The 26th annual Fishers Freedom Festival will be held at Roy G. Holland Park (One Park Drive) on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29. This year’s events include a fun-filled agenda packed with traditional and new attractions that are sure to please all ages. This festival with over 50,000 attendees from all over the U.S. will host live music, fireworks, a 5K event, UFO Major Run Disc Dog Tournament, children/teen tents, dunk tank, water balloon launch, climbing wall, two parades, teen dance, street dance, and more. Plus, there will be arts & crafts sites, business booths, free game booths and food vendors.
A wide range of activities will occur throughout the entire weekend and most events are held rain or shine. New this year are a zip line and photo booth, available from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The zip line is 220′ long and 30′ tall. Participants will be asked to make a donation for this exciting experience. The viral photo booth allows patrons to immediately post their photos onto Facebook.
“We need a lot of volunteers to make this event successful,” says Jennifer Kehl, Executive Director of Fishers Freedom Festival. “We especially need adult volunteers for the regional Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge. There are five obstacles highlighting basic skills and talents of firefighters. At any given regional competition, 75 to 175 competitors will participate in this challenge and spectator attendance is likely to reach 5,000 to 10,000 people throughout the competition. Without volunteers, this event would not be possible.”
The Fishers Parade and Festival, Inc., doing business as Fishers Freedom Festival, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that is independent from the Town of Fishers and the Fishers Chamber of Commerce. Kehl adds, “We hope to recruit more volunteers, sponsors and advertisers. The Town of Fishers supports this event with manpower and a generous donation.”
Freedom Festival Schedule SamplerSaturday, June 28:
6:15 a.m. – 5K Run/2 Mile Family Walk registration
8:00 a.m. – 5K/2 Mile Family Walk & Disc Dog Competition
registration
8:45 a.m. – Free Kiddie Run registration (open to 9 yrs. old and
younger, with many local mascots)
9:00 a.m. – Disc Dog Competition; Silent Auction; Kiddie Run
10:00 a.m. – Opening Ceremonies/announcement of the William D. Kehl
Jr. Volunteer of the Year award winner and Royal
Court crowning
10:30 a.m. – Free Kids Firefighter Combat Challenge
1:00 a.m. – Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge hosted by IU
Health Saxony Hospital
6:00 p.m. – Hot Air Balloon Tethered Rides (on Babe Ruth
Baseball Diamonds)
6:30 p.m. – Street Dance featuring the band “Stella Luna and the
Satellites”
There will be free T-shirts to the first 250 Kiddie Run registrants and to the first 500 Kids Firefighter Challenge participants.
Sunday, June 29:
8:00 a.m. – Registration for Disc Dog and Firefighter Combat
Challenge Competition
8:30 a.m. – Nondenominational church service provided by
Cumberland Road Christian Church
9:30 a.m. – Children’s Parade Line-up
10:00 a.m. – Free Children’s Parade for all kids to participate
(no sign-up required)
11:00 a.m. – Incredi-Plex Kids Sports Zone; Silent Auction; Water
Balloon Launch/Dunk Tank
12:00 p.m. – Beer and Wine Garden opens; Kids’ Entertainment
located in Children’s tent
3:00 p.m. – Main Parade Line-up
4:00 p.m. – Main Parade
6:30 p.m. – Live music by “Big Daddy Caddy”
At Dusk – Fireworks
The Business Tent offers free games for kids on Sunday. Arts & crafts vendors will be available with many hands-on activities such as face painting, crafts, and sand art. There will be food vendors on both days. On Saturday, the Entertainment Tent will host the Fishers Police Department and Hamilton County Law Enforcement K-9 demonstration at noon, Indiana Starfire Cloggers at 2:00 p.m. and Bullet Proof SoulBand at 3:45 p.m. The annual cook-off theme is fruit pies and all are welcome to compete. On Sunday, the Entertainment Tent will feature Chad Mills and The Upright Willies Band at noon, the Mudsock Jazz and Dixieland Band at 1 p.m. and G. Scotten Talent at 2:30 p.m.
Limited parking is available at Holland Park for $5.00 per vehicle. Fishers Freedom Festival is offering complimentary shuttle service to and from Holland Park and these areas: Fishers Municipal Complex, the grass area at the Alhuda Foundation at Lantern Road, Sunblest Blvd. and New Britton Elementary. Although the festival is dog-friendly, dogs are not permitted on shuttle buses or underneath any of the tents, and they must be on leashes.
Back in 1989, the founders of the Fishers Parade and Festival decided to have a community gathering to celebrate Independence Day. With the help of volunteers, the event originated as a one-day community picnic, parade, and a few games for the children. Due to the overwhelming participation by the public, this event grew to a two-day event.
The mission of the Fishers Freedom Festival is to encourage fellowship through civic partnerships and citizen involvement by creating a safe environment, developing needed community services, promoting family integrity and striving to improve the quality of life for every resident by investing in human potential.Jennifer Kehl says, “We welcome festival patrons to come enjoy a family-friendly environment. The Fishers Freedom Festival committee and I delight in planning and have a passion for this event in order to showcase our community spirit.”
Go to fishersfreedomfestival.org to see a more comprehensive schedule of this year’s events. For more information on volunteering or about the festival, please email info@fishersfreedomfestival.org, visit 8591 East 116th Street in Fishers or call 317-595-3195. Make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
We’re looking for volunteers for this years Fishers Freedom Festival!
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