Stadium of Fire has been a part of the Freedom Festival for more than four decades, and people still come from far and wide to hear the music, see the fireworks and enjoy the Fourth of July together.
For many, Independence Day is more than just fireworks. It’s a time to reflect on what freedom really means.
Many came to this year's Stadium of Fire to hear their favorite iconic country music from Rascal Flatts.
“Rascal Flatts, they were awesome. ‘Life is a Highway’ was great. I ran all the way from, like, way up there, all the way down here. And (I) just, like, had so much fun,” Kaleb Phillips, a Stadium of Fire volunteer, said.
He also said that the crowd came together during the evening.
“We come here and we're like, yeah, fireworks and music. And then, at the end, everyone was chanting ‘USA,’” Phillips said. “And so I think it becomes like a sense, oh, like, ‘we’re like the same people,’ It's like it's a hive mindset. We all become like a group.”
The lead singer of Rascal Flatts, Gary LeVox, spoke to the audience at the beginning of their performance.
“We need to embrace each other because of our differences, instead of alienating each other because we have differences. We need to come together because we are stronger together and united, than we are divided,” LeVox said. “No matter what happens in the world, no matter what happens in this country, no matter how uncertain your life may seem sometimes, God is still on the throne, he is still in control, and he still calls the shots!”
The event featured tributes to military and civilian heroes, fireworks, a drone show and a performance from Stadium of Fire dancers.
Clarissa Yeoman, a Stadium of Fire performer, has participated in Stadium of Fire four out of the last five years with her dance studio, East Side Dance Academy.
“It was really fun being able to perform with, like, the high-energy crowd,” Yeoman said. “So many people here are, like, so proud of their country and, like, excited to see all this stuff that their nation is proud of.”
For many, the Fourth of July represents a time to express gratitude for their country.
Martin Green attended Stadium of Fire this year and said that, being born in England, the Fourth of July is meaningful to him. He also said his son served in the Air Force for a few years.
“Summing it up, the Fourth of July means to me, not being born in this country means a heck of a lot. … It means really a lot to me because too many people take for granted the freedoms that we have,” Green said. “They don't appreciate what we really do have. When you've lived outside of this country and you see what other people have to deal with, it means a lot more.”