NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A new addition is coming to Nashville's annual July 4th celebration, and you'll see it in the sky.
For the first time, Music City's massive fireworks show will include drone light elements. The display, regarded as one of the largest fireworks shows in the country will be synchronized to live music from the Nashville Symphony.
Although this is the first time we'll see fireworks and drones together on July 4th, a drone display replaced Nashville's fireworks show in 2020 during the pandemic. Watch a clip in the player above.
Before the fireworks and drone show, you'll see performances on the Jack Daniel's Broadway Stage on First Avenue and Broadway. The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp announced this year's headliner will be multi-platinum entertainer and Grand Ole Opry member Chris Young. Also on taking the stage in 2024: six-time GRAMMY nominee Yola, sibling trio Girl Named Tom, and GMA Dove Award-winner Blessing Offor.
“Chris Young is going to deliver an unforgettable performance as the headliner for yet another spectacular Fourth of July celebration, and we are truly excited about the exceptionally diverse lineup, which features talents like Yola, Girl Named Tom and Blessing Offor,” said Ken Levitan, Chairman of the NCVC Board of Directors and Co-President of Vector Management. “In addition to these thrilling performances, we are proud to introduce new elements to enhance the festivities, such as incorporating drones into the fireworks display and partnering with PENCIL to support their invaluable work of empowering Nashville’s youth. We invite everyone to join us for a full day of music, fireworks and giving back to our community.”
Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th presented by Dr. Pepper is partnering with PENCIL (Public Education Needs Community Involvement and Leadership), which links community resources with students and teachers at Metro Nashville Public Schools. One dollar from each official event t-shirt sold will go to PENCIL, and event sponsors Simply Done and Dr. Pepper will donate school supplies and backpacks to benefit 500 MNPS students.
As always, Let Freedom Sing is free and open to the public. The fun gets started the morning of July 4th at Walk of Fame Park where the Amazon Family Fun Zone will be set up — complete with inflatables, activities and live music.
“Let Freedom Sing! presents a wonderful opportunity for our community to unite,” said Courtney Ross, Amazon’s Senior Manager of Community Engagement. “We are excited to once again support this year’s festivities with the Amazon Family Fun Zone, offering family-friendly activities and showcasing performances from local artists.”
The event has regularly drawn more than 200,000 attendees and in 2023, Let Freedom Sing! generated $11.6 million in estimated direct visitor spending.
This year, Americans are expected to spend around 12 billion dollars on candy, costumes, and decorations. Over the last few years, it seems many more people are going all out on decorating their homes. Forrest Sanders had the chance to visit several mid-state communities to check out some of those Halloween decorations.
-Lelan Statom
