Annual Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival gets underway to celebrate the red, white and true blue

The Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival is on the grow, with more events, new events and more variety in events, to let all ages and interests celebrate the spirit of independence from mid-June to mid-July.

Festival organizers are producing 25 events, from Thursday's Tribute to Heroes Dinner at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, to the bang-up fireworks finale downtown on July 4.

Before, during and after those dates, more than 100 other activities organized by outside groups will round out the offerings of veterans' salutes, music, recreation, crafts and cultural events. Deemed 'affiliated events,” they are presented by outside groups that pay a set fee to be included in festival marketing avenues. They can charge admission fees to cover their costs, but must offer a benefit to patrons wearing a $5 Freedom Festival button, like free or reduced admission or prize drawing entries. Fees are $200 for nonprofits and $350 for for-profit organizations.

'It's a good value (for the presenters) and diversifies our festival,” said Liz Neff, the festival's events and marketing director.

Affiliated events get underway Sunday (6/11), with the Praise on the River concert from 3 to 7 p.m. at McGrath Amphitheatre, 475 First St. SW, Cedar Rapids. Performers include praise bands and a gospel choir, and donations will benefit His Hands Free Medical Clinic. Across town, Marion Square Park will be groovin' from 4 to 10 p.m. that day with art, music, dance, vendors and 'happenings,” as the Artisan's Sanctuary celebrates the 50th anniversary of San Francisco's Summer of Love celebration.

WHAT'S NEW

'We have more new (affiliated events) this year than in the four years I've been here,” Neff said. 'The value of the festival brand has really gone up.”

And audiences always like having different things to attend, she added, like the Dock Dogs aquatics competition. It's been making a splash since 2012, as dogs jump into a pool to retrieve toys or vie for various jumping honors for distance and height. It's moving this year, to the NewBo Ale House parking lot, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 30 to July 2.

'We get a lot of good feedback on the new events,” Neff said. 'We're listening to our community and trying to provide them with what they want.”

The Cedar Rapids Public Library's first cake decorating competition was so popular last year that it's returning and expanding with two events. The Frost-Off! cake decorating contest will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 29 in Beems Auditorium at the downtown library. The Ladd Library's Pop-Off! flavored popcorn competition will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 27 at the Ladd branch, 3750 Williams Blvd. SW. Details and registration information are on the calendar at Crlibrary.org

'It pulls in a different area of our city, a different interest, a different skill, and we're grateful to have that partnership with the library on that event,” said Robyn Rieckhoff, the festival's executive director.

One new event has been three years in the planning, as the Sokol gymnastics organization brings its national 'slet” or 'festival” competition to multiple venues around the Cedar Rapids metro area from June 22 to 25. Founded in Prague in 1862, the all-ages program promoted the philosophy of 'a strong mind in a strong body.”

Events get underway with opening ceremonies from 7 to 9 p.m. June 22 at the Scottish Rite Temple, 616 A Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids. Admission is $10, or $9 with a Freedom Fest button. Competitions begin at 9 a.m. June 23 at Iowa Sports Center, 3055 Robins Rd., Hiawatha, with a volleyball tournament and fitness challenge events; admission is $5 or $4 with a festival button. Gymnastics competitions begin at 9 a.m. June 24 at the Sokol Center, 5200 18th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids; admission is $4 to $5.

The event wraps up from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. June 25 with Sokol Traditions and a closing ceremony at Kingston Stadium, 717 15th St. SW, Cedar Rapids. The presentation includes calisthenics drills, folk dancing and tug of war; admission is $14 to $15.

MUSIC

The Sidewinders will rock the Lowe Park amphitheater, 4500 N. 10th St., Marion, from 7 to 10 p.m. June 25. This division of the 34th Army Concert Band, based in Fairfield, has wowed crowds across the region with high-energy pop hits and classic rock, set to blistering horns. They often jump into the crowd to boogie to the beat in their combat boots and camouflage. The Marion show will include a video honoring veterans, and the crowd can cool off with low-cost root beer floats. Bring chairs and blankets, just in case you want to sit down.

Also new is a music series on the NewBo stage, 1100 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids. the Fed kicks it off from 6 to 9 p.m. June 30, reproducing Steely Dan's jazz/rock fusion. The FunkDaddies keep the party rollin' with horn-driven soul, R&B and dance music a la Tower of Power, Earth, Wind & Fire and Motown hits from 6 to 9 p.m. July 1. Admission is free with a festival button.

The music moves across the river from 6 to 8 p.m. July 3, as The Nadas from Des Moines bring a rock/folk/indie blend to the lawn at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, 1400 Inspiration Pl. SE, Cedar Rapids. Bring chairs, blankets and picnics, but no coolers, alcohol or pets. Food and beverages, including beer, will be available for purchase. Admission is free with a festival button.

Other musical highlights include the Voices of Hope patriotic concerts, 7 p.m. June 27 to 29 at New Covenant Bible Church, 3090 N. Center Point Rd., Cedar Rapids; the Pork Tornadoes heating up the Brucemore front lawn during Balloon Glow, 6 to 10 p.m. June 20 on the historic estate at 2160 Linden Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids; and the Johnny Holm Band returning to headline the July 4 concert at the McGrath Amphitheatre, 475 First St. SW, Cedar Rapids. Admission is free with a festival button.

Other performances include several Cedar Rapids Municipal Band concerts, a Blitzcreek event featuring nearly a dozen bands at 1 p.m. June 17 at the Veterans Memorial Building on the Second Avenue Bridge, raising funds for three veteran groups; pianist Jim McDonough at 6:30 p.m. June 30 at St. Patrick's Church, 500 First Ave. NW, Cedar Rapids, $25 at (319) 362-7966; and a free organ concert from 4 to 5 p.m. July 2 at First Presbyterian Church, 310 Fifth St. SE, Cedar Rapids.

The festival's affiliated events end with the 8th annual Bourbon & Blues Fest at various times July 7 to 9 at Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery, 1441 Marak Rd., Swisher; and the daylong Riley Smith Youth Music Festival on July 15 at the NewBo Market stage.

BIG DAYS

The festival's biggest days are July 1 and 4.

The city will be hopping from the Downtown Farmers' Market to the NewBo/Czech Village area on July 1. The Freedom Festival Parade begins at 10 a.m., in NewBo and ends in Czech Village, reversing the route, because of construction work in Czech Village that limited the staging area, Rieckhoff said. The fun continues in NewBo with Imagination Square and the Building Block Extravaganza for kids, and more, through the FunkDaddies concert.

Downtown is the place to be Independence Day, beginning with the pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Building and the Fifth Season Races, starting at 8 a.m. at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, and continuing with a car show on the Third Avenue Bridge, up through finale festivities that begin at 4 p.m. and end with the bang-up fireworks.

CROWDS

These activities and more attract more and more people, bringing up to 20,000 people to Brucemore for Balloon Glow and 100,000 people downtown for the grand finale. That's where legions of volunteers in the Win-Win-Win program come in handy in cleaning up after the crowds, Rieckhoff said. Crews earn money for a charity of their choice, and help the festival organizers achieve their goal of leaving the grounds spic and span.

Sales of the $5 buttons, available at events, Casey's and Hy-Vee stores in the area, help defray costs for the nonprofit festival, which run about $550,000. Other funding comes through sponsorships, grants and hotel/motel tax funds.

'It's a year-round effort,” Rieckhoff said. 'Liz and I work on it every day. When I took the job, I said there's no way we can be busy every day, but if we don't plug away all year long, we pay for it.”

And on July 5, they don't sleep in.

'Liz and I come back and pick up garbage,” she said. 'Last year, we weren't looking so good, but the mayor stopped in with a compliment.”

'That was much needed,” Neff added.

l Comments: (319) 368-8508; diana.nollen@thegazette.com