Local musicians, artists find 'sense of community' at Good Things fest
Aug. 12—SCRANTON — With Scranton's past as a backdrop, artists and musicians saw the city's future.
An event at the Scranton Iron Furnaces lived up to its name on Saturday, as attendees enjoyed live music, art and local food and beverages at the Good Things Are Happening Fest. Organizers and attendees hope the event helps launch even better things for the region.
"Good things are happening in Scranton," said co-founder James Barrett. "You just have to make it happen and be aware of it."
Barrett organized the first festival quickly last year under a short deadline. With more time to plan this year, he made it larger and now hopes to hold the event yearly. Few local music venues exist, so Barrett wanted to showcase bands from Scranton and beyond.
"This is gorgeous," said drummer Justin Malinowski, of Wilkes-Barre, after his set with the Brendan Brisk Band. "This is pretty much everything you'd want in a day."
Brian Williams, owner of Grateful Roast Coffee, with cafes in Nanticoke and Clarks Summit, said the event reminded him of growing up in Portland, Oregon, in the early 1990s. Williams sold bags of freshly roasted coffee Saturday.
"A thriving community requires a creative network of people," he said. "It's the lifeblood of the city."
The schedule included 11 bands, and between acts, people enjoyed tacos and local beer and browsed the tents of more than a dozen local artists.
"To me, this is a sense of community," artist Paige Lissefeld said. "It's just really neat to see."
Contact the writer:
570-348-9133; @hofiushallTT on Twitter.