CBS Philadelphia

Security expected to be tight along Benjamin Franklin Parkway for Made in America Festival this weekend

CBS Philadelphia logo CBS Philadelphia 03.09.2022 05:51:05 Ross DiMattei

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia is gearing up for the annual Made in America music festival. Thousands of people are expected to be  in town to see some of music's biggest stars.

Unlike the Fourth of July fireworks show, Made in America is a ticketed and totally enclosed event.

It starts with a security checkpoint, where guests will get their ticket scanned and they'll pass through metal detectors to make sure they aren't trying to bring in any items they're not supposed to.

The festival will have a clear bag policy and bags are subject to search.

For about a week, crews have been setting up temporary fencing around the entire festival grounds - from the Art Museum all the way to 22nd Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

As of 10:00 a.m. on Friday,  the inner and outer lanes of the Parkway between 20th Street and Eakins Oval are now closed.

And even more closures around the festival site begin Saturday morning.

The goal is to keep ticketed guests safe inside. Anyone without a ticket will be directed away by security.

Organizers say this year they will be cracking down on loitering near the perimeter of the festival.

Once guests are inside, they're free to enjoy a full day of food, drinks and music. 

Made in America will be the first major event on the Parkway since the shooting at the Fourth of July fireworks that injured two police officers.

With thousands of people expected to travel to Philadelphia for this festival, some residents are worried about what could happen this weekend.

"We live a couple of blocks off the Parkway, we just don't feel safe," Tony Collins said. 

Tony and Karen Collins just moved to Philadelphia full-time a few months ago, but this weekend they won't be sticking around.

They've made plans to leave town, worried that a large gathering in the city could lead to potential problems.

"We really have to go back to the drawing board and work out how we can make events like this safe and places where people can come to and enjoy themselves, spend their money, build the economy," Tony Collins said. "That's what it's all about, but right now, you just you just don't feel safe."

"Yes, I'm worried. Just about everybody in the city is worried," Arnold Silverstein, a Philly resident said. 

Silverstein has lived in Philadelphia for 45 years. He says crime is just one of the concerns that come with hosting large festivals, especially when they take over an entire neighborhood.

"It makes it very difficult for the people who live in this neighborhood to go anywhere. In addition, this is not a neighborhood where there's a lot of parking. When we have the Made in America, the parking just becomes overwhelming," Silverstein said. 

At nearby businesses like Little Pete's Restaurant, employees have mixed feelings about the festival.

They'll take the bump in business, even if it is served with a side of chaos.

"We're pretty steady on weekends, but a lot of times when they let them out, the tables flip constantly. I don't have a number, I just know I won't stop moving until I leave," Angela Holzbaur said. 

And then there are the attendees.

This will be Sean Frazier's first time at the festival.

Not only is she grateful for her job as a production assistant,  she says events like Made in America help bring people together.

"Camaraderie, you meet so many people that you never would have met, so many walks of life. I think it's a missed opportunity if you don't have events like this," Frazier said. 

Mayor Jim Kenney said  Philly Police will be working closely with Made in America security and federal partners. He said the chaos on the Fourth of July had nothing to do with the event.

"The problem with what we had on Fourth of July did not come from the event," Kenney said. "It came from some knucklehead two miles away shooting a gun in the air that he probably should've never had in the first place. So, nothing happened on the footprint of the event, it was actually a pretty chill, fun day, great entertainment, great weather. We expect the same thing this weekend." 

Police say there will be plenty of security staff throughout the grounds, so if any issues pop up over the weekend, guests are encouraged to say something if they see something.

Starting on Saturday, the headliner will be Tyler, The Creator.

Also taking the stage, a few famous Philly-born artists, including Lil Uzi Vert and Jazmine Sullivan.

And it's a rap-heavy lineup on Saturday with performances from Kodak Black, Pusha T and Babyface Ray.

The Sunday lineup is stacked.

Bad Bunny is the big headliner fresh off winning VMA Artist of the Year.

Here's some other performers that will take the stage on Sunday:

Click here to see what roads will be closed for the festival this weekend. 

samedi 3 septembre 2022 08:51:05 Categories: CBS Philadelphia

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