Celebrate July 4th in Nashville
Let Freedom Sing! is one of our biggest parties of the year. Come celebrate July 4th with lots of live music, activities for all ages, and a gasp-inspiring fireworks display. New this year: 400 drones in formation.
Let Freedom Sing! is one of our biggest parties of the year. Come celebrate July 4th with lots of live music, activities for all ages, and a gasp-inspiring fireworks display. New this year: 400 drones in formation.
Held annually in East Park, 11am-3pm, it’s your chance to sample some of our hottest commodities from nine purveyors of pyrotechnic poultry. Festivities kick off with a fire truck parade at 10:30am followed by kids’ activities, a beer garden, and an amateur chef competition.
First pitch is at 6:05. Prices start at $11.75 and they serve above-average food. It’s always a good time–even if you don’t like baseball. When it’s time for the big fireworks display, walk east on Jefferson Street. I think you’ll have a pretty good view from the bridge.
Located between the Downtown Hilton and the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, the Amazon Family Fun Zone offers a ton of activities for your little people and live music for all. It opens at noon (Update: previous press info incorrectly stated 11am).
Hungry? Right next door next to Bridgestone Arena, look for a food truck zone.
In addition to the stage at the Amazon Family Fun Zone, live music will be nonstop at all the honky tonks and music venues in the Lower Broadway area. Here’s a rundown of our featured performers on the two main stages:
BROADWAY STAGE
ASCEND AMPHITHEATRE
TIP: WTVF-TV is livecasting the symphony performance so you could stream it to get the soundtrack to accompany the fireworks: newschannel5.com.
Thousands will gather along Broadway and 1st Avenue–but other primo locations include Ascend Amphitheatre, the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, Metro Courthouse lawn, Woodland Street Bridge, and Rutledge Hill. If you opt for the downtown area, make life less of a hassle by reading through these lists;
You can bring:
Don’t bring:
REMINDER: live streaming or recording of concerts with phones is illegal.
You don’t have to be downtown to have a great view of the fireworks. In fact, because there’s less development on the East Bank, the panoramic view from a distance is wider so you have more options. My friend Melinda took this shot from East Nashville a few years ago. Aside from not hearing the live music, the experience is pretty amazing. Because there will be slightly less traffic congestion, travel will likely be a little easier.
Every downtown hotel, honky tonk, and restaurant with a public rooftop is offering something special–at a price. Admission ranges from $15 which simply gives you rooftop access to full-on catered celebrations and excellent sight lines for up to $300 per person.
What if you brought an oversized bag or an unpermitted item?
Lockers are available for $10/item at three locations: 1st Ave. N. near Union Street, near the entrance to the Pedestrian Bridge and on Broadway at 6th Avenue, S.
If I don’t care to see the symphony performance, where can I watch the fireworks?
What about downtown parking and transportation?
Two sources of information: the tourist commission’s link and my link at the end of this post.
What time should I arrive?
Depends entirely on what you want to see and do. I would recommend arriving at least an hour before a performance and as much as two hours before the fireworks to find a good viewing area.
When you need more than a Honky Tonk
For after-hours care, the closest ER facilities are St. Thomas Midtown and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Another option is GetWell Health, a mobile medical practice that comes to you for basic care, IV infusions, and such.
Read what downtown police officers recommend to stay safe and be smart downtown.