Tag Archives: Bucktown Music Festival

Borough earns county grant for Bucktown Musicfest

Posted on by
Reply

Dunmore Borough’s Bucktown Music Festival is among 20 projects focusing on recreation, public safety, security, utilities, music, and sports which were approved for funding by the Lackawanna County Commissioners through their Community Re-Invest Program totaling $100,000. 

The Dunmore festival was granted $5,000, as were all other recipients. The Community Re-Invest Program was established in July of 2013. It represents the “last mile” funding to help bring the initiatives to fruition.  

Other projects that were approved for the initial round of funding for 2023 include: San Cataldo Club , historic building preservation/renovation; West Scranton Wrestling Alumni Association, training mats; Spring Brook Volunteer Fire Company, lighting and electrical infrastructure upgrades; Vandling Borough, maintenance and rehabilitation of borough building/garage;  William Walker Hose Company, Security Lock Entry System Replacement.

Also, Archbald Community Ambulance & Rescue Squad, thermal imaging cameras purchase; Northeastern Philharmonic, Scrantastic Spectacular: Brass & Percussion Ensemble Sponsorship; Eagle Hose Company #1, upgrade personal protective equipment (PPE); Jessup Hose Company #2 Ambulance, Lucas 3 CPR Device purchase; Justus Volunteer Fire Company, upgrade truck bay lighting.

Also, Northeastern Pennsylvania Council, Boy Scouts of America, financial assistance for youth membership; St. Stephen’s Booster Club, furnace replacement/energy efficiency update; Olyphant Fire/Police, Uniforms, safety supplies & communication equipment; Mayfield Borough, refurbish playground mulch; Jefferson Township Lions Club, exterior stair replacement; American Ukrainian Veterans, Capital Assistance Project ford facility renovations/addition; Blakely/Peckville Crime Watch, Police Department vehicle camera upgrade; Veterans Home Association of Cortez, commercial dishwasher and dining room chairs purchase; Olyphant Hose Company #2, facade improvements.

Projects will continue to be reviewed and funded into the Fall of 2023.  Boroughs, municipalities, townships, and nonprofit entities are encouraged to submit applications for projects that are “ready to start” so that the Community Re-Invest Program can help to successfully complete them.       

Doin’ Dunmore: Bucktown Music Fest announces summer concert series

Posted on by
Reply

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.”

Doin’ Dunmore: Bucktown Music Fest to wrap up this month

Posted on by
Reply
  • Corner Pockets Blue Band consisting of Danny Cox, Jim Kernan, Jack Garvey and Dr. Joe Pannick recently performed at the Bucktown Musicfest.
  • A large crowd is shown at Dunmore Corners enjoying Bucktown Musicfest. The popular event will come to a close for the season on Sept. 17.
  • Mike Kwiatek and Sons Band are shown performing at Bucktown Musicfest this summer.

By Steve Svetovich

Do you want to have some fun?

Dunmore’s finest musicians will take the stage for the Grand Finale of the second annual Bucktown Music Fest at Dunmore Corners on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 4 to 9 p.m.

Tom Hallinan and local musician Brian McGurl are co-chairpersons for the event, the sixth this summer.

Former Dunmore mayor Patrick “Nibs” Loughney will emcee the event.

The Corner Pocket Blues Band, a four-piece group, will open the festivities. The group consists of Danny Cox, Jim Kernan, Jack Garvey and Dr. Joe Pannick.

Kevin Rogan, a Dunmore graduate who now resides in Philadelphia, will then take the stage with his guitar and vocals.

Timmy LaTorre, another Dunmore graduate, will follow Rogan with his guitar and vocals.

Other performers will include Janice Gambo-Chesna on guitar and vocals, Luke Tinklepaugh on guitar and vocals, POP (Past Our Prime) consisting of Joe Pappa, Tom Boylan and Rick Beckage and finally the East Coast Trio consisting of McGurl, Phil Rossi and Chuck Scrimalli.

McGurl said the festivities with conclude with a Shin-Dig of all-star Dunmore musicians.

“There will be a full band backing up a large group of Dunmore musicians who will perform about 15 songs to conclude the music festival,” said McGurl. “All of these musicians are from Dunmore.”

The Dunmore graduates involved in the Shin-Dig include Rick DelAmico, Lenny Nole, Dunmore music teacher Katie Errico, Mike Stoko, D.J. Stoko, Donna Polizzi Loughney, Sean Loughney and Lenny Carlucci,

“We decided do this a couple of years back,” said Hallinan. “I was driving through Dunmore corners during COVID and wanted to bring some life to the town. I called Brian and he said let’s do it. It has become a huge success.

“This brings all of the people in Dunmore together. You see people you haven’t seen in 10 years. It’s a meeting of old friends. It’s like a family reunion. People look forward to it each week.”

McGurl performed with his band, Q Ball, the initial week this summer. “You look out and see everyone in the town having a good time,” he said. “It’s a great feeling. It’s great seeing people having fun at Dunmore Corners. The musicians are mostly Dunmore people.”

Many of the local restaurants and shops at Dunmore corners open for the event. Honeychild’s Bar, Three Jacks, Two Brothers Pizza, Cara Mia’s, Dunmore Candy Kitchen and Dunmore VFW are among the businesses open.

“This does not happen without the sponsors and a grant from the Lackawanna County Commissioners,” said Hallinan.

Other bands who performed at the Bucktown Music Festival this past summer include The Wannabes, Dashboard Mary, the Luongo Brothers, Friend of the Gypsy, and Michael Kwiatek and Sons.