The Pavilion (Scranton, Pennsylvania) facts for kids

The Pavilion is a large outdoor concert place in Scranton, Pennsylvania. It's part of the Montage Mountain Ski Resort. It was first a temporary stage in 1992. People loved it so much that a permanent one was built and opened in 2000. It was originally known as the Montage Mountain Performing Arts Center.

History of The Pavilion

In 1990, the Montage Mountain Ski Area started holding music festivals. This helped them earn money when it wasn't ski season. A temporary stage opened on July 3, 1992. The first concert there was by Chubby Checker. This temporary place was called the Montage Mountain Amphitheater.

It became very popular. Scranton became an important city for concerts. In 1994, the resort worked with Metropolitan Entertainment. They wanted to have even more concerts. Bleacher seats were added to the lawn area. The number of people who could attend grew from 5,000 to 16,000. The venue's name also changed to the Montage Mountain Performing Arts Center.

From July 1994, the venue hosted a summer concert series every year. The concerts in 1999 were very successful. This made the owners decide to build a permanent concert hall. Construction for the new $6 million project began in November 1999. The venue covers 70 acres of the ski resort. A wooded area separates the concert space from the parking lots.

The new building was finished in June 2000. It was ready for the Coors Light Silver Bullet Concert Series. The new Pavilion opened on June 24, 2000. The first concert was by Harry Connick Jr. The next day, Britney Spears performed there. The venue made a lot of money for the resort and the county. In its first two years, it earned $10 million.

In 2002, Clear Channel Communications took over running the venue. They also brought in the first sponsor, Ford Motor Company. Later, Clear Channel became Live Nation. Then, Toyota Motor Corporation became the new sponsor.

In 2007, the roof of the Pavilion collapsed. This happened on Valentine's Day during a big snowstorm. The roof had to be rebuilt. The owners also replaced the seats. They updated the lights, sound, and video equipment. All this work was finished in time for the 2007 summer concert season. In 2013, Toyota's sponsorship ended. The company decided not to renew their contract. So, the venue became The Pavilion at Montage Mountain on January 1, 2014.

Names Through the Years

Temporary Venue Names

• Montage Mountain Amphitheater (July 1992 – May 1994)
• Montage Mountain Performing Arts Center (June 1994 – September 1999)

Permanent Venue Names

• Coors Light Amphitheatre (June 2000 – May 2002)
• Ford Pavilion (June 2002 – May 2006)
• Toyota Pavilion (June 2006 – December 2013)
• The Pavilion (January 2014 – Present)

Concerts and Festivals

The Pavilion has hosted many famous concerts and music festivals.

Notable Concerts

• The amphitheater hosted the Tattoo the Earth Tour on July 21, 2000. Many bands played, including Slipknot, Slayer, Sevendust, Sepultura, Hed PE, Mudvayne, Hatebreed, Kid Rock, Systematic, Six Feet Under, Lamb of God, Dropkick Murphys, Sick of It All, Tiger Army, and Nashville .... The event also featured 42 tattoo artists from around the world.
• Van Halen played at the temporary venue on August 27, 1995, and July 28, 1998.
• In June 2005, The Dave Matthews Band visited for the first time. They were the first music act to completely sell out the Pavilion. Over 18,000 people attended their show. They sold out the venue again in July 2006. Their performance on July 14, 2010, was recorded. It was released as a live album called Live Trax Vol. 22.
• Kings of Leon were supposed to perform on June 8, 2010. The Whigs were set to open for them. However, the show was canceled because of illness.
• Luke Bryan was the first country artist to sell out a show here. His concert was on July 30, 2015. It was part of his Kick the Dust Up Tour. Randy Houser and Dustin Lynch opened for him.

Music Festivals

The amphitheater has been home to many music festivals, such as:

• All That! Music and More Festival
• Anger Management Tour
• Crüe Fest and Crüe Fest 2
• H.O.R.D.E. Festival
• Lilith Fair
• Lollapalooza
• Mayhem Festival
• Ozzfest
• Peach Music Festival
• Up in Smoke Tour
• Uproar Festival
• Vans Warped Tour

The Peach Music Festival

The The Peach Music Festival started by The Allman Brothers Band. It has been held at the venue every year since 2012. This festival lasts for several days in mid-August. It uses stages around the venue and the nearby Montage Mountain Ski Resort. The ski resort turns into a large water park during the summer months.

More to Explore

• List of contemporary amphitheatres
• Live Nation