Downtown event to feature music, fireworks, art and more
The plans are all in place for Experience Columbia Freedom Fest Saturday.
The downtown event celebrating summer has been in the planning stages for months and now it is time to come to fruition.
The Columbia Gear Heads Cruise-in begins the festivities at 2 p.m. with the monthly car show, which is free. Following the cruise-in, Main Street will be cleared.
After Main Street has been cleared, the gates will reopen with a $5 wristband required for admission. Gates will be at:
• Dale Street and Main Street;
• Church Street and Main Street;
• Second Street at High School Avenue;
• Broad Street by WINGS Thrift Store.
One of the organizers, Jacob Harrison, said parking will be available at the local schools and churches. Harrison stressed the parking lot at WINGS is designated for WINGS while the store is open and for patrons of the Marion Theater. There will be no parking at the courthouse or behind the Interpretive Plaza.
According to Harrison more than 80 vendors have signed up to attend with plenty of food options for everyone to enjoy.
On the main stage that will be set up at Main and Second streets the outline of events is as follows:
• Political candidates at 5 p.m.;
• Elsie at 5:45 p.m.;
• The Chee-Weez at 7 p.m.
At approximately 9:15 p.m. will be the fireworks show.
Throughout the afternoon and evening, other activities will be taking place as well, including a splash pad, barbecue cook-off, local musicians, train rides, cake contest, chalk art contest, petting zoo, downtown Nerf War, dunking booth and more.
If you are interested in the Nerf War, bring your Nerf gun and bullets.
A trolley will be running to Bluff Street Park, where there will be an outdoor art gallery featuring 17 pieces of art by 17 different artists.
The cost to enter Freedom Fest is $5 a person with children under 2 free. You can purchase the armbands at JC’s Shack, The Outpost, The Berry Patch, The Columbian-Progress, Citizens Bank Mortgage Center, LaBelle Tanning, Southern Grace Boutique and Polished Looks.
The $5 wristbands may be purchased at the gate, but Harrison advises buying them ahead of time to avoid lines.
Proceeds from Freedom Fest will be channeled back into Experience Columbia for upcoming events. The nonprofit formed earlier this year and took over planning of the event from Main Street Columbia.
Last year Freedom Fest drew large crowds but was cancelled early because of a thunderstorm that caused flash flooding. This year, weather predictions look good for Saturday. As of Monday, the National Weather Service was calling for mostly sunny with a high near 96 and a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in Columbia.
Pictured Above: Two of 17 art pieces erected at Bluff Street Park overlooking the Pearl River are seen Monday. A trolley will take visitors Saturday from Freedom Fest’s downtown activities out to the park. Other events at the summertime celebration include live bands, headlined by The Chee-Weez, and a culminating fireworks show near the courthouse at about 9:15 p.m. | Photo by Susan Amundson
