Arizona's Celebration of Freedom Festival Held In Downtown Mesa 7/2-3

Downtown Mesa, on the Fourth of July weekend, is the place to be in 2010 for the inaugural Arizona's Celebration of Freedom festival. This spectacular, two-day event full of entertainment, classic cars, motorcycles, beer gardens, art, music, patriotic displays and education, games, family fun, and more will be held on Friday and Saturday, July 2 and 3. Dubbed as "the coolest independence festival in the state" with its more than a dozen "cool zones," the event also features the nationally-acclaimed Mesa Arts Center. It is sure to become the State's premiere July festival that recognizes America's freedom and independence.

The Arizona Celebration of Freedom is a community event led by the Mesa Sertoma Club, the Downtown Mesa Association, the Mesa Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Mesa. Other key organizations such as Downtown Events; Inc.; The Heritage Academy; the Downtown Mesa Merchants and dozens of community groups with hundreds of volunteers will be working together to make the festivities a great success.

"This celebration is going to be like no other." Mayor Scott Smith said. "We will be shooting off pyrotechnic fireworks from the top of City Hall and the Mesa Arts Center followed by an intense fireworks display ending the two-day festival on Saturday night. What better way to celebrate America than with a community event with something for everyone; games, music, food, and even a venue for political candidates to share their views."

The event begins Friday night with the popular "Motorcycles on Main" event in downtown Mesa and a ceremonial flag raising event at Stage America, the event's main stage. All along Main Street, bands and other performers will be playing various genres of music, while downtown businesses including restaurants and other retail outlets will stay open to provide opportunities for unique shopping and dining.

Saturday night includes an American classic car show and the official Salute to America program featuring musical performances, brief comments by Mayor Scott Smith and others and a spectacular fireworks display choreographed to a special selection of patriotic songs.

Each night, the event includes "fun zones" and specific program areas up and down Main Street. The Wet Zone, a "you-will-get-soaked" area at the event, is sure-to-be popular with kids and adults with more than

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a dozen water activities. The Family Fun Zone, your traditional county fair area includes games, pie-eating and watermelon-eating contests, carnival games for the kids and more.

Heritage Lane includes larger-than-life inflatable replicas of some of America's greatest monuments to freedom in front of Mesa's Heritage Academy with famous historical characters giving tours and available for photos. Individuals can hear stories told of our founding fathers and sign their names to replicas of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

The Mesa Arts Center campus becomes Freedom Plaza and will feature performances by the Symphony of the Southwest and the Salt River Brass playing patriotic songs and readings in the fabulous Ikeda Theater.

"We are excited to host this spectacular event in our downtown." DMA Board Chair FrEddie Curry said. "We are closing Main Street for two days and turning the street into Mesa's largest community entertainment venue to celebrate our nation's Independence with icons that make America what it is today - motorcycles, cars, bands, family activities and more. Our downtown businesses will remain open during the day with lots of parking available behind buildings."

CALENDAR ALERT:

What: Arizona's Celebration of Freedom, FREE TO THE PUBLIC, FREE PARKING
When: Fri., July 2, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Sat., July 3, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Who: All are welcome

Where: Downtown Mesa (Street Closures: Main Street, from Morris just west of Robson to Centennial just east of Center Street Center, Macdonald, and Robson 1st Street to 1st Avenue)

For more information go to www.azcelebrationoffreedom.org. 

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