Philly is flexing its cultural legacy at full volume for the Fourth of July. The One Philly: Unity Concert for America is taking over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for a massive, free celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, complete with a heavyweight lineup featuring Will Smith, Jill Scott, and Christina Aguilera. Crafting a global broadcast that feels deeply rooted in local soul is the mastermind of producer Scott Mirkin and his team at ESM Productions.
Fresh off designing immersive mega-hits like The Book of Hov and Fanatics Fest’s 40/40 Club Pop Up, Mirkin is bringing his technical expertise back to the venue ESM calls home. Ahead of the historic event, The Source spoke with Mirkin to talk logistics, star-studded synergy with The Roots, and creating a night the world won’t soon forget.
The SOURCE: With the One Philly Concert, you’ve mentioned wanting to deliver a production that feels both “global in scale and deeply rooted in the spirit of Philly.” Given the star-studded local lineup—including Will Smith, Jill Scott, and The Roots—how are you and ESM Productions weaving Philadelphia’s distinct cultural identity into a broadcast meant for a worldwide audience?
Scott Mirkin: While the talent featured on our stage are largely from Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, these artists are international icons. Philadelphia is truly a world-class destination, renowned for landmarks such as the legendary Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Through this production, we are broadcasting the city’s inherent gifts of music, love, and unity to a global audience.
Executing a free, six-hour live concert that spans from daytime fan experiences to a late-night fireworks finale over the Philadelphia Museum of Art is an immense logistical undertaking. What are the unique production and technical challenges of keeping an event of this magnitude moving seamlessly for both the crowds on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and viewers watching at home?
Everything begins with the exceptional talent of our staff and partners. Our team of 700 is on a mission to meticulously manage every minute of the production process, from pre-door opening to the final curtain, ensuring everything stays on schedule.
For the broadcast, transitioning from daylight to evening requires specialized video and lighting expertise. Regarding the vendor experience, we coordinate with food and beverage experts to ensure there is enough food and beverage. We also communicate with attendees via the 2026 Access Philly App and on-site video screens to share essential updates and weather alerts. We don’t consider any of this a challenge; it’s simply part of our daily jobs.
For this historic event, you are partnering with executive producers Shawn Gee and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots. How has the synergy between ESM Productions’ technical expertise and their deep musical curation shaped the vision for the One Philly concert?
ESM Productions collaborated with Shawn Gee and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots for decades. Combining our technical production capabilities with their distinct musical vision is the key to delivering an unforgettable concert experience.
ESM Productions has recently produced massive, highly detailed cultural activations such as The Book of Hov at the Brooklyn Public Library and JAY-Z’s 40/40 Club Pop-Up at Fanatics Fest. How did your experience building those immersive, storytelling-driven environments influence how you are designing the interactive fan experiences and vendor spaces along the Parkway?
Our main focus is to curate an audience experience that leaves a lifelong memory, whether delivered through an immersive walkthrough activation, a large-scale concert, or a specialized exhibition.
You are certainly no stranger to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, having produced the multi-day Made in America festival there for years. How did your history with that specific venue prepare you for this moment, and in what ways does producing a historic, civic milestone like the nation’s 250th anniversary differ from producing a traditional music festival?
ESM is a 30-year-old company that started in Philadelphia and has been embedded in the Parkway’s Fourth of July traditions since our inception. My tenure as executive producer for the 2008 festivities gave rise to the legendary Philly 4th of July Jam, which paved the way for the gated festival Made in America. Our 2015 production of the Papal visit welcomed 1.5 million guests across two massive Parkway activations. Given our extensive history on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, we truly consider this iconic venue our home.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker called this event a “historic homecoming” for Philadelphia’s biggest stars. When the fireworks finish and the broadcast goes black just before midnight on July 4th, what do you hope is the lasting impression or legacy that ESM Productions leaves on the city of Philadelphia and the country?
This concert is for the people of Philadelphia and the world. So it’s not about leaving an impression or legacy, but rather producing a once-in-a-lifetime experience that no one will ever forget.