in the Penn’s Landing Marina this summer (anticipated start date July 11th). Residents and visitors will have the opportunity to paddle around the marina under the supervision of trained kayak staff.
Funding for the free kayak program comes from the Take Me to the River grant program, administered by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission with funding from the William Penn Foundation. For more information: www.tidaltrail.org
Entry: June 27, 2009
The ever changing sky on the Ocean City, NJ beach
Being on vacation is always good, and two weeks at the shore is a simple, satisfying way to go. I’ve been going to Ocean City, New Jersey my whole life and not a lot has changed. The beaches are smaller. The seagulls are more aggressive. The surfers have multiplied exponentially.
The soft custard, fudge and salt water taffy is still delicious. The rides are still fun. The boardwalk still has bike riding in the morning, the Miss New Jersey parade and the music pier.
The air still smells gloriously salty. The ocean continues to refresh…and hypnotize.
This year there were way too many deaths during my two-week stay. First, my friend Denny’s mother died, then my Mom’s friend Mona, then Gary Papa, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and - Michael Jackson. My niece came into the living room with her cellphone and made that announcement. She read it on her facebook page on her phone. We turned on CNN and they said he was hospitalized and in a coma. About a half hour later, the 6:30 network news came on and Katie Couric announced he was dead.
The only time rock radio embraced or played Michael Jackson was the song “Beat It” because it featured Eddie Van Halen, a major rock artist we did play. There still was a bit of a stigma because he had such a reputation as a pop act, not rock ‘n roll. And in those days, (early eighties) race also was an issue. In that regard, Michael was able to cross those racial lines and I think that is part of his legacy.
I did see the Thriller tour in LA – I happened to be working there then. But I never met Michael Jackson. I did meet Ed McMahon one time when he was given an award in Philadelphia, a town he spent part of his career in.
(pictured below, Ed McMahon & Cyndy Drue)
All photos on this page by Cyndy Drue © 2009
(or from my collection)