Lanie Gardner closes out 2024 Rockin’ the River

The 2024 Rockin’ the River concert series came to a close on Friday night in Wilkes-Barre. As was the case for the past two weeks, Millenium Circle at the River Common was the site of the free show.

The headlining act on Friday night was Lanie Gardner, an up-and-coming country artist. She has accumulated a significant following on social media, with nearly 750,000 followers on TikTok, and over 500,000 on Instagram. The latest break in her career has come within the past few weeks, with her song “Chasing the Wind” being featured on the soundtrack of “Twisters,” the blockbuster film currently in theaters.

Before Gardner took the stage, the Broke Pines, a rock band from Scranton, served as the opening act. Their set closed around 7 p.m. with a modern rock cover of “Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By),” the country song made famous by the Carter Family in the 1930s.

Between the musical sets, Alan K. Stout, executive director of Visit Luzerne County, called a few special guests to the stage: Dave Pedri, president and CEO of the Luzerne Foundation; Will Beekman, vice president of Theater Operations and Content Development at ASM Global; and Ted Wampole, former executive director of the Luzerne County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Stout said that Pedri, Beekman and Wampole spearheaded the concept that would become Rockin’ the River six years ago.

Rockin’ the River is presented by Visit Luzerne County and the Riverfront Parks Committee, and each show features food and drink vendors. In addition to Friday night’s show, this year’s Rockin’ the River schedule included tributes to U2 and the Eagles on July 12 and July 19, respectively.