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Philadelphia's Fourth Of July Festivities Kick Off With Concert, Fireworks

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Let's hope the weather holds up for all the Fourth of July festivities in our area. Things kicked off Friday night with a concert at Eakins Oval and fireworks at Penn's Landing.

"It's just so joyful, there's so much great energy. It's a great way to kick off the summer," Jessica Waber said.

Bringing the energy and enthusiasm this Fourth of July holiday weekend.

"I am a force of life, love, and sparkle," Starfire said.

Starfire is the energy curator and hype woman for the Our America Now concert at the Oval on the Parkway.

It's one of the many Welcome America events happening in the city this holiday weekend. There were food trucks, amusement rides and diverse performances.

Wayahsti Richardson performed with his daughters in a group called We Are Seeds. He was thrilled to share his culture with the crowd.

"Everyone has a different culture or background where they're coming from. We're sharing ours with you and hopefully it catches your attention enough to learn about your own culture," Richardson said.

As people start to filter in for the weekend festivities and celebrations, the Philadelphia Police Department is beefing up its patrols to keep everyone safe.

"It's a great celebration of our nation," a woman said.

And the celebrations did stop there. Fireworks lit up the night sky in a spectacular celebration in the City of Brotherly Love.

"This is awesome. We love fireworks. We try to come out and see them each year," a man said.

These festivities are just beginning. For a list of the weekend events, click here.

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