Jason Derulo, Ava Max To Headline Wawa Welcome America Festival
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Welcome America Festival and Concert is coming back this summer, and with it are some big names. Popstar Jason Derulo and Ava Max will headline this summer's concert at the Art Museum and along the Parkway on Monday, July 4.
Derulo released this video message with the announcement that he's coming back to Philly.
He also headlined the concert in July 2020, but it was held virtually because of the pandemic. Last year's concert was scaled back and held at the Mann Center.
This year's edition of Welcome America will be a two-week festival held between June 19 and July 4. The events incorporate the city's museums, neighborhoods and a block party celebrating Juneteenth to kick off the festival, and there are fireworks.
"The 2022 Wawa Welcome America is back. Concerts are back, free museums are back, community events are back. The continued expansion of our festival to connect Juneteenth and July 4 through honest inclusive and diverse programming is back," Welcome America President & CEO Michael Delbene said.
The festival is one of the largest held in the city. Tuesday's announcement came just one day after the city suggested people take additional COVID precautions.
On Monday, the city's health department again started recommending that people wear masks indoors due to COVID cases rising again in the city.
Eyewitness News asked mayor Jim Kenney if there were any concerns about going ahead with a big event like Welcome America -- considering COVID cases are still rising – and masks are now recommended indoors once again.
"They said we prefer you wear a mask. That's it," Kenney said. "It's not a big deal. It's not a big deal to wear a mask. So wear one if you want, if you don't, don't."
Kenney added he doesn't have any concerns with mixed messages about masking.
"With a season of weddings and proms and graduations in front of us, we wanted to make sure that people knew that it is a time that we need to be a little more careful," Philly health commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole said.
CBS3's Jan Carabeo contributed to this report.
