‘Pocket Park Live’ celebrates the arts at Christopher A. Doherty Park

SCRANTON — A series of upcoming programs will celebrate the arts in Downtown Scranton’s newest greenspace, and everyone in the community is invited to join in the fun.

Pocket Park Live, a project of the City of Scranton Arts Committee supported by Scranton Tomorrow, features music, theater and more on weekends through November at the Christopher A. Doherty Park on the corner of Wyoming Avenue and Linden Street in Downtown Scranton.

Formally dedicated in the spring of 2024, the site that was once a vacant lot is now an outdoor venue for community programs such as the Pocket Park Live series. Scranton Tomorrow spearheaded the project.

“Throughout the development process, our vision for the park’s future use remained consistent,” said Leslie Collins, president and CEO of Scranton Tomorrow. “We were committed to creating a public gathering space, open to all, to celebrate and embrace our robust local arts community. We are honored to make this vision a reality through the Pocket Park Live series presented by the City of Scranton Arts Committee.”

2024 FALL SCHEDULE:

• Friday, September 6, at 6:00 p.m. – Fringe Fest Preview: The annual Scranton Fringe Festival will be held September 26 through October 6 in venues throughout downtown Scranton. Now in its tenth year, the festival features musicals, dance, puppetry, visual art and more. Guests will enjoy a special Fringe Fest Preview as part of Pocket Park Live.
• Friday, October 4, Time: TBA - Big Band Live Music: Located at 217 Wyoming Avenue, The Big Band mural by Eric Bussart is a tribute to the history of the Scranton Sirens and the Big Band era. The mural honors the significant contributions of local artists to the Jazz movement.The project is the fifth, and largest, piece of public art created through Scranton Tomorrow’s Mural Arts Program. In celebration of the mural dedication on October 4, local musicians will perform Big Band favorites in the park.
• Saturday, October 5, Time: TBA – Live Music at Scranton Fringe Fest: Guests will enjoy a special outdoor concert celebrating the annual Scranton Fringe Festival.
• Friday, November 15, Time: TBA - Scranton Shakespeare Festival Performance: The Scranton Shakespeare Festival is a nonprofit theatre company offering professional theater free to the public. On Friday, November 15, the company will perform excerpts from Cinderella and the regional premiere of Stephen Karam’s TONY award-winning play, The Humans, at the pocket park.
• Saturday, November 30, Time: TBA - Small Business Saturday Holiday Jubilee: For 15 years, Scranton Tomorrow has organized Small Business Saturday events in the Downtown Scranton Business District. The Small Business Saturday Holiday Jubilee at the park will enhance this year’s holiday festivities.

Pocket Park Live is free and open to the public, as is the new Downtown Scranton park! For all event times and additional information, visit facebook.com/ScrantonTomorrow .