Rockin’ the River returns for second week

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The second Rockin’ the River show of the summer included a local supergroup, a tribute to one of the great American bands, and a surprise marriage proposal.

Needless to say, it was an eventful Friday evening on the Susquehanna.

The Traveling Wilkes-Barreans, a group formed by members of some of the other top bands in Northeast Pennsylvania, served as the night’s opening act. They played classic rock hits to a building crowd, which packed the River Common lawn.

During the intermission between the opening and headlining acts, Visit Luzerne County executive director Alan K. Stout and Mayor George Brown took to the stage to tout the next few summer concerts in Wilkes-Barre. Those include next week’s Rockin’ the River show featuring budding country artist Lainie Gardner, as well as the free concert from Starship on Public Square on Aug. 16.

A couple, Norman Strohdach and Molly Maley were also invited onto the stage during the intermission. With the crowd cheering him on, Strohdach proposed to Maley.

She said yes.

The evening’s headlining artist was Winslow: An Evening with The Eagles. The audience sang along to some of the original artist’s biggest hits, including “Heartache Tonight” and “Hotel California.”

Next Friday’s show is the final one of this year’s series, with the aforementioned Lainie Gardner serving as the headlining artist. The Broke Pines, from Scranton, will be the opening act.

Rockin’ the River is presented by Visit Luzerne County and the Riverfront Parks Committee, and each show features food and drink vendors. The gates open at 5 p.m., with the music running from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.