Strong turnout for local festivals (W/GALLERY)

After 23 days, countless shows, concerts and community engagement activities, this year's Freedom Festival is set to end with a bang as fireworks are expected to draw up to 90,000 spectators to downtown Cedar Rapids Monday night.

While the threat of soggy weather has put a damper on some Freedom Festival activities over the past couple of years, warm weather and dry skies have allowed this year's 23-day-long schedule of events to be carried out uninterrupted.

“This is the first year since 2005 that we haven't had one rain-shortened or rain-cancelled event,” Freedom Festival board member Susie Weinacht said. “This has been a really special year.”

Aside from the festival's ever-popular Patriotic Pops concert and fireworks display, this year's most popular event was Balloon Glow at Brucemore, which brought in approximately 12,000 spectators on June 28.

First-year events including the Fire Fighter Combat Challenge and Honor of the Station Waterball fight also proved to be popular and may return for future festivals, Freedom Festival interim director Russ Oviatt said.

“Overall, we seemed to be having really good attendance at the events this year,” Oviatt said.

Freedom Festival activities run through this evening and will come to a close with a municipal band concert from 8-9 p.m. and a fireworks display slated to begin at 9:40 p.m. in downtown Cedar Rapids.

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Free concerts bring big crowds to Coralville's 4thFEST

After a long weekend of community engagement activities and concerts, Fourth of July celebrations will end with a grand  fireworks display at Coralville's 4thFEST in S.T. Morrison Park Monday night.

On Sunday night, 4thFEST brought approximately 15,000 community members to the park to take in three free performances by Cedar Island Band, The Grass Roots and Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone, as well as to enjoy summertime food staples and a carnival.

“It was packed last night,” 4thFEST committee chair Paula Bakey said Monday. “The crowd was here at the park all night and people were having a good time.”

Several of 4thFEST's favorite family activities, including a pancake breakfast and Coralville parade, also had a good turnout Monday morning, Bakey said.

Monday night's 4thFEST turnout is expected to remain just as strong as yesterday, with family-friendly entertainment beginning Monday afternoon.

Bingo will be running until 8 p.m., a Panchero's burrito eating contest will take place at 4 p.m., and a 7 p.m. performance by local singer Cassandra Michaels will be followed with a concert by the Iowa City Community Band.

Fireworks will be shot off at nightfall and are expected to last approximately 45 minutes.