July 3, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Provo, UT–July 3, 2010–To facilitate the flow of traffic after America’s Freedom Festival at Provo’s Stadium of Fire on Saturday night, Provo City offers the following advice for those planning to attend the event or to view the fireworks display from outside the stadium:
* If possible, walk; don’t use a car. If you must use a car, carpool, and park as far away from the stadium as possible. Avoid parking in neighborhoods with narrow streets. It will likely save you time in the end.
* When walking, stay on the sidewalks and cross at intersections with traffic lights. Jaywalking is not only illegal and unsafe, it also causes others unnecessary delay. Pedestrians can significantly reduce traffic congestion after major events by following regular pedestrian safety rules.
Typically about 50,000 people attend the Stadium of Fire, and thousands more gather nearby to watch the fireworks from outside the stadium, creating traffic challenges at the end of the event. ”We’ve looked at this issue from every angle,” explained Provo City Mayor John Curtis. ”What it comes down to is the volume of people. There’s no way around it. What will help most is the patience and cooperation of the public.”
For the first time this year, the Stadium of Fire will include a post-show street dance on the west side of the stadium, which is expected to help by giving Stadium of Fire attendees a reason to leave more gradually. ”They can enjoy and dance to a wide variety of popular music while waiting out the traffic,” stated America’s Freedom Festival Executive Director Paul Warner.
June 29, 2010 | Uncategorized | 4 Comments
Provo, Utah – June 29, 2010 – America’s Freedom Festival is pleased to announce that Tony Award nominee Lou Diamond Phillips will host Stadium of Fire on Saturday, July 3rd at Brigham Young University’s LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.
“The public’s enthusiastic response for this year’s Stadium of Fire has been tremendous,” said Carl Bacon, the show’s Executive Producer. “Our team is releasing more tickets, from as low as $30, to meet the swelling interest in seeing headliner Carrie Underwood perform, as well as superb talent like The Five Browns, Jenny Oaks Baker, The Osmonds Second Generation, and now, Lou Diamond Phillips.”
New seats released by the Freedom Festival are now available at byutickets.com.
Hardly a stranger to music, theater, film and television, Lou Diamond Phillips first came to the public’s attention when he starred as Richie Valens in ‘La Bamba.’ He then solidified his reputation in ‘Stand and Deliver,’ for which he won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor and received a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe nomination. Phillips also co-starred in Ed Zwick’s critically acclaimed drama, ‘Courage Under Fire,’ where re received strong reviews and a Blockbuster Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Recently he starred in ‘CHE,’ alongside Benicio Del Toro and Benjamin Bratt. Other notable film credits include ‘Supernova,’ ‘Hollywood Homicide,’ ‘Young Guns,’ ‘The Big Hit,’ ‘Brokedown Palace’ and ‘El Cortez.’
Phillips earned a Tony nomination for Best Actor, for his performance as the King of Siam in the Broadway production of Roger & Hammerstein’s, “The King and I,” which received six Tony nominations in all. He recently starred in the national tour of “Camelot,” as “King Arthur.”
But Phillips has a more vested interest in the July 4th holiday that goes deeper than music and fireworks. He was born at Subic Bay US Naval Station in the Phillipines, the son of a US Naval Officer. And Phillips was named after legendary US Marine, Lou Diamond.
Phillips can currently be seen on the SyFy series ‘Stargate: Universe’ alongside Robert Carlyle and Ming-Na and Lou also continues appear on the hit series ‘Numb3rs’ as Agent Ian Edgerton. A few of his other memorable television credits include: ‘Psych,’ ‘Law and Order: SVU,’ ‘Wolf Lake,’ ‘The Beast’ and ‘The Triangle.’
As a director, Phillips most recently helmed the Hallmark Channel movie ‘Love Takes Wing.’ He made his directorial debut with ‘Dangerous Touch,’ a psychological thriller that he co-wrote for HBO. Lou has also directed episodes of ‘Resurrection Blvd.,’ ‘The Outer Limits,’ and ‘The Twilight Zone.’
Phillips, originally born in the Philippines, was raised in Texas. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife, Yvonne. He has four daughters, Indigo, Grace, Isabella and Lili.
June 23, 2010 | Uncategorized | 7 Comments
Provo, Utah – June 23, 2010 – America’s Freedom Festival at Provo is delighted to present a unique musical tribute to freedom during this year’s Patriotic Service on Sunday, June 27 at BYU’s Marriott Center at 7:00 p.m. In addition to an inspirational message from Pro Football Hall of Fame member Steve Young, special musical numbers will be performed by exemplary talent from throughout the region.
Classical violinist Jenny Oaks Baker, actor and singer Alex Boyé, and the Utah National Guard’s renowned 23rd Army Band will contribute to the evening with outstanding musical presentations. Steve Young, the former quarterback for the BYU Cougars and San Francisco 49ers, will share his insights of the significance of U.S. citizenship.
“Our particular emphasis on patriotic music and narration will make this year’s service quite different from those in previous years,” said Paul Warner, Executive Director of America’s Freedom Festival. “More time will be allocated to musical solos, duets and other artistic performances. We believe the Patriotic Service will be an outstanding evening that will successfully usher in the July 4th season.”
Additional performers during the event include solo artist and musical theater favorite George Dyer, classical and pop singer Jenny Jordan Frogley, and the incredibly talented and musically versatile Kendra Lowe.
Word and song throughout the Patriotic Service will honor Utah veterans, American casualties of war, and the preservation of human rights and religious freedom. Cameron Partovi, winner of the Freedom Festival’s Speech Contest, will also be recognized.
All are welcome to attend the Patriotic Service. Admission is free.
June 1, 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments
Provo, Utah – May 28, 2010 – Approximately 900 community leaders, dignitaries and Wasatch Front residents will gather at Brigham Young University in Provo on July 2nd for the 25th annual Freedom Awards Gala, sponsored by America’s Freedom Festival. Notable guests will be honored for their significant contribution to the cause of liberty, including Greg Mortenson, acclaimed author of the #1 New York Times bestseller “Three Cups of Tea”.
Mortenson, an internationally recognized writer and humanitarian, is the co-founder and executive director of Central Asia Institute, a non-profit organization that promotes and supports community-based education, especially for girls, in remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mortenson has received widespread acclaim from numerous foundations, universities and national governments for his devotion to building schools and educating children in Central Asia. The Freedom Festival is pleased to present Greg Mortenson, author of “Three Cups of Tea” and “Stones into Schools”, with the Freedom Award.
“The Freedom Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary devotion to the cause of liberty at home and abroad,” said Vicki Garbutt, organizer and chairperson of the Freedom Awards Gala. “Some of our recipients this year, including Greg Mortenson, have significantly risked their personal safety and well-being to help assure the freedom of others.”
Additional recipients of this year’s Freedom Award include Elizabeth Howell, who lost her husband on 9/11 and subsequently devoted her life to humanitarian work, Jeffrey Olsen, a Chicago trash collector that regularly saves American flags he finds improperly disposed of, and the Louis and Anna Henderson family, who represent five brothers sent overseas simultaneously during World War II.
The Freedom Awards Gala will be held Friday, July 2, 2010, at 6:30pm in the BYU Wilkinson Center Ballroom. Tickets for the event are $50 per person ($40 per person for obstructed view tickets) and will be available June 1 at the BYU Marriott Center Ticket Office. Tickets go quickly.
Residents are encouraged to join the Freedom Festival’s email database to receive future updates about event ticket opportunities. A link to join can be found at www.freedomfestival.org.
May 26, 2010 | Announcements | 5 Comments
Provo, Utah – May 26, 2010 – America’s Freedom Festival is pleased to announce that several internationally-recognized Utah musicians will perform at Stadium of Fire on July 3rd, including The 5 Browns, Jenny Oaks Baker and The Osmonds Second Generation. The Utah talent appearing this year, in addition to superstar headline performer Carrie Underwood, creates a diverse musical presentation beyond anything seen at previous Stadium of Fire events.
“For Stadium of Fire’s 30th anniversary, we are going to celebrate the great musical talent that Utah continuously generates,” said Carl Bacon, senior executive producer of the event. “Utah is a national stronghold of world-class music, dance and entertainment, and we’re thrilled to have several of those notable performers with us for Stadium of Fire.”
The 5 Browns, a classical piano quintet consisting of five siblings from Utah, is one of the most celebrated and distinguished classical musical groups in the world. The quintet, consisting of Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae, became the first family of five siblings ever accepted simultaneously to the legendary Julliard School in New York City.
The 5 Browns performance will include selections from their latest best-selling album, In Hollywood, using five grand pianos at one time during Stadium of Fire, a rare and unique musical display. The famous group has previously released three albums that each went to No. 1 on Billboard magazine’s Classical Albums chart, and has garnered extensive coverage from media outlets like Oprah, 60 Minutes, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Good Morning America, Today and The View.
Jenny Oaks Baker, one of America’s most accomplished violinists, will also add a fresh, distinctive flavor to Stadium of Fire. Ms. Baker was born in Salt Lake City, earned a music degree from the Julliard School and has performed with symphony orchestras at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Library of Congress and many other distinguished venues around the world. In 2005, she made her solo debut with Washington, D.C.’s National Symphony Orchestra, with whom she was first violinist for seven years.
Ms. Baker’s latest album, Then Sings My Soul, recently hit No. 1 on Billboard magazine’s Traditional Classical Albums chart. She has released nine albums since 1998 which have sold more than 150,000 copies, garnered numerous Pearl Awards and, in 2008, Ms. Baker was awarded the Governor’s Mansion Artists Award for Excellence in artistic expression by Governor John M. Huntsman, Jr.
The Osmonds Second Generation is a pop group of eight brothers, renowned in Utah and around the nation for their tight harmonies and family musical blend. The sons of Alan Osmond, the boys were given their start at a very young age by Bob Hope. The Osmonds Second Generation has spent the last 25 years traveling the globe performing in over 14 different countries.
In addition, all eight brothers in the pop group are Eagle Scouts. Their shared Boy Scout heritage is a fitting tribute as the Boy Scouts of America celebrates 100 years in 2010. In honor of the Boy Scouts Centennial, The Osmonds Second Generation will add an important musical component as Stadium of Fire hosts the largest Eagle Scout Court of Honor in history.
Additional acts occurring during Stadium of Fire include a performance by Southern Utah country music star Eric Dodge, a special choreographed performance by the Stadium of Fire Dancers and, of course, the headline concert performance by Grammy and CMA Award winning artist, Carrie Underwood. The largest land-based Independence Day fireworks show in America will bring Stadium of Fire to a close.
Though many Stadium of Fire seats sold out quickly within the first few days of announcing Carrie Underwood as headliner, a host of previously unavailable seats have just been released by the production team and are now available for purchase at stadiumoffire.com. Seats from all price ranges, from $30 to $120, are again open to the public.
Stadium of Fire will be televised to America’s troops and their families for the eighth consecutive year on American Forces Television Network. The telecast is donated to the military by Stadium of Fire organizers, America’s Freedom Foundation.
