By Steve Svetovich
The 2023 Bucktown Music Fest is gearing up to kick off another summer of free musical entertainment on the streets of Dunmore from June through September.
Dunmore’s Tom Hallinan and Brian McGurl are once again co-chairpersons for the summer event.
This year the series will feature nine concerts with 15 different bands performing.
In addition to seven of the free concerts held at Dunmore Corners, two of the free shows will be held at different sites: the 500 block of Chestnut Street near the Roosevelt Beer Garden, and the 100 block of West Grove Street near The Bar at The Patch.
Daddy-O and the Sax Maniax along with Cullen, Bordo and Ambrosia get things started Sunday, June 18, at 5 p.m., at Dunmore Corners.
The Bucktown Music Fest is pleased to welcome the always popular 12-piece Daddy-O who bring its high energy show to the streets of Dunmore. Dunmore’s Nick Costanzo will be on drums. Dunmore’s Sal Scrimalli, Daddy-O himself, will be on keyboards. Jim Cullen, Jack Bordo and Sharon Ambrosia will start the evening off with bluegrass, The Beatles and more.
Sunday, July 2. will feature Dashboard Mary along with Friend of the Gypsy on Drinker Street. Rob Roman and Joe DelRosso started Dashboard Mary back in the 1990’s. Friend of the Gypsy features music of the 1960’s and 1970’s, including The Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan. Bring your tie dyed t-shirts. The crowd will be rockin’.
Two Dunmore bands, QBall and East Coast, take to the showmobile stage at Dunmore corners Saturday, July 22, at 5 p.m.
The “Q” in Ball is Dunmore resident John Quinn who along with Brian McGurl bring their busy quartet home to rock. Started by Dunmore’s Chuck Scrimalli, East Coast had a long heyday in the 1970’s and 1980’s and was later joined by the great Dunmore drummer and singer Phil Rossi and then by keyboard player/vocalist Brian McGurl.
The Wannabes will bring their music and merriment to Dunmore Corners Sunday, July 9, at 5 p.m. The Wannabes will play numerous fan favorites from their extensive list. The Wannabes always aim to please their big following of fans. Ron Pascoe and Fran Festa make sure of that.
Saturday, July 29, marks the first time the Dunmore Music Fest moves away from the Corners. The 500 block of Chestnut Street near the Roosevelt Beer Garden will be the site of Past Our Prime and Two Minute Warning. Past Our Prime includes Dunmore’s Joe Pappa, Phebe Beckage and Tom Boylan and features Sean Loughney and Lenny Carlucci. The Roosey will be rockin’ outside.
Sunday, Aug. 6, at 5 p.m. the Music Fest returns to Dunmore Corners. Mike Kwaitek with Strangers is a long time Dunmore favorite who will sing Elton John and Billy Joel hits, among others. Strangers features Dunmore’s P.J. Stoko on bass guitar playing The Ramones to The Stones and everything in between.
Picture Perfect will bring their 11-piece band to Dunmore Corners Sunday, Aug. 29, at 5 p.m. This popular wedding show and party band have been pleasing audiences for many years. The Music Fest is happy to welcome them to Dunmore.
The Music Fest will move to The Patch Saturday, Sept. 2. Corner Pocket Blues and Rattlin’ Bones will perform. The Labor Day weekend show will take place at the 100 block of West Grove Street near The Bar at The Patch. Corner Pocket Blues features Dunmore natives Danny Cox on guitar, Jim Kernan on bass, Joe Pannick on drums and Jack Garvey on sax. Rattlin’ Bones opens up with Dunmore’s Joe Ferguson on acoustic guitar and vocals.
The finale for the 2023 Bucktown Music Fest, Shindig/Dunmore’s Got Talent, is set for Saturday, Sept. 9, at 5 p.m., at Dunmore Corners. The finale brings more great Dunmore talent to the snowmobile stage, plus more performances from many of the Dunmore musicians who performed over the summer.
McGurl said he expects many of the popular performers over the past few years to return. This includes many who performed at original Shindig shows at Dunmore High School back in the 1970’s. He also has some new faces and voices lined up to perform. All are backed up by the Bucktown Music Fest house band.
Any Dunmore musicians interested in performing can contact McGurl by email at: mcgurlb@gmail.com. He can also be reached via private message on Facebook.
“We will work with you to rehearse the numbers and give the audience a great show,” he said.
Hallinan said the Bucktown Music Fest is registered as non-profit. “We are asking for donations to offset the costs of putting together the concert series,” he said. “We thank all of the businesses and individuals who generously donated so far. Every penny we get goes to bring these free concerts to the people of Dunmore.”
The top sponsors are the Lackawanna County Commissioners, Lehigh Valley Hospital in Dickson City, Atlas Landscaping Company, and the DeNaples family of Dunmore.
“We are really looking to a great music filled summer season as Dunmore corners comes alive,” said Hallinan. “The event does not happen without the support of our Dunmore business community.”
McGurl can’t wait for the third annual event. “We are very excited to have 15 bands playing at nine free concerts for the people of Dunmore throughout the summer. The Shindig Dunmore’s Got Talent finale will be bigger than ever. The summer of 2023 will have lots of music in Bucktown. Anyone who wants to sing or perform can e mail or message me on Facebook.”