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MID-JULY

2025

Music & Community How a City of Wasilla Event Helped Make A Scene Shaping Wasilla’s Future

MORE ON PAGE 5 OF THE PEOPLE’S PAPER

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Bryce Burkhart MAKE A SCENE Media The People’s Paper 95.5 The Pass KNLT-FM Every summer, Iditapark in Wasilla becomes something special. Music fills the air, local vendors line the paths, and families, friends, and neighbors gather for one reason—Music in the Park. It’s more than just a good time. For us at MAKE A SCENE Media, it’s personal. MAKE A SCENE Media—home of this publication you’re holding (The People’s Paper), Make A Scene Magazine, 95.5 Hatcher Pass Radio KNLT-FM, and a handful of other community-driven projects—has been helping put on this event for a long time. But it’s more than just an event we help with. It’s part of our origin story. Music in the Park was our first real project—before the paper, before the magazine, before the station. That very first stage gave us a reason to believe in what we were doing. It planted the seed for everything MAKE A SCENE has become and will become. And let’s be clear—this is a City of Wasilla event. We’re proud to help organize and facilitate it, but it’s the City that makes it happen. Their continued support—along with a lineup of amazing sponsors and musicians—is the reason this event remains free and open to everyone. A huge thank-you to The City of Wasilla, MTA, Alaska Outdoor Council,

Mat-Su College, Alaskan Sweet Vapes, Geico Agent Monica Johnson, Alyeska Tire, Division of Forestry and Fire Protection, Spunky Monkey Alaska, Brown’s Electric, the MEA Charitable Foundation, Bearpaw River Brewing Company, Big State Beverages, MATSU TEAMS, and more. This year’s concert series brought a strong mix of local musicians and visiting acts. From the Mat-Su Concert Band and Jerry Wessling Band to the Harp Twins and H3 Hawaiian Reggae, each weekend brought something new to the stage. The July 4th finale and talent show, alongside the City of Wasilla parade, capped things off in true hometown style. If you’ve ever been to Music in the Park, you get it. There’s something about watching live music outside, surrounded by your neighbors, unplugged from everything else. It’s a reminder of what community really means. That’s the heart of MAKE A SCENE Media and The People’s Paper— giving a platform to local voices, stories, and creativity. Whether it’s on stage, in print, or on the radio, we’re here to amplify what matters to the people who live here. So, if you came out this year—thank you. If you missed it, we hope to see you next summer. And if you want to get involved as a vendor, sponsor, or performer, we’d love to hear from you. Visit musicintheparkwasilla.com or call 907-373-2698 to be part of it, and help us MAKE A SCENE! We’ll see you at the park.

Anchorage Musician’s Journey Through Darkness to Light MORE ON PAGE 2 OF MAKE A SCENE MAGAZINE

Thank You for Making Our Annual Benefit Garage Sale a Huge Success!