Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
Thousands of photographs were taken at Freedom Festival events between June 27 and July 5, and we’ve taken the time to gather a few hundred of our favorites to create two photo albums on our Facebook Page. Included in the albums are images taken from Stadium of Fire, Patriotic Service, the Grand Parade, the Freedom Run, Freedom Days, the Balloon Fest and many more events. We encourage you to take a look — you may even see yourself in some of the photos!
To see images from our first album, go here. To see our second album, go here.
Also, make sure to visit the Daily Herald’s Stadium of Fire photo gallery here.
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010
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.
Tuesday, June 29th, 2010
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.
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
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.
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010
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.
