September 02, 2021
Sinead Cummings/for PhillyVoice
The two-day concert event, Made in America, will still happen Labor Day weekend after the Philadelphia region experienced significant flooding and slightly delayed the construction of the stage.
City officials announced Thursday that the Made in America festival on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will go on as planned this weekend, despite the severe flooding and weather damage that wreaked havoc in the region.
The two-day concert's main stage is located in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The nearby Schuylkill River experienced significant, historic flooding overnight Wednesday.
The river's water levels are continuing to rise. Officials anticipate waters to crest at 17.2 feet by 30th Street Station — which would be the highest the water has ever reached.
The previous record for water levels in the Schuylkill was set 152 years ago at 17 feet.
Parts of I-76 have been submerged by several feet of water, and flooding has spread into the nearby Logan Square neighborhood, also.
The storm did delay construction on the stage and concert grounds at Eakins Oval, but officials said construction will finish in time for the Labor Day weekend festival, which starts Saturday.
"Construction is ongoing, but I’m being texted right now there is somewhat of a traffic issue we’re trying to help solve in order for them to continue the build-up," the city's managing director Tumar Alexander said during a press briefing Thursday morning.
Justin Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby and more will perform at the 10th Made in America concert on Sept. 4-5. The event did not take place last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All attendees must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 48 hours of the event, and everyone must wear a face mask.
Fire commissioner Adam Theil said the river is expected to remain in flood stage through Friday.
"This is going to be a long cleanup and recovery process," Thiel said. "This is truly a historic flooding, a historic event."
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