POTTSVILLE, Pa. — Yuengling's Stars and Stripes Celebration is on to round two, returning to Pottsville for the first time since 2019.
The event stretches blocks, from the Yuengling Brewery to the main stage, at the intersection of Laurel Boulevard and North Railroad Street. With live performances on three stages, dozens of vendors, and several beer gardens Yuengling is bringing to the party.
"It's our way to give back to the community and to be able to get everybody together, celebrate some great music, have some great beer. We're also honored to be able to celebrate the military, so we're partnering with Team Red, White, and Blue. So we're going to have a military celebration on stage as well," said Debbie Yuengling, Employee Engagement & Culture Manager.
The Stars and Stripes Celebration packs some serious star power this year, with Grammy-nominated country music recording artist Lee Brice closing out the day. The performance is free.
"This is a guy that sells out arenas and stadiums and he's gonna be right here, small town Pottsville with America's oldest brewery. It's a whole new level of turnout," said Mayor Dave Clews, Pottsville.
Pottsville Mayor Dave Clews says he's excited to welcome tens of thousands of visitors to his city, but he's concerned about traffic and sheer space.
Festival organizers say the main stage area can hold approximately 17,000 people, but Clews estimates that as many as 50,000 fans could show up.
"We have a population here of somewhere around 13,000. So if you look at the numbers, we're talking, double, triple, maybe four times the population of the city is going to be in town," said Mayor Clews.
Paul T. Kennedy heads the security company that Yuengling hired for the event. He expects a lot more people than in 2019. The event will rely heavily on satellite parking.
"We're utilizing 14 parking lots, somewhere around 4,000 parking spaces that we have at our disposal tomorrow. We'll be having eight different shuttle buses on three colored lines running. So we'll be coordinating both on the ground and in the air to watch what traffic is coming into the city," said Kennedy, Signal Security Executive Director.
Kennedy says state and local law enforcement and emergency personnel are working together to make sure the festival is safe and enjoyable for everyone. Mayor Clews hopes it all runs smoothly.
"Every day I've kinda left my police chief's office and go, 'Hey chief, are we ready?' He assures me, 'our staff's already to go, Dave.' I said, 'that's all I need to know.' said Clews.
"We're prepared to have a lot of people to be here in the city. Not exactly sure what that number is, but we're prepared to welcome a lot of friends to have a great party," said Kennedy.
The head of security asks those attending the event to visit the festival website for details on parking and traffic.
The stage is assembled and festival officials are ready to put on a show beginning at 11 a.m.
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