PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Mayor Jim Kenney says the city is ready for the Made in America Festival this weekend. It is the city’s first large-scale outdoor event since the Fourth of July, when falling bullets shot from a mile or more away grazed two police officers, sending a panic through the Parkway.
Kenney admits his anxiety level is rising as Labor Day weekend approaches, but he said he is optimistic there will not be a repeat of that this weekend.
Is the mayor worried about another big crowd on the Parkway? Of course he is, he said.
“I worry, as I said, I worry about everything. It’s part of the job.”
Still, he said, he enjoys the event, he wants it to continue, and he believes the risks are minimal.
Kenney has apologized for remarks he made after the Fourth of July. He said, “I’m waiting for something bad to happen all the time, so I’ll be happy when I’m not mayor and can enjoy some stuff.”
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Looking ahead to Made in America, Kenney, “I do get angst as a result of hoping that everything goes well and people stay safe.” However, he says, he does enjoy big events.
In fact, he said, he has fond memories of previous Made in Americas when his position as mayor got him special entertainment. One year, he recalled, festival founder Jay-Z took him and the governor for a ride around the concert grounds in a golf cart.
“Jay-Z says, ‘Come on, we’re taking a ride.’ I went, ‘Taking a ride? Where?’ So we got in a golf cart and he’s riding through the event. Hysterical scene,” Kenney said.
“People didn’t really recognize him at first, but when they recognized him, it was crazy. People were chasing the golf cart. It was a blast.”
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The mayor says he will not be attending this year’s festival, but he says he’s confident police are ready to keep the peace.
“It’s all covered as best as can be, and we’re looking forward to another good year.”
He said the Police Department has refined and improved its procedures in the 10 years since the first Made in America Festival. And the department has already been meeting with partner agencies to make sure there is a consistent and appropriate level of security, and that officers are prepared to respond to any unexpected incidents.