The Electric City knows how to throw a Fourth of July party.

World Cup supporters turned Scranton’s Courthouse Square into a colorful celebration of national pride on Saturday, many attending as part of their family’s Independence Day celebration.

And for Taylor Swift fans, the day opened with a live band tribute to the pop star, who reportedly tied the knot with Travis Kelce on Friday at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

In May, Scranton learned they were named a FIFA World Cup Soccer Tournament Fan Zone at Lackawanna County Courthouse Square downtown for four days in July, including July 4.

When Chris Kolcharno, Lackawanna County’s deputy chief detective, heard about the event, his mind first went to keeping people safe and implementing appropriate security measures, which were reflected in screenings of those entering the event and the presence of many law enforcement officers from different agencies.

But, Kolcharno, who coached soccer and has a son who plays for Misericordia University, was also excited about the event that brought soccer to downtown Scranton on a holiday weekend.

Although most people wouldn’t make it to a series match, the event provided a chance for them to share the excitement of the sport at a free event.

“It’s nice to see the community engaging with the sport,” he said. “It’s great to see them coming together.”

Swiftie Kristen Gallagher arrived at the event early, settling in to a shady spot to listen to Taylor Swift music. Gallagher saw Swift twice during her Eras Tour and enjoyed listening to music from the tour, which opened the day.

Sitting next to Gallagher was Jarrod Cipriano, her boyfriend and a huge soccer fan. The two met at Misericordia years ago, and Gallagher moved to the area to be near Cipriano.

They have many things in common, but that doesn’t include either a love for Taylor Swift or soccer. So, the event, complete with a variety of food and activities, provided them with the best of both worlds.

Both cheered when tribute band Cruel Summer’s lead singer yelled, “We’re celebrating Swifties.”

“Couldn’t have asked for a better day,” Cipriano said.

Soccer fans attending the event said they were looking forward to seeing Canada compete against Morocco at 1 p.m. and Paraguay versus France at 5 p.m. on five large screens set up throughout the event, including the main supersized screen on North Washington Avenue.

Fans believed the Canada vs. Morocco match was to be the more competitive of the two, with France expected to trounce Paraguay in the second match.

“But, anything can happen,” said one fan.

Vernon Poole was attending the event with his son Elan, who, at two years old, is already learning soccer skills.

The two attended with friends, and were enjoying every aspect of the day, including not only soccer, but music and numerous family-friendly activities.

A crowd gathered on the courthouse lawn in front of the main screen for the day’s first match at 1 p.m. As of 1:30 p.m., no one had scored, but many were rooting for their favorite team.

Chelsea McFarland of Pittston, an avid soccer fan, believed Canada was going to win.

Jerry Perrins, of Duryea, was looking forward to the day’s second game, during which he would root for France.

“I’m half-French, so it’ll be exciting,” he said.

The United States team did not compete on Saturday, but will face Belgium on Monday at Seattle Stadium.

‘An organic celebration’

For Kevin Vrabel, who was watching Saturday’s matches from home, the competition had special meaning.

Vrabel, a long-time Wilkes-Barre resident, returned Friday from a trip to Toronto, where he watched Portugal beat Croatia in Canada’s final match of the World Cup series.

For Vrabel, the trip was much more than simply a chance to watch a spirited competition in an exciting atmosphere in a setting that drew attendees from all over the world. Instead, it was a celebration of his 30 years of sobriety and a rekindling of his lifelong love for soccer.

It wasn’t the first time Vrabel attended a World Cup event; he was there in 1994 when the United States sponsored the games. During that competition, Brazil won the title, defeating Italy 3-2.

But this time around, Vrabel made even deeper memories, he said.

The atmosphere at the matches was one of inclusivity, but instead of forced inclusivity, it seemed natural. Young and old attended from a multitude of countries and were welcomed by others.

Vrabel was grateful to be able to attend a match in person, but admitted that ticket prices were probably out of the reach of many, especially families.

Fan zones provided a chance for many people, especially youngsters, to learn about the game and share in World Cup excitement in a community setting, he said.