Event expected to draw hundreds downtown
With less than a month until the big day, organizers of Freedom Fest are pleased with the way plans are shaping up for the July event.
Freedom Fest begins at 2 p.m. July 7 and continues through 9 p.m., when fireworks will light up the skies over Columbia to celebrate Independence Day.
“We’re looking forward to a fantastic fireworks show,” Nik Ingram, Main Street Columbia director, said. “It will be 18-20 minutes long. We’ve had some great sponsors step up to help make this happen.”
From live music on four stages to a giant car show put on by the Columbia Gearheads, the day will be filled with activities for the entire family. There will even be a watermelon eating and seed spitting contest, with proceeds to be given to Main Street to purchase items to beautify downtown.
“We’ve got everything from vendors and arts and crafts, music, fireworks, old cars to food,” Mayor Justin McKenzie said. “There are going to be so many things going on. We’ll have a ton of activities for the kids. We have different people coordinating activities so that on the hour, each hour, there will be some event. It might be a Hula Hoop competition or a sack race. There are just a ton of ideas.”
McKenzie said more than 50 vendors/booths have signed up in advance.
“Right now, I think that a reasonable goal will be to shoot for 70 to 75 vendors potentially,” he said. “It’s all going to end with a big fireworks show that is provided Main Street. All of these things wouldn’t be possible without good sponsors. We want to say thank you to those who have sponsored us. I want to urge people to support our sponsors. They are the ones that are making things happen.”
Carlton Thornhill, who is coordinating the entertainment, said there will be something for everyone throughout the day.
“We will start the show with an opening ceremony at 2 p.m.,” he said. “We’ll have the National Anthem and a prayer and a welcome from the mayor. We’ll have constant entertainment on four stages this year. There will be a stage between G&S and Jan Marie’s on Main Street, another one by the Gardner Shopping Center, one by the Interpretive Plaza behind City Hall and then over toward Second Street Bean by Artwistic Revolution. That will be the more artistic end of the street. Behind City Hall will be more children’s-related.”
Last year, more than 150 cars were shown downtown and organizers hope to top 200 vehicles on display. The barbecue cook-off to benefit the Columbia Fire Department already has 12 competitors signed up and has become an officially sanctioned competition.
The entertainment features a variety of acts; however the main stage will host a big event before the fireworks.
“Bullet Proof will be our main event,” Thornhill said. “We’ve got some warm-up acts. Bailey Montgomery is supposed to be here and I’ve got Crystal Browning coming. We’ll have some games and of course, the watermelon seed spitting contest. The children’s section will have Disney characters and the fire department is going to have an obstacle course set up. We’re going to have the great Marion County –Pearl River Interpretive Plaza Duck Race, which will be going on all day long. Hearts of Hope will sponsor that an also have a tent sponsoring Stars of Hope from New York. We’ll feature the theme ‘Word can heal,’ in an anti-bullying campaign. We will also have patriotic Stars of Hope. We have a little bit of everything and it should appeal to the masses.”
