Another summer,
another fest

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

Give them some of that rock ’n’ roll music — cover-band style — and you’ll draw the crowds. That’s just what they do all summer long at the Pennypack Park Music Festival, with an average attendance of 3,500 people per concert.
The rain spared the throng of concert-goers who came out last week to see B Street, a Bruce Springsteen cover band that touts itself as the "world’s longest-running tribute band," now in its 28th year.
Though the Pennypack concerts start at 7 p.m., folks hand-in-hand, with strollers, dogs and in groups, continued to pour into the park near the bandshell off of Welsh Road and Rowland Avenue well after 8 p.m. They settled in lawn chairs and on blankets to watch the show and sing along with the Springsteen-esque lead singer, Glenn Stuart, while the wee ones ran around and danced at the open-air venue.
They weren’t the only ones moved by Springsteen’s music, even if it wasn’t the real Bruce. Eight guys ran up to the stage barricade, sang and raised their hands to the beat of Springsteen’s 2007 hit, Livin’ in the Future.
"We’re always here for the B Street," said Kevin Matuszak, of Morrell Park, who closed his eyes and danced around in his flip-flops. "We come every year."
The free concerts also are a summer tradition for Mayfair resident Denise Roarty.
"I like this band, Billy Joel (the tribute band 52nd Street) and the Soul Cruisers," she said.
Roarty is also looking forward to the June 25 concert with the Party Dolls, a female trio whose cover act pays tribute to the girl groups of the ’60s to today’s well-known divas. Roarty still remembers seeing girl cover groups back in the day at the Bent Elbo, now the site of a storage facility at Napfle Street and Roosevelt Boulevard.
Frank Carberry can hear all the Pennypack Festival concerts from his Holmesburg back yard but enjoys coming down to see the shows. He doesn’t have any particular favorite acts.
"I just enjoy music," he said.
The price is right, too.
While the events are free, they serve as benefit concerts designed to attract donations that will be used by the festival board to support good causes, including the growth of music and art education in the schools, explained Glenn McCurdy, president of the Pennypack Park Festival.
The festival recently presented a $500 check to the city’s Police Explorers program.
Signs posted this year remind festival attendees that "Your summer festival is run on donations," and "Your donations make this festival possible."
Money has been tight for festival organizers since its inception. Festival founder Ed Kelly, a former president of the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, got the go-ahead for the concert venue during the 1970s from then-Mayor Frank Rizzo. But there were reservations about the $250,000 price tag, so Kelly built the bandshell himself for $55,000. During summers from 1977 to ’91, he and other assistants brought in entertainment for the public, with an emphasis on big bands like the Harry James Orchestra.
In 2000, the bandshell was restored and is now graced with woodsy murals, courtesy of the city Mural Arts Program.
McCurdy would like to take the concert series to the next level, not only exchanging the portable potties for actual restrooms but particularly giving back even more to the community.
He mentioned the Twi-Light Concert series in Upper Merion as the best practice model. Staffed by high school students, the series brought in more than $496,000, which was donated to the community’s recreation department. ••
For more information and to learn how you can help, visit www.pennypackpark.com
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com

What’s on tap
at Pennypack
May 28: Benny & the Jets, an Elton John Tribute
June 11: Guitar Legends — Soul to Soul, a Stevie Ray Vaughan Tribute; Ev’ryman Jack, an Eric Clapton & Cream Tribute; Axis, a Jimi Hendrix Tribute
June 25: Party Dolls, a Tribute to Girl Groups
July 9: Latin Night, sponsored by the Latino Partnership
July 16: Classic Rock and Teenage Wasteland (Who tribute)
July 23: Irish Night with the Hooligans, sponsored by Mayfair CDC
Aug. 6: 52nd Street, a Billy Joel Tribute
Aug. 20: Blues Brotherhood, a Tribute to the Blues Brothers
Sept. 3: Elvis Country Night
Sept. 17: Sensational Soul Cruisers, sponsored by Freedom Credit Union