Nearly 12,000 celebrate Fourth of July at 2016 Freedom Fest at Hoover Met
An estimated 11,800 people came out to Hoover Metropolitan Stadium Monday night for the 2016 Freedom Fest music and fireworks festival, city officials said.
“I think everybody enjoyed themselves, and it flowed real well,” said Erin Colbaugh, the city’s events coordinator. “It was hot, but everything went smoothly.”
Everyone seemed to enjoy the nearly 20-minute fireworks show at the end, but they also got a bonus in hearing the Tennessee-based Air National Guard Band of the South, Hoover teen Bailey Ingle and The Negotiators band, Colbaugh said.
The Negotiators had the longest set of the night, playing cover tunes from numerous decades for about an hour, while Ingle played about half an hour.
The Band of the South kicked off the music portion of the night with a host of patriotic tunes and came back at the end to accompany the fireworks show.
The crowd also was entertained by the ZOOperstars, a group of mascot-like characters in inflatable costumes who dance to music, and the Bucket Ruckus, a percussion duo that bangs on buckets and other items.
The festival also included inflatable play centers for kids, face painting, balloon twisters and a car show. Admission was free.
This was the fourth annual Freedom Fest at the Hoover Met. Attendance this year was much better than the estimated 7,000 last year, but the night started off with rain last year, which likely dampened enthusiasm for the event.