Chris Young. Photo: David McClister
Nashville will celebrate Independence Day in spectacular musical fashion for this year’s Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th presented by Dr Pepper Cherry, and will offer a new layout for its main concert stage.
This year’s headliner, Chris Young, will perform on the main concert stage, which will now be located at Fifth and Broadway, while the Nashville Symphony will perform at Ascend Amphitheater. The new configuration will spread attendees over a larger area, allowing those interested in the concert to congregate closer to the “Broadway Stage” at Fifth and Broadway and those attending for the fireworks show to find spots around Riverfront Park, The Green at Riverfront Park and Ascend Amphitheater. The pyrotechnics are synchronized to a live performance by the Nashville Symphony.
This year’s musical lineup also includes the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, R&B artist Jonny P; and new Sony Music Nashville duo The Sisterhood, featuring Alyssa Bonagura and Ruby Stewart, daughter of rock artist Rod Stewart.
Video screens will be placed on Broadway between Third and Fourth Avenue and at Walk of Fame Park. Audio will be piped to Public Square Park, Walk of Fame Park, Riverfront Park and The Green at Riverfront Park. Those sitting in Ascend Amphitheater will be able to watch the Broadway Stage concert on screens, while those on Broadway and Walk of Fame Park will be able to watch the Nashville Symphony performance on screens.
Nashville’s July 4 celebration is a free, family-friendly event. The event will include a Family Fun Zone at Music City Walk of Fame Park from noon to 4 p.m. Live music on the Broadway Stage will kick off with the National Anthem performed by Jason Eskridge and remarks from Mayor Megan Barry at 5:15 p.m. Young will wrap up on the Broadway Stage at 9:15 p.m., at which time attention will move to Ascend Amphitheater and the Nashville Symphony for the 30-minute fireworks show. This will be the third consecutive year Nashville will host the largest fireworks show in the country, featuring more than 35,000 pounds of explosives, and 150 miles of wire.
“With the kind of year Nashville has had, it is only fitting that we celebrate with our largest fireworks show ever,” said Beth Seigenthaler Courtney, board chair of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and president at DVL Seigenthaler. “A diverse lineup of great music will kick off the night on the Broadway Stage, and we will end it with an appropriate bang.”
Attendees primarily interested in fireworks are encouraged to watch from Ascend Amphitheater, Riverfront Park, The Green at Riverfront Park, Lower Broadway, Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge, Public Square Park (with audio) and Walk of Fame Park (with audio).
About the Author
Jessica Nicholson serves as the Managing Editor for MusicRow magazine. Her previous music journalism experience includes work with Country Weekly magazine and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) magazine. She holds a BBA degree in Music Business and Marketing from Belmont University. She welcomes your feedback at jnicholson@musicrow.com.View Author Profile
