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More Fireworks, New Concerts Highlight Philly's Welcome America! Festival

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - We don't know who will be headlining the party on the Parkway this Fourth of July, but organizers have shared some other details from the upcoming Welcome America! festival.

The annual festival celebrates Philadelphia's unique role as America's birthplace with 35 events and 100 hours of activities over the course of eight days.

Jeff Guaracino -- the President and CEO of Welcome America Inc -- says you're going to find something you love to do:

"If that means you would love a Wawa hoagie at a Wawa hoagie day, great. If that means you want to see free entertainment on one of our eight stages we want that too. If you love museums and culture during this year's festival we'll have a museum that's open every single day for residents for free. We're going to bring movie nights back into the neighborhood."

He says the festival will pay tribute to The Sound of Philadelphia:

"We have put together a festival that celebrates all the musical acts of Philly, so I can't tell you who they are yet, but I will tell you that we have five hours of concert entertainment on the evening of July 4th."

Guaracino promises the fireworks will be bigger than before and they will also start at 10 p.m. this year. The musical lineup will be announced at a news conference on Friday.

The Wawa Welcome America! festival begins Monday, June 27th and runs through July 4th.

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