The stage is set and excitement is in the air for the Wawa Welcome America concert on July 4th along the Ben Franklin Parkway. On Monday, a Vanessa Williams concert and a gospel concert were both cancelled due to expected rain. NBC10’s Aaron Baskerville has the details and spoke with Williams.
Wawa Welcome America's scheduled Vanessa Williams concert and gospel concert were canceled Monday evening due to rain in the forecast.
Both concerts were set to take place at Independence Mall with the Vanessa Williams concert scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and the gospel concert -- which had already been postponed on Sunday due to rain -- scheduled to start at 8 p.m.
Williams -- an award-winning singer, actress and former Miss America -- had just stepped on stage and began singing to the crowd around 6 p.m. Monday when she was informed the show had been canceled by the National Park Service.
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Williams told her fans she loved them and had wanted to perform but was told the concert would be canceled for safety reasons. She then waved to them before leaving the stage.
“The sun is shining. I said, can’t we just do like a half an hour? Can I sing acapella? Can I do ‘God bless America?’ And I got the side eye from the supervisor, the superintendent so no go," Williams told NBC10 after the cancellation.
Ultimately however, Williams was still happy to be in Philadelphia for the festivities.
“I just want to thank everybody for coming out," she said. "I love being a part of the Independence Day weekend here. Especially in Philadelphia. We were all ready to go.”
Williams had spoken with Philly Live's Aunyea Lachelle last month about her scheduled concert.
The canceled gospel concert, meanwhile, would have been hosted by WDAS' Patty Jackson. The Welcome America Mass Choir, directed by Austin Woodlin and Zak Williams, the Six Singing Sista's Ensemble, Philly Remembers Choir, Treena Ferebee and the Generations were the scheduled performers. Some of the choir members still held an impromptu concert at a reception area however.
The rain didn't start in Philadelphia until around 9:30 p.m. Monday, meaning both concerts could have occurred as scheduled. NBC10 reached out to the National Park Service for further comment on the decision to cancel the concerts. We have not yet heard back from them.
Despite the cancellations, attendees were still able to enjoy free admission at three separate museums on Monday as part of the second to last day of Wawa Welcome America.
Free admission to Eastern State Penitentiary
What: Guests had the opportunity to experience the Historical Eastern State Penitentiary at night for free. Admission included "The Voices of Eastern State" Audio Tour narrated by Steve Buscemi, historical exhibits and much more, including Al Capone's cell.
People grabbed a drink and a snack and relaxed in the Fair Chance Beer Garden outside. Once people finished snacking (or while they ate), they enjoyed trivia, postcard-writing and art to reflect on the history you learned about Eastern State Penitentiary.
Where: Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130
When: Enjoy free admission to the historic site went from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on July 3
Free admission to Elfreth's Alley Museum
What: People strolled through Elfreth's Alley Museum to learn about the lives of people who worked or lived on the historical street in Old City.
The museum invited visitors to residents of house #126: two unmarried women making ends meet by dress making in the 1760s, German-American shoemakers who are raising a family in the 1850s, and more.
Where: 126 Elfreth's Alley, Philadelphia, PA 19106
When: Free admission ran from noon to 4 p.m. on July 3
Carpenters' Hall Grand Reopening
What: People joined in to celebrate the grand reopening of Carpenters' hall!
This National Historic Landmark was home to the First Continental Congress, which laid out the foundation for our independence. In April 2022, the building was closed for an exterior preservation project, which eventually was delayed due to a fire on Christmas eve that year.
The ceremony included VIP speakers, performances, and many surprises in honor of the completion of the project and the recovery from the fire.
Where: 320 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
When: The ceremony began at 10 a.m. on July 3. Following a ribbon cutting, visitors participated in self-guided tours until it closed at 4 p.m.
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