Freedom Fest
This year’s event to be held on Saturday
The annual Freedom Fest which climaxes with the largest fireworks show in the area will again give the community a chance to celebrate the Independence Day holiday.
The family-friendly event presented by the City of Porterville and Eagle Mountain Casino will be held Saturday, July 1 at the Porterville Sports Complex.
The event will feature more than 40 food and craft vendors, musical entertainment from local legend DJ Swift, and a popular Spray Zone which will provide chances to cool off throughout the evening— just listen for the Fire Department’s siren as a cue for the water to start. Times for the spray zone will be at 5, 5:45, 6:15 and 7:15 p.m.
Comedy Magician, Tim Mannix, will put on a children’s show at 6:30 p.m. A regular performer at the worldfamous Magic Castle in Hollywood, Mannix has a unique blend of gob-smaking magic, laughout-loud humor and unpredictable onstage antics.
A team of expert demonstration skydivers from Skydive Elsinore will also dot the night sky with red, white, and blue for a special aerial performance at 7:30 p.m.
The finale to the evening is the spectacular fireworks display at 9 p.m. The blast zone for the fireworks show will be on the west side of the Sports Complex behind the dog park. Right before the fireworks, Efrain Martinez will perform the national anthem at 8:55 p.m.
Gates will open earlier this year at 3 p.m. and the event will begin at 5. Gates will close at 8:45 p.m. for those coming to see the fireworks. The cost of admission per carload is $15 per pass in advance and $20 the day of the event and only cash will be accepted the day of the event.
There’s also overflow
parking located at the Porterville Fairgrounds for $5. Porterville Transit will provide shuttle service from the Fairgrounds to the Sports Complex.
Passes can be purchased at the City of Porterville Parks and Leisure Services office at Centennial Plaza at 15 E. Thurman, Suite A.
Those who are going to Eagle Mountain Casino on Saturday during Freedom Fest should take Teapot Dome to avoid traffic.
The event is sponsored by Eagle Mountain Casino, Prime Sanitation, Sierra View Medical Center, Aparicio Farm Labor Contracting, Carroll's Tire Warehouse, and Imperial Ambulance.
For more information on the event, visit ci.porterville.ca.us, call (559) 791-7695 or follow Parks and Leisure Services on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.