PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Singer Jason Derulo is returning to the Philly stage this summer for the 2022 Wawa Welcome America festival’s Fourth of July performance. The concert returns to Ben Franklin Parkway for the first time since 2019.
"The 2022 Wawa Welcome America festival is back. Concerts are back. Free museums are back," said Welcome America President and CEO Michael DelBene at a news conference Tuesday.
This is Derulo’s second Welcome America concert. He performed in 2020 at The Met Philadelphia to no audience — the first summer of the coronavirus pandemic.
"What up Philly! This is Jason Derulo. I’m going to see you this summer, July 4 on the Parkway," Derulo said.
This year, he will be joined by fellow pop singer Ava Max, with fireworks that night on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Other acts include Grammy-award winner Tori Kelly, Talib Kweli and Lady Alma.
Kweli and Lady Alma are headlining the Museum's Juneteenth Block Party on Sunday, June 19 starting at 11 a.m.
Derulo, 32, has had 22 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100, including two at No. 1: “Whatcha Say” in 2009 and “Savage Love” in 2020. The “In My Head” and “Talk Dirty” singer and dancer has also amassed a huge following of more than 52.3 million on TikTok.
Max’s “Kings & Queens” fell in Billboard’s top 15 in 2020, and the 28-year-old’s “Sweet But Psycho” peaked at No. 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Related Jawncast: Wawa’s Welcome America festival returns to the Parkway this summer.
Last summer, Bebe Rexha and Flo Rida headlined the show at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Fairmount Park.
The Welcome America celebration starts on Juneteenth (June 19) with free admission and a block party at the African American Museum, and runs through the Fourth of July.
"All cultures, all people, all kinds of folks are welcome to celebrate Black history and culture with us," said African American Museum Director of Programming and Education Nina Ball.
DelBene said the 30th anniversary of Welcome America will include Miss America leading the Fourth of July parade, 30 museums offering free admission days, two block parties, two fireworks shows, a Philly Pops concert on July 3, and a gospel concert on June 27.
Wawa CEO Chris Gheysens promised to give away 30,000 hoagies at Independence Mall on June 29.
"This is where you want to be. There’s no better place than Philadelphia around the Fourth of July. This city does big events better than any city in the country, maybe on the globe," said Gheysens.
"More days, more locations, more meaningful programs. We’re going to recognize, reflect on these great cultural traditions that all just mean a better festival and more fun."
Click here for more information on the Welcome America festival for 2022.
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