Thousands Thrilled by Philadelphia's July 4th Fest

by KYW's Pat Loeb

The Roots and the Goo Goo Dolls helped Philadelphia celebrate July 4th on Sunday night.

The concert on the Parkway drew hundreds of thousands of people.  The music started at 8pm and ended three hours later, after a Goo Goo Dolls encore.  But the music was simply a bonus for many in the crowd, who had come mainly to see the fireworks.

"We've been out here almost two hours, waiting."

Their patience was rewarded with a colorful, 23-minute display.

(sound of fireworks)

When the evening was over and the crowd headed home, a minefield of bottles and sticky refuse covered the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Sanitation worker Michael Blunt's night was just beginning:

"It's a mess, as you can see.  But tomorrow around 12 o'clock you won't even know there was anything down here."

(Photos by KYW's Pat Loeb)