As Fourth of July celebrations continue into the weekend, a special musical tribute will be paid to the armed forces on Sunday in Pottsville.
The Anthracite Philharmonic will present a Star-Spangled Banner Patriotic Concert at 6 p.m. at the Yuengling Mansion Gardens, 1440 Mahantongo St. The gates will open at 5 p.m. and the event will be held rain or shine. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors. Children 12 and younger will be permitted for free.
Linda Kriner, a member of the philharmonic's board of directors, said while this will be the group's third summer concert, this year's theme gives the event a special feel.
"I'm really thrilled with this," Kriner said. "It's hard to plan but it is worth it."
Under the direction of Mark P. Thomas, the concert will feature patriotic music including the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and selections from the HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers." Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" will give concert-goers a grand sendoff.
Kriner said the group will also perform a salute to the armed forces, a selection featuring the marches from all the U.S. military branches. With emotion filling her voice, Kriner said the piece is a favorite of the philharmonic and audience.
"That is really neat. Everybody loves that," she said.
The previous summer concert themes involved pop and jazz. Kriner said Thomas thinks of the themes and possibly got inspiration this year from his father, who was a World War II veteran.
While the event is open to the public, Kriner stressed that the philharmonic would love veterans to come out and enjoy the music. It is a request that she is positive will be met.
"There are always veterans in the audience," she said.
The public is encouraged to pack a picnic and relax on the lawn at the mansion. Kriner said the outdoor setting was a popular draw during the event's first two years.
"People just love to sit on the lawn and listen to music," Kriner said.
Weather always plays a role when hosting an event outside. Kriner said the philharmonic has dealt with rain in the past but would like to avoid the situation again.
"Hopefully, we won't have to deal with that," she said.
The Anthracite Philharmonic was formed in 2011 and features musicians from Schuylkill County and the surrounding areas. Kriner said the group offers a different type of entertainment not available to most places outside big cities like New York.
"We give this community something every small community can't get," she said.
Kriner said the community has supported its summer effort with a few hundred attending in previous years. She hopes for a bigger turnout this year.
"We really deliver a nice presentation for a reasonable price," she said.
For more information about the patriotic concert and the Anthracite Philharmonic, visit antphil.org.