Thousands Expected in Pottsville Today for Yuengling Summer Celebration

Thousands of people are expected to be in Pottsville today for the second Yuengling Summer Celebration, officially the Yuengling Stars & Stripes Celebration.

The event starts at 11 a.m. in downtown Pottsville and culminates with a fireworks show at about 9:30 p.m., following a free concert by country music star Lee Brice.

Below is a guide to this big event in Pottsville, including a schedule of events, points of interest, and parking and travel restrictions around the city on Saturday.

Lee Brice Headlines Yuengling Stars & Stripes Summer Celebration in Pottsville on July 9

This will be the second Yuengling Summer Celebration in Pottsville. The first was held in 2019 and featured 90s alt-rock band Better Than Ezra. And while that was the biggest crowd to cram into downtown Pottsville since the heydays of the original Cruise Night, an even bigger crowd is expected in 2022.

First, Lee Brice has a massive following and should attract a noticeable crowd to a free concert.

And this will be the first Summer Celebration in Pottsville since that first one a couple years ago. Yuengling put off this popular event in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID pandemic.

2022 Yuengling Summer Celebration Schedule

Here’s a look at the day’s itinerary for this year’s event:

• 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Vendors will open for business along Mahantongo and Second streets in Pottsville. A Beer Garden will be open at Yuengling’s historic brewery on Mahantongo, too. (Note: all Beer Gardens are cash only for the Summer Celebration.)
• 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.: The Boys Upstairs, a local rock band, will perform at the Brewery Stage on Mahantongo St.
• 12 – 9:30 p.m.: Vendors will open for business along Progress Ave. A Beer Garden will also be open on that street, too.
• 1:15 – 2:30 p.m.: A Pottsville-based alt-rock band, The Margie Trick, will take to the Arch St. Stage.
• 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.: A local 80s tribute band, Sapphire, will perform on the Brewery Stage.
• 3:15 – 4:30 p.m.: The local rock group Gleasons Drift will take the Arch St. Stage.
• 4:30 – 6 p.m.: Pottsvlle songwriter Cody Wiley performs on Progress Ave.
• 6 p.m.: A special military ceremony is planned.
• 6:15 p.m.: The Nick Tauer Band gets the crowd warmed up from the Main Stage.
• 8 p.m.: Country music star Lee Brice hits the Main Stage to give a free concert.
• Approx. 9:30 p.m.: A fireworks show closes out Yuengling Summer Celebration for 2022.

Event Location

All the activity for the Yuengling Summer Celebration takes place on a few streets in downtown Pottsville.

Of course, there’s a bevy of activity along Mahantongo St., home of the historic Yuengling Brewery.  But you can also find some festivities, vendors, and beer, on Second St. and Progress Ave.

Here’s a map Yuengling released to help visitors find their way around town during the Summer Celebration event.

Parking for the 2022 Yuengling Summer Celebration

There will be some on-street parking in the downtown event area but also some paid-access lots for visitors to the Summer Celebration. And if that doesn’t work for you, shuttle bus service will be available from a pair of off-site lots that’ll take people to the event area.

Metered spaces in Pottsville will be available through the event, where streets aren’t blocked, of course.

There are also four parking lots being made available during the Summer Celebration:

• Premium Parking: For $25, spots are available at the new Alvernia University campus lot near the Main Stage. This lot can be accessed via Terry Reilly Way.
• Union Street: This parking lot costs $10 to keep your vehicle for the day. No shuttle service is available at this lot since it’s right near the event.
• Pottsville Area School District: These $5 spots are available at the school campus. A shuttle service is available to get visitors to and from their vehicles.
• Schuylkill Medical Mall: This is a free park for vehicles and also offers a shuttle service downtown.

Street Closures

Portions of the following Pottsville streets will be closed to vehicle traffic from 6 a.m. through the event on Saturday.

• Mahantongo St: S. 6th St. to S. 2nd St.
• S. 2nd St.: Mahantongo to W. Norwegian streets
• N. 2nd St.: W. Norwegian St. to W. Market St.
• W. Norwegian St.: N. Centre St. to S. 3rd St.
• Progress Ave.: E. Norwegian St. to E. Harrison St.
• Laurel Blvd.: N. Centre St. to Terry Reilly Way
• E. Race St.: N. Centre St. to Progress Ave.
• E. Arch St.: N. Centre St. to Terry Reilly Way
• E. Market St.: N. Centre St. to Progress Ave.

Image: Yuengling