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Heat cancels Queen Latifah concert in Philly
Oppressive heat forced the cancellation of the highly anticipated 250th celebration concert at Independence Mall Thursday, July 2. The event was set to feature Queen Latifah, the U.S. Army Field Band, and the Soldiers Chorus for a salute to service.
PHILADELPHIA - Oppressive heat forced the cancellation of the highly anticipated 250th celebration concert at Independence Mall Thursday, July 2, according to Richman Communications and Wawa Welcome America. The event was set to feature Queen Latifah, the U.S. Army Field Band, and the Soldiers Chorus for a salute to service.
Heat cancels main concert but other festivities continue
What we know:
The main show on the stage at Independence Mall was canceled because of the heat.
Queen Latifah was scheduled as the headliner, with the U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers Chorus also on the lineup. The Red, White, and Rose' Picnic still took place, with people enjoying food trucks along Arch Street.
Organizers say the POPS concert scheduled for tomorrow night at Independence Mall has been pushed back from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Some attendees said the picnic was a modified version of the original event, but people still gathered to eat and enjoy the atmosphere. A patriotic drone show also went on as planned, giving visitors a chance to celebrate despite the heat.
What they're saying:
"I was looking most forward to Queen Latifah," said Kenya Barber, who came here from central Jersey. She was disappointed but understood the call to cancel.
"I know it's for health reasons because it's not safe for some people," she said. But she was ready to brave the heat. "I have like ice water, I have two fans, rechargeable fans. I was prepared," said Barber.
Sue Halpern and Elizabeth McCauley traveled from Connecticut for the concerts and parade.
"We're disappointed, of course," said Halpern. "We came down specifically for these concerts and the parade tomorrow well they shortened that," she said. "Hopefully, the fourth of July the fireworks and all of the hoopla," she said. McCauley added, "Just enjoy the 250th. I am enjoying everyone's outfits really. There are a lot of fun ones."
Pamela and Mike Brossman from South Dakota made the most of the day by sightseeing and sampling local food. "I knew I wanted to be in Philly for all of this, but it didn't plan on the heat," said Pamela Brossman. "We're going to take a walk past Betsy Ross's house and down the very quaint Elfreth's Alley. We will do that," she said. Mike Brossman said, "My cheesesteak's great. I mean you come to Philly to have a Philly cheesesteak, so anytime I can make that happen I am a happy guy."
Many people took time to look at the floats parked on Fifth Street that will be in tomorrow's parade.
Some visitors adapted their plans, focusing on the food trucks, sightseeing, and enjoying the festive outfits and floats around Independence Mall.
Looking ahead to the rest of the weekend’s events
The concert with Queen Latifah was canceled Thursday, July 2, due to heat. The Red, White, and Rose' Picnic and drone show continued. The POPS concert scheduled for tomorrow night has been delayed by one hour, and the parade is expected to be shorter.
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Philadelphia is rolling out a massive celebration for America’s 250th birthday, with four days of concerts, parades, fireworks, free museum access and family-friendly events.
Organizers and attendees are hopeful that fireworks and other Fourth of July festivities will go on as planned.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear if any other events scheduled for the 250th celebrations will be changed or canceled due to the ongoing heat.
The Source: Information from Richman Communications and Wawa Welcome America.