LARAMIE -- One of Laramie’s favorite annual celebrations, Freedom Has a Birthday, starts tomorrow at Washington Park.

The day will include over 100 information booths offering activities; food vendors; music and entertainment on 3 stages; an inflatable slide and obstacle course; free sandwiches, ice cream, watermelon, and ice water; pie-eating contest; horseshoe tournament, and more.

Cassidy Biggs is the marketing coordinator for the committee.

“This is our 29th year. It’s been going for a long time. It started with a Mom who just wanted some kind of event to have in the community that was free and affordable for kids, and family friendly. She started it, and it’s been going ever since!” Biggs said.

The 29th annual Freedom Has a Birthday event will kick off on Thursday, July 4th at 9:15 a.m. with the opening ceremonies.

“We have opening ceremonies starting first thing in the morning. We’ve got a flag ceremony, the National Anthem being sung, then we have the children’s parade that starts at 9:30. There’s a lot of things to initiate the actual event.”

The parade line up begins at the corner of 20th Street and Rainbow Avenue. How do you register your child for the parade?

“They just show up! Right next to the Regal Fox Theater, that area right on Rainbow Ave. We’ll have a staging area at 9:15. The kids decorate their bikes, all crazy and patriotic. It’s sponsored by Ivinson Memorial Hospital, and they’ll be there to greet the kids with goodies and all that stuff!”

Other Events take place in Washington Park from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM.

“Throughout the day, there will be entertainment on 3 different stages, so you’ll have music, you’ll have dance routines, a lot of different things.”

Biggs expressed much gratitude for the support of all the sponsors.

“We want to give a big Shout Out to our sponsors: BendeRuble Sound, City of Laramie, Laramie Parks & Recreation, Honeywagon, Meadow Gold Dairy, Safeway of Laramie, Albany County, Ivinson Memorial Hospital, LASSO Events, Trihydro, Poppy’s LLC, and Cathedral Home for Children. A BIG shout out to everyone who makes this event possible!” said Biggs.

As usual, there will be free entertainment and activities for the whole family, plus food.

“We have around 15 food booths that will be there. Most restaurants that have food trucks, and we have some non-profits in there too.”

And if the kids are bored, it’s their own fault.

“We’ve got inflatables like crazy. That will be really fun. We’ve also got a water slide, a rock climbing wall, a helicopter, a lot of things coming in that are new this year.”

For many people, including Biggs, celebrating America’s independence with thousands of others at Freedom Has a Birthday, is a most memorable time.

“I’ve grown up in Laramie all my life, and I’ve been to Freedom Has a Birthday since I was young. It just brings a huge sense of community to Laramie. I think it brings everybody together and it brings a lot of fun family, free activities to kids, and families for the holiday, and it’s a safe activity. That’s what I think is the best about it.”

Freedom Has a Birthday brings over 13,000 people together to celebrate Independence Day in the Gem City’s Washington Park for food, live music, entertainment, and a whole lot more. Visit their web site for the complete entertainment schedule and more information on the full days’ activities.

 

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