Recently, I wrote about the logistics of making special weekend programming happen. Here’s a quick list of some of the July 4 (and Canada Day) weekend highlights.
As is traditional, a lot of the U.S. programming is focused on American acts, such as WTKU (Kool 98.3) Atlantic City, N.J.’s “All-American Fourth of July,” with its emphasis on saluting artists’ and band’s hometowns. Country WCTY New London, Conn., is doing four days of summer songs, throwbacks, and patriotic Country songs on its “Red, White, and Boom weekend.” It kicks off with a party at the Mohegan Sun Casino. Classic Country KPMI (The Legends) Bemidji, Minn.’s Bradley Olson is featuring patriotic music on his Saturday 9 a.m. show.
At TuneIn’s just launched The Big 615, founder Garth Brooks and personality Storme Warren will host “A Big 4th on the Big 615,” a six-hour special featuring patriotic and summertime themed songs, as well as summer memories from Brooks and other artists. PD Bob Richards says the station will also a a fireworks soundtrack at 9 p.m. CT and again at 9 p.m. PT on July 4, while Warren will also broadcast from the Country in the Keys concert in Key West on July 1.
At least one U.S. station is actually doing Canada Day programming. WISM (Greatest Hits 98.1) Eau Claire, Wis., will be spotlighting Canadian artists on Saturday. On Tuesday, it turns its attention to all-American artists.
Toronto-area Heritage Rocker CKGE (94.9 the Rock) is going all-Canadian all-long weekend, starting at 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon. Classic Hits CHBM (Boom 97.3) Toronto is doing a Canada Day “Top 80 Totally ‘80s Countdown” starting at 10 a.m. Canada’s Soft AC “The Breeze” stations are doing a singalong weekend starting Saturday morning. Classic Rock CFMI (Rock 101) Vancouver is doing a double-play “Double Double Weekend” (not sponsored by Tim Hortons though). Classic Rock CHEZ Ottawa is doing text-to-win every time listeners hear the Tragically Hip to enter a $1,000 raffle.
This column doesn’t usually venture into TV, but CBC-TV’s Canada Day: A Playlist to Celebrate brings together a wide variety of acts including Jann Arden, Tegan & Sara, Dear Rouge, current Alternative chart artist Aysanabee, and current Top 40 hitmaker Preston Pablo, among many others. There will also be a multi-artist salute to Gordon Lightfoot. 
The syndicated That Thing with Rich Appel always features “all summer songs, all summer long” but this weekend the show is counting down “The Top Summer Songs of the ‘70s.” Appel is also making an appearance on Don Tandler’s Pop Gold Radio on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., with “The Top 80 of I-80,” the biggest No. 1 hits of July 4 week between 1957-79 in markets that Interstate 80 goes through!
Classic Hits powerhouse KRTH (K-Earth 101) Los Angeles will have a “Totally ‘80s 4th of July Weekend.” For a likely very different take, Southern California’s wide-variety streaming outlet Jukebox 102.7 KTOJ has its third annual “’80s Music Marathon.” Online Top 40 i925 Knoxville gives July 4 to ‘90s/’00s throwbacks.
NEW: KGSR (Lucy 93.3) Austin, Texas, launched into a “Party Songs Weekend” on Friday. The mix is primarily dance, including some EDM/pop you wouldn’t normally hear on the Hot AC station.
NEW: Reader/veteran programmer Mark Edwards reports that iHeart Radio’s Classic American Top 40 channel is playing AT40 year-end countdowns in chronological order. At this writing on Saturday morning, they’re wrapping up 1974.
NEW: SiriusXM’s Classic Vinyl channel is running a subscriber-voted “4th of July 400.” The countdown moves over from the sister Classic Rewind channel.
The Yacht Rock Weekends I heard over Memorial Day inspired an article on programming those weekends, as well as the always-fun-to-discuss-for-some-people “yacht-or-nyacht” question. This weekend, there’s one scheduled for AC WDEF (Sunny 92.3) Chattanooga, Tenn. The WDEF version will be based around several spotlight songs an hour, interspersed with regular hits.
Other special weekend programming from some Ross on Radio readers and regulars:
- Tony Lorino’s Throwback Nation is offering the five-hour “Red White and Boy Band 4th” special.
- Triple-A KTBG (The Bridge) Kansas City is running its “Top 909 of All Time.”
- Triple-A WXPN Philadelphia has artists blocs on a “Block Rockin’ Weekend”
- Adult Top 40 WOQO (Q105) Toledo, Ohio, salutes the crossover dance hits of the early 2010s on an “Explosive EDM Independence Day.”
- Classic Rock WEGH (Eagle 107) Sunbury, Pa.’s “Star Spangled ‘70s Weekend.”
Just before Memorial Day, we wrote that John Garabedian and Mason Kelter had just expanded Kelter’s national evening CHR show LiveLine Radio to weekends. This weekend, he picks up his hometown radio station WIFC Wausau, Wis., as an affiliate.
Motor Racing Network’s Bob Quick will be busy with the NASCAR’s inaugural Grant Park 220, taking place on Chicago streets at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Among syndicated programming being offered free to stations for the holiday weekend:
- Superadio’s Retro Country is also playing two hours of patriotic Country on its “Flag Waving Fourth.” Contact [email protected].
- Benztown’s Classic R&B show Top 10 Now & Then is offering a 45-hour “Old School 500” countdown, along with the Hot Mix 4th of July Party Starter, and a holiday audio package. Details here.
- SuiteRadio is offering plug-and-play hosted shows from its Todd Newton, Rowdy Yates, Outlaw Dave, and Dan Gallo for multiple formats. C: Jim Jones, [email protected] .
We’ll be updating this column over the next few days as needed. Feel free to share your programming or leave a comment.
