Hello everyone!

As we all know, this July is a special one, as America is celebrating its 250th birthday. As always, there will be big Independence Day celebrations in Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton, including the City of Wilkes-Barre’s annual “Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration” in Kirby Park, which always takes place on July 4. In addition to plenty of fireworks, food vendors and rides, this year’s celebration will include a performance by the entire Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic. In Hazleton, there’ll be an “Independence Day Festival” at City View Park on July 3 and the city’s annual “Independence Day Celebration” at City View Park on July 5. And if you’re looking for additional July 4 or America 250 celebrations throughout the county, our staff has compiled a complete list of everything that’s been submitted to our calendar. You can check it out below:

July also brings the return of the annual Rockin’ The River music series, which takes place on three consecutive Fridays at the Millennium Circle in Wilkes-Barre, along the beautiful Susquehanna River. On July 17, it’s Every Breath You Take: A Tribute to Sting and The Police, with special guests Aaron Fink & The Fury. On July 24, it’s Hotter Than July: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder, with special guests Bret Alexander & Friends. And on July 31, the series wraps up with Mere Mortals, one of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s all-time great original bands and a 2026 inductee into the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame. Special guests will be Gracie Jane Sinclair & The Band. Gracie is a rising star on the local music scene and has been the recipient of numerous Steamtown Music Awards and Best of the Best awards. Food and drink vendors will be on site, and the shows are free and open to all ages!

In Hazleton, the Rockin’ The Mountain music series returns to City View Park on July 11 with Soul City Orchestra (Motown/soul/funk), with special guests Left Behind. On July 18, it’s Bon Poison (Bon Jovi/Poison tribute), with Tori V and the Karma, and on July 25, it’s A Proud Monkey, a tribute to the Dave Matthews Band, with opening act Triple Fret. Like Rockin’ The River, all Rockin’ The Mountain shows are free and open to all ages!

On July 9, 10 and 11, one of Luzerne County’s most iconic annual events returns with the 29th annual Briggs Farm Blues Festival. The festival offers three days of great music, food, vendors, and camping opportunities. Briggs traditionally draws thousands of music enthusiasts and this year’s event will feature musical performances by 21 different acts, including this year’s headliner, The Record Company.

At Mohegan Pennsylvania, Party on the Patio rocks on every Thursday with great tribute acts, including Def Leppard on 7/9, Journey/REO Speedwagon on 7/16 and Billy Joel on 7/23. And if you’re looking for even more live music, Jam Below the Dam, White Haven's ultimate summer street festival, takes place July 24-25, and will feature plenty of music, plus food vendors and family fun. For complete info on this terrific community event located in one of the most charming parts of Luzerne County - including the musical lineup and schedule – just click the image:

On July 11, Eckley Miners’ Village will host the Hooch Wagon Brew Fest, where you can sample the coal region’s finest craft beer, wine, and cider while also taking in the scenes of the historic mining town. And another great Luzerne County tradition happens on July 11 and 12 with the Giants Despair Hillclimb, where you can watch racecars and souped-up stock cars compete for the best times while speeding up one of the region’s steepest inclines. There will also be food vendors and live music at both events. On July 29, Emmy Award-winning and New York Times best-selling author Derek Hough brings his Symphony of Dance Encore tour to the F.M. Kirby Center, and on July 31, Brit Floyd brings the classic sounds of Pink Floyd to the F.M. Kirby Center.

Up for some top-notch, professional baseball? The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, have 14 home games this month at PNC Field. Play ball!

Happy 4^th everyone! And happy 250 America! We hope you have a great holiday, and we hope to see you at some of these great Luzerne County events this month!

Alan, Sheena, Kyle, Gaye and David

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