Hello everyone,

It’s April, and that means baseball is back in Northeastern Pennsylvania with the return of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders! The Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees will hold its home opener on April 7 at PNC Field in Moosic and, in total, will play 15 home games this month. In addition to top prospects, the Opening Day roster includes popular Yankees Oswaldo Cabrera and Jasson Dominguez, as well as the highly touted Spencer Jones. And, with Yankees Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole close to coming back from Tommy John surgery, there’s a good chance that, at some point this spring, the six-time All-Star might make a start for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre has 10 big events on tap this month, including the NEPA Philharmonic’s “Jurassic Park In Concert” on April 11, which will feature the Philharmonic performing along with the classic film. On April 12, three-time Grammy winner Trisha Yearwood will grace the stage at the Kirby, and the iconic Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform on April 17. Kirby Fest, the venue’s festive annual fundraiser, takes place on April 18. Bluegrass/Americana rockers Railroad Earth plug in on April 23, and Crazy Train, a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, will also rock the Kirby on April 23.

At Mohegan Arena, you can catch comedian Bert Kreischer on April 2 and the legendary Barry Manilow on April 16. For decades, while on tour, Manilow has always made NEPA a stop, and this show is being billed as his final appearance in Wilkes-Barre. On April 24, Stars on Ice comes to the arena and will feature a star-studded lineup of figure skaters, including several Olympians. And—speaking of ice—the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will be at home on April 3, 11, 15, and 18. The game on April 11 will serve as the organization’s popular annual “Community Night,” for which the team will be billed as the Steamtown Gandy Dancers. The Pens will don special Gandy Dancer uniforms, and Gandy Dancer merchandise will be on sale.

Other events happening in April include the Irem Shrine Circus at the Kingston Armory, which runs from April 6–12; Pennsylvania Polkafest on April 11 at Mohegan Pennsylvania; and Nightrain: A Tribute to Guns N’ Roses at Penn’s Peak on April 17. The City of Wilkes-Barre will also present its annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Kirby Park on April 25–26, featuring food and craft vendors, live music, and rides for kids.

Also this month, on April 16, Visit Luzerne County, along with our partners, will announce the musical lineup for Rockin’ the River 2026, which will return to the Millennium Circle in July. Look to our website and Facebook page for details. And on April 26—just in time for National Babe Ruth Day—we’ll be announcing details for the 3rd annual Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Home Run Derby, which will return to Kirby Park in October. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Bambino’s legendary 650-foot home run near Kirby Park, and we have some special things planned to mark the occasion.

Also, don’t forget to follow Visit Luzerne County on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok and check out our podcast, “Next Stop,” which can be found on Spotify, YouTube, and our website. And don’t forget to hop on the Visit Luzerne County History Trail, where you can have fun, learn all about more than 40 historical locations throughout the county, and win a wide array of prizes!

To those who celebrate and observe, we wish you a very Happy Easter and Passover. We hope to see you here in Luzerne County this month.

Alan, Sheena, Kyle, Gaye, and David

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For a list of all events going on in April, visit the events calendar on our website. Click the picture above for more information.