July 4th Fun Facts

The Event

Multi-platinum Country superstar Dierks Bentley will headline Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th presented by Dr Pepper. The downtown event will present one of the country’s largest July 4th fireworks and drone shows synchronized to live music from the GRAMMY-winning Nashville Symphony. Let Freedom Sing! will feature the free Amazon Family Fun Zone and include inflatables and live music on the Southwest Airlines Stage. The concert, fireworks, and drone show are free and open to the public. The event drives significant economic activity, supporting local businesses, generating tax revenue, and boosting tourism across the city.

Bentley will be joined on the Jack Daniel’s Broadway Stage by a lineup that showcases diverse musical influences, including multi-platinum sensation Russell Dickerson—known for his high-energy live shows and recent viral hit “Happen To Me,” along with chart-toppers like “Yours” and “Blue Tacoma;” Niko Moon, noted for his blend of laid-back coastal vibes and country and pop influences, as well as his multi-platinum single “Good Time;” and Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge. Bowers is an 18-year-old, award-winning guitarist, songwriter and bandleader whose independent release of her debut album Wine on Venus combines funk, soul, blues, and rock.

The Amazon Family Fun Zone at Music City Walk of Fame Park will offer family-friendly activities during the day with a multi-genre lineup of music on the Southwest Airlines Stage that includes Walker Montgomery, The Nashville Soul Experience, Charlie Worsham, KIRWAN the band, and Les Kerr and The Bayou Band. Amber Anderson will emcee the Southwest Airlines Stage, and DJ Rod Youree will entertain between sets.

The event shifts in the evening to the free concert at the Jack Daniel’s Broadway Stage located at First and Broadway. Nashville-based artist Keesha Rainey will perform the National Anthem. Kelly Sutton will emcee the Jack Daniel’s Broadway Stage, and DJ Dave Aude will provide entertainment between sets.

After the concert, the event will move to Ascend Amphitheater for the live performance by the Nashville Symphony accompanying the 30-minute fireworks and drone show.

Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th presented by Dr Pepper is produced by Music City Inc., the foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, for the city of Nashville. The free, family-friendly event was created to entertain Nashvillians and attract visitors to generate economic activity and tax revenue for the city. The event has regularly drawn more than 200,000 attendees – and a record-breaking 355,000 in 2024. In 2024, Let Freedom Sing! generated a record $17.5 million in estimated direct visitor spending. This will be the 22nd annual celebration produced by Music City Inc. through the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and the 41st in the city.

Fireworks & Drone Lights

Fireworks

• This year, there will continue to be four major positions, so the show will cover a larger air space above the Cumberland River.
• The show’s finale will continue to be one of the most powerful in the country.
• The largest shells in the show will be American 8-inch shells. They travel 800 feet in the air and will break with a diameter of almost 800 feet.
• There will be more than 1,000 floating flares and special ghost shells as part of the show.
• Twenty technicians from Pyro Shows will set up the show over the course of 10 days.
• 40,000 pounds of explosives and 200 miles of wire will be used.
• Twelve flatbed trailers mounted with fireworks will be staged outside Nissan Stadium.
• Some 35,000 pounds of sand will be used to bury the largest shells.
• There will be eight pyrotechnicians in a steel bunker located in the middle of the show firing the shells synchronized to the Nashville Symphony performance.

Drone Light Elements

• This is the second year for a drone show to be incorporated, with 400 drones being added to the fireworks show.
• The drones will fly 700’ high in the sky under a special FAA waiver.
• There will be two drone pilots captaining the entire show.
• Sky Elements Drone Shows, who produced the drone show, is a thirteen-time Guinness World Record holder.

Fireworks Viewing

For those primarily interested in watching the fireworks, they are encouraged to go to the following locations that are part of the city’s July 4th event campus:

• Lower Broadway
• Ascend Amphitheater
• Riverfront Park
• The Green at Riverfront Park
• Public Square Park
• Music City Walk of Fame Park
• Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge
• Gay Street Connector

Exclusive Viewing Area packages are available for purchase. This experience is known to sell out quickly and space is limited: Lodging Package or Ticket.

Audio will be available on Broadway from First Avenue to Sixth Avenue, Walk of Fame Park, Riverfront Park, The Green at Riverfront Park, Gay Street Connector, Public Square Park, Second Avenue North and Ascend Amphitheater.

Video screens will be placed at the Jack Daniel’s Broadway Stage, along Broadway, Ascend Amphitheater, Gay Street Connector, Riverfront Park, The Green at Riverfront Park and Walk of Fame Park. A video screen and picnic tables will be on Second Avenue near Commerce Street.

Those sitting in Ascend Amphitheater will be able to watch the concert on the Jack Daniel’s Broadway Stage on a screen, while those on Broadway will be able to watch the Nashville Symphony performance on two onstage screens.

Event Production

• Number of Production Trucks: 40+ throughout the event
• Number of Lighting Fixtures: 231
• LED/Pixel Count: Over 2,000,000 pixels of LED
• LED Square Footage: Over 5,000 square feet of video
• Video Cable: Over five miles of fiber optic cable
• Cable Ramps: 1,000 cable ramps, which can cover half a mile of cable
• Power Cables: Over four miles of cable on the ground to power the event
• Audio Speaker Count: 235
• Number of Production Crew/Staff: Over 200 on the busiest day
• Square feet of stage: 7,200
• Pieces of equipment: 97

Guidelines, Weather Safety, and Security Procedures

The city’s annual free July 4 concert with the fireworks and drone show is expected to draw a large crowd and to ensure maximum safety for attendees, backpacks and coolers will not be permitted. Attendees are encouraged to pack smart, stay hydrated and bring refillable water bottles to fill at free water stations. In addition, five misting stations and cooling areas will be stationed around the event site to help eventgoers stay cool throughout the day. First-aid tents will be located throughout the event site. Attendees are encouraged to pack sunscreen, hats, visors and sunglasses to help fight the heat.

There will be eight first aid locations with personnel from Vanderbilt Event Medical with Metro EMS onsite. Attendees should expect wanding and to walk-through magnetometers. All personal items are subject to searches. A list of House Rules is available.

Note: John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge and the Woodland Street Bridge will be closed to all traffic and pedestrians at 8:00PM. They will reopen following the event at the discretion of Metro Nashville Police Department.

Parking & Transportation

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office reminds everyone to plan ahead and find a sober ride home this Independence Day. Remember: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

Find Parking & Transportation

ACCESSIBILITY

Let Freedom Sing! offers an ADA-accessible viewing area for the Jack Daniel’s Broadway Stage for individuals using wheelchairs with an ASL interpreter available in the same area on platforms located near Broadway and Second Avenue. This area will have limited companion seating, allowing one companion to accompany users, and there are a limited number of chairs available on a first-come, first-served basis. Riverfront Park and Ascend Amphitheater offer designated ADA seating options. Canes used for mobility are permitted. ADA portable toilets will be located throughout the event site.

Let Freedom Sing! is introducing Sensory Bags and a Sensory Room by KultureCity, which works with venues and events to help make them Sensory Inclusive for individuals with sensory needs. Sensory Bags will be available at the Kulture City tent located at Walk of Fame Park and on Second Avenue South, where the Sensory Room will be located.

Some common diagnoses often associated with sensory processing impairment include Autism, ADHD, anxiety, PTSD, Down’s Syndrome, Parkinson’s, dementia, and traumatic brain injuries. Sensory Bags will include noise-canceling headphones for those sensitive to sound; strobe-reduction sunglasses to minimize visual discomfort caused by bright or flickering lights; fidget tools, which can help relieve anxiety; visual cue card, which provides clear visual instructions or reminders; and a feeling thermometer card, a tool allowing individuals to express their emotions visually.

Community Partnerships

Let Freedom Sing! partners with local organizations to give back to the community and to make the event more accessible, sustainable, and safe.

• Let Freedom Sing! is partnering with Dierks Bentley’s Broken Branches Fund, which will provide mental health resources to the creative and touring communities in partnership with Music Health Alliance (MHA). More information and to donate to the fund HERE.
• StageWater canned water ($4) will be available for purchase at beverage stands and throughout the Let Freedom Sing! event footprint. The company donates a portion of proceeds to support nonprofits that assist those in need within the entertainment industry, such as providing healthcare and hardship grants and supporting independent venues and promoters. StageWater is led by CEO Chris Thacker, tour manager for Bentley, and CMO Zach Belcher, Bentley’s touring photographer and videographer.
• Accessibility features will include an ADA platform and ASL interpreter at the Broadway Stage with additional ADA seating areas available at Riverfront Park and at Ascend Amphitheater. New this year, the event will add a partnership with KultureCity to provide Sensory Bags and a Sensory Room. Sensory Bags will be available at the Kulture City tent located at Walk of Fame Park and on Second Avenue South, where the Sensory Room will be located.
• The NCVC will continue sustainability practices from previous years, including recycling cardboard, aluminum and plastic; recycling solid grease and grease water; composting and upcycling signage for re-use as art supplies; and using energy-saving LED lights in video and lighting, as well as solar powered lights.
  • Care Kitchen Outreach will pick up extra catered food to distribute to local nonprofits.
  • Compost Nashville will collect organic waste material at compost stations at the Amazon Family Fun Zone in Music City Walk of Fame Park and along First Avenue North near Riverfront Park.
• For the first time, the event will include Sober Space in partnership with Cumberland Heights, similar to the Sober Space at the 2024 New Year’s Eve concert. Sober Space provides a welcoming environment for individuals, families, and allies of those in recovery from addiction and alcoholism.
• Let Freedom Sing! will be a Safe Bar event, with key bar and security staff trained in bystander intervention and awareness about alcohol’s role in sexual assault. For more information, visit SafeBarApp.org.
• Volunteers with Red Frogs help create a positive presence at music festivals. They will have a tent at the Amazon Family Fun Zone at Music City Walk of Fame Park and on Second Avenue North where they will provide free phone charging, give away cups of water to help keep everyone hydrated and provide sunscreen. Red Frogs volunteers will also rove the event site to ensure patrons are safe and to provide immediate help where needed.

PARTNERS & SPONSORS

Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th is presented by Dr Pepper and partners include Advance Financial, Budweiser, Crav’n Flavor®, Dr Pepper Blackberry, Folds of Honor Tennessee, General Jackson Showboat, Gibson Gives, Jack Daniel’s, Kroger, NUTRL, Omni Nashville Hotel, Southwest Airlines®, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Tennessee Highway Safety Office: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk, 97.9 The BIG 98, 103.3 Country and 95.5 WSM.

Sponsor activations will take place from Noon to 7pm.

Advance Financial
Snap a photo at the Advance Financial Photo Op located on Broadway between Third and Fourth Avenue.

The Big Bite Tour
The Big Bite Tour will share thousands of FREE samples from Ghirardelli Chocolate, Whitman Chocolate, Town House Crackers and Club Crackers. They will be located on Broadway at Fifth Avenue in front of the Apple store. Follow @TheBigBiteTour.

Budweiser and NUTRL
Budweiser and NUTRL are proud partners of Let Freedom Sing!

Crav’n Flavor®
Get snack’n with Crav’n Flavor® and stop by their Snack Booth to sample chips and crackers and snap a picture with their ice cream sandwich swing. Loved what you tried? Make sure to look for them at your local, independent, and regional grocers where you can find more favorites like ice cream, pizza, snack nuts, beef jerky, and more.

Dr Pepper
Don’t miss the Dr Pepper Football Toss and sample Dr Pepper Blackberry at two locations. They will also have other fun games, giveaways and plenty of Adirondack chairs to relax at the Amazon Family Fun Zone.

Folds of Honor Tennessee
Visit Folds of Honor Tennessee in the Amazon Family Fun Zone, where they will have an array of merchandise for sale, including t-shirts, hats and more. Folds of Honor provides scholarships nationwide to the families of fallen and disabled service members and first responders.

Gibson Gives Instrument Petting Zoo
Enjoy Epiphone Power Players electric guitars, acoustic guitars and ukuleles available for young artists to explore their creative side.

Jack Daniel’s
Where there’s music, there’s Jack. Visit the Jack Daniel’s Frozen Trailer or Airstream for a favorite cocktails. Jack Daniel’s is offering a $10 Uber code for July 4. QR codes will be available around the event site. Drink responsibly.

Luzianne® Tea
The annual Good Times Tour of Southern festivals is brewing up fun and inviting loyal Luzianne customers for some free fresh-brewed sweet tea and good old-fashioned Southern hospitality. At the Amazon Family Fun Zone, look for the famous Brew House, where they’ll be brewing homemade sweet tea on the spot. Take a photo at the Luzianne photo wall, spin the prize wheel for merchandise like koozies and bandanas, relax in comfy lounge chairs, and chill with their team for a while.

Reser’s Fine Foods
Join Reser’s Fine Foods as they celebrate 75 years of great food, good times, and family fun. Stop by the Reser’s Good Times Tour Experience to snap a picture, cool off, play some games and sample America’s favorite potato salad. Reser’s deli salads and sides have been a delicious part of gatherings and celebrations nationwide. Be sure to look for the iconic red lid in your local grocer’s deli aisle and bring Reser’s home to enjoy. Follow @resersfinefoods for special offers and events.

SkinnyDipped
All Joy. No Junk. Tastes like an endless hot snack summer. SkinnyDipped takes loads of coconut and crunchy almonds and then thinly dips them into a rich, dark chocolate shell. With only 3g of sugar, there’s a taste of joy in every bite.

Tennessee Highway Safety Office: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk 
The Tennessee Highway Safety Office reminds everyone to plan ahead and find a sober ride home this Independence Day. Remember: Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk.

Social Media

The official hashtag for the 2025 Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th is #NashvilleJuly4. Please use this hashtag in all social media posts about the event and follow along to join the conversation.

Follow @VisitMusicCity on social media for event updates, information, and answers to your #NashvilleJuly4 questions.