Preparations In Final Stages For Made In America
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Fences are now set up along the Ben Franklin Parkway as Philadelphia prepares for the fourth Made in America festival this weekend.
Three weeks before the Pope arrives, the Parkway is ready for the queen – Beyonce – and 61 other performers at the weekend-long festival.
Chain-link fences are now in place from 21st Street to the Art Museum, to separate the 70,000 paid customers from outsiders.
Two-day passes for the sold-out show went for $150, but Olivia Nicolais of Center City says you get a lot for that price:
"I think it's worth it, because most concerts that you go to, it's just a nighttime concert. But this one you can go to early in the afternoon and you can stay all through the night. So while it's a little bit more expensive, it's definitely worth it."
She says the large crowds are part of the fun:
"When I've gone in the past it didn't feel 'uncomfortable' crowded. I guess certain people might feel uncomfortable in that kind of crowd. But it's definitely a fun experience and everyone tends to feed off of each other. It's a good time."
Michelle Degutis of Philadelphia is thinking about going, but she says her friends have already made up their minds:
"A couple of my friends from school -- I went to school down in Atlanta -- texted me about staying at my place this weekend or if I'm going to be around this weekend. Because they're all coming in."
The Parkway will be home to five stages, hosting musicians including Philadelphia's own Meek Mill, Modest Mouse and Death Cab for Cutie.
Some parking restrictions and road closures are already in place along the Parkway, so be advised — even if you don't have a ticket to be inside the fence.
As CBS 3's Diana Rocco reports, this is the first of two major gated ticketed events on the Parkway this month. Next will be when Pope Francis arrives. While that event is expecting to drawn 1.5 million, more than ten times this weekend's crowd, the city says it's a good practice run for crowd control and inter-agency communication.
"The reason why you can say it's a dry run is because there are just certain things that have to be done no matter what you do in a outdoor event," said Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison.
"Make sure that everybody is on the same channels, that know all the protocols, that understand how to get things done," he said.
Historically, the Made in America event has brought roughly $10 million of outside revenue into the city for the Labor Day weekend.
Gates open at noon Saturday.
