The night was truly awe-inspiring

The night was truly awe-inspiring, with a first-class performance at a first-class venue: our River Common. This free concert was made possible thanks to a wonderful partnership with Wyoming Seminary’s Performing Arts Institute. Many thanks are due to Nancy Sanderson, the institute’s director, for bringing the nation’s finest musicians to downtown Wilkes-Barre’s newly reinvented riverfront.
But, the more I think about the recent Federal Brass concert, the more I am inspired by the larger changes that we see downtown. It’s hard to believe that, less than two years ago, there were no community events on the River Common.
Now fast-forward to the present, with the River Common hosting multiple events each week. These programs, ranging from yoga to concerts, from outdoor movies to environmental programming, are all free and open to all ages.
This evolution is not surprising. I’ve seen firsthand the hard work that many people have put into this project, as a vision for an accessible riverfront has been transformed into an award-winning venue comparable to any of the nation’s top parks. I’ve seen private citizens and businesses collaborate to form an organization, RiverCommon.org, which serves as the steward of the River Common. And I’ve seen the impact of RiverCommon.org’s programs on everyone from the young to the young at heart.
With that said, what’s most amazing is not that the completed River Common has been internationally recognized or that we are now able to attend such a wide range of free events and festivals. No, what’s most amazing is that all of RiverCommon.org’s programming has been made possible through the efforts of private citizens and businesses.
Activities on the River Common occur solely because of financial support from private contributions and corporate sponsorships – not tax dollars.
The generosity of countless individuals – the “Friends of the River Common” – together with sponsors such as Wyoming Seminary, GUARD, The Times Leader, the Citizens’ Voice, Entercom Communications, the Luzerne County Visitors Bureau, Mohegan Sun, PNC Bank and WBRE-TV are helping to turn our riverfront into a regional destination.