NOTE: Scroll down to see the Freedom Fest parade lineup and a full schedule of events.

The Fourth of July Celebration has taken on many names in Austin: Cedar River Days, SpamTown USA Festival and — most recently — Freedom Fest. But to Austin Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sandy Forstner, the theme has always been the same.

“It’s a red, white and blue family-oriented event,” he said.

Freedom Fest — Austin’s annual celebration of patriotism, community pride and family — returns July 3-6.

“It’s been a good celebration a long time,” Forstner said.

According to estimates, at least 20,000 people attend Freedom Fest and the parade each year.

Festivities kickoff around 2 p.m. Thursday at Bandshell Community Park with performances by Jane Taylor Academy of Dance and Bridget’s Dance Conservatory, the Miss Sparkler/Mr. Firecracker pageant at 3:30 p.m., and other entertainment at the bandshell. Fun and entertainment continues throughout July 3 and 4, with the bandshell entertainment featuring mostly Austin talent. Inflatables at the park will be free on both days.

“I think that will really be nice for kids,” Forstner said.

This year’s celebration will bring back a festival-favorite by popular demand: Two nights of fireworks on July 3 and 4.

“I think the thing I’m most excited about is the return of the two nights of fireworks,” said Austin Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sandy Forstner.

Forstner said organizers know two things about the celebration: “People love the parade and they love the fireworks.”

More small group entertainers — jugglers, clowns and more — will be in the park performing for small groups of people, according to Forstner.

The parade returns at 11 a.m. Friday, preceded by the 10:45 a.m. Mini Piggy YMCA Fun Run. With North Main Street closed for work on an “invisible” flood wall along Mill Pond, the Fourth of July parade will feature an altered route. The parade will start at Austin Utilities, 400 Fourth St. NE, and move down Fourth Avenue Northeast before turning south onto Main Street North — its normal route — and running to Bandshell Community Park.

“It’ll make a nice route, too,” Forstner said, noting there are many parking opportunities and the parade will still go through a commercial district.

The changed route will be about a block shorter and feature one turn.

Along with an altered route, parade goers will see something else new during this year’s parade: political candidates. The chamber rescinded a rule disallowing political candidates from being in the parade, and both candidates for the House District 27B — DFL incumbent Jeanne Poppe and Republican challenger Dennis Schminke — are in the parade.

“It’s quite a tradition here in Austin,” he added.

Forstner said the parade will have a few more marching bands than 2013.

Jeanine Nelson, a chamber ambassador of more than 20 years, is looking at Freedom Fest through a different lens this year as the chamber’s head of member relations and major events. She praised people like Forstner and Jeff Baldus, the executive director of the Austin Area Foundation who still is a vital organizer for the festival.

“A lot is taken for granted,” she said.

When asked about her favorite part of the festival, Nelson didn’t have to think long: “Of course it’s the parade and the fireworks,” she said.

The Kids Fishing Contest, the Hog Jog five-mile run and the 25-mile Dan Ulwelling Bike Race all return July 5. The chamber is urging people to register early for the races at www.ymca-austin.org for the run and www.austincoc.com for the bike race; however, race-day registration is available for both.

However, The Hormel Institute’s “Walk for a Cancer-Free World” is not returning for a fourth year.

 

Freedom Fest parade lineup

1. VFW Post & Auxiliary

2. American Legion Post 91 & Auxiliary

3. American Legion Post 146-Adams

4. DAV

5. Boy Scouts

6. Girl Scouts

7. Austin High Cheerleaders

8. Austin High School Marching Band

9. Grand Marshal

10. Gene’s Pedalists

11. Friends of the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center

12. Matchbox Childrens Theatre

13. City of Austin Mayor Tom Stiehm

14. Little Miss Sparkler (Overby)

15. OPEN

16. Hormel Institute

17. Tom’s Heating & A/C

18. Austin Alumni Band

19. The Cedars of Austin

20. Jane Taylor Academy of Dance

21. Pacelli Catholic Schools

22. Y-Waste Removal

23. Moose Lodge No. 1180 –

24. Walgreens

25. Good Samaritan / Comforcare

26. Blooming Prairie “The Stix of Fury”

27. Primrose Retirement Community

28. Jeanne Poppe-House Representative

29. Ambassador of US to UN

30. Riverland Community College

31. Kwik Trip

32. Austin FFA

33. Knights of Columbus

34. OPEN

35. Rochester Pipe & Drums

36. Relay for Life

37. A Smooth Move

38. Austin Lions Go-Cart Unit

39. Mower County Sheriff

40. Bridget’s Dance Conservatory

41. Pizza Ranch

42. Southland

43. Vision 20/20

44. McDonalds

45. Keys To Life Apostolic Church

46. Mower County GOP/Dennis Schminke

47. Hy-Vee

48. Sacred Heart Juggling Team

49. Big Island Rendezvous and Festival

50. Rochester Merry Medics

51. Lyle Area Cancer

52. Alley Katz

53. Austin Jaycees

54. KSMQ

55. Westminster Presbyterian Church

56. OPEN

57. Dylan Kaercher’s Theater Camp

58. Austin Power & Sport

59. Riverside Figure Skating

60. Austin Utilities

61. Eastwood Bank

62. Albert Lea HS Marching Band

63. Salvation Army

64. Acclaim Studio of Dance

65. Mower County Mentoring Program

66. Crane Community Chapel

67. ARC Mower County

68. B&T Coaches LLC

69. Cedar River Longbeards

70. Austin ArtWorks Festival

71. Osman Dragon Patrol

72. Austin Shrine Oriental Band

73. Great Clips

74. Windom 4-H

75. Mower County 4-H

76. Mower County Fair

77. Home Federal Savings Bank

78. Viking Auto Glass & Bumper

79. Gold Cross Ambulance Service

80. Austin Youth Hockey

81. Austin Bruins

82. Rochester Cycle Patrol

83. St. Marks

84. Thompson Sanitation Inc

85. Hometown Broadcasting Power 96 & KQAQ

86. Precision Signs

87. 100 M4 Hunger — Kelly Nesvold

88. Total Fitness Gym of Austin

89. Minnesota Corrugated Box

90. Austin YMCA Gymnastics

91. The Corners Bar & Restaurant

92. KAUS

93. OPEN

94. OPEN

95. OPEN

96. OPEN

97. Austin Community Band

98. Brownsdale Fire Department

99. Mapleview Fire Department

100. Austin Fire Department

 

2014 Freedom Fest: Schedule of Events

Thursday, July 3

—Bingo, presented by the Mower County veterans, at the Bandshell Community Park pavilion, 2-9 p.m.

—Jaycees Street Dance, featuring Amish Playboyz (outdoor stage) and Seeds (indoor stage) at Torge’s Live, 1701 Fourth St. NW; Cost: $5; tickets available at the door, 8 p.m.-12 a.m.

—Captain Kirby’s train rides, Bandshell Community Park, 2-5 p.m.

—Kids Power Pedal Pull, Bandshell Community Park, registration at 4:30 p.m.

—Arts and crafts show along the path, Bandshell Community Park, 2-10 p.m.

 

Bandshell stage: entertainment, 2-10 p.m.: 

(Paul Pruitt returns to emcee day two events)

Food concessions and Jaycee’s Beer Garden available

•Jane Taylor Academy of Dance, 2-2:30 p.m.

•Bridget’s Dance Conservatory, 2:45-3:15 p.m.

•Miss Sparkler/Mr. Firecracker Pageant, 3:30-5 p.m. on the bandshell stage. Open to girls and boys ages 5 to 8. Registration forms available at the chamber, the YMCA, Overby Orthodontics, or online at www.facebook.com/littlemisssparkler or at www.austincoc.com.

•Riverland Theatre group (subject to change), 5:15-6:15 p.m.

•3 Lane Band, 6:30-8 p.m.

•Announcements, 8-8:30 p.m.

•Austin Symphony Orchestra, 8:30-10 p.m.

•Fireworks, dusk

 

Friday, July 4

—32nd annual Mini Piggy Fun Run, 10:45 a.m.

—Independence Day Parade, 11 a.m.

New parade route:

The parade will line up in the parking lot of Austin City Hall and Austin Utilities, 500 and 400 Fourth St. NE, and move down Fourth Avenue Northeast before turning south onto Main Street North — its normal route — and running to Bandshell Community Park.

—Austin Fire Department water wars behind the bandshell on Ninth Place SW, 2-5 p.m.

—Ice cream social at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2-4 p.m. — free parking on July 3 and 4.

—Bean bag tourney north of the bandshell, 1 p.m. registration, 2 p.m. playing time. Call Shelley for more details at 507-440-0961.

—Bingo, presented by the Mower County veterans, at the Bandshell Community Park pavilion, 2-8 p.m.

 

Bandshell stage: entertainment, 1-10 p.m.: 

•Opening ceremony/flag raising, 1-1:30 p.m.

•LibertySeed Event, 1:30-2 p.m.

•Austin High School mariachi band (subject to change), 2-3 p.m.

•Austin High School jazz band (subject to change), 5-6:15 p.m.

•The Austin Big Band, 6:30-8 p.m.

•Announcements/fireworks raffle drawings, 8-8:30 p.m.

•Austin Community Band, 8:30-10 p.m.

•Fireworks, dusk

 

Saturday, July 5

—Children’s fishing contest, 9-11 a.m. $2 entry fee with prizes for all; $50 for first place – age 15 and under. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

—Hog Jog five-mile run starting at East Side Lake Park, 8 a.m. Pre-registration at the Austin YMCA or at www.ymca-austin.org; race-day registration 6:45-7:30 a.m. at the race site.

—Dan Ulwelling 25-mile bike race starting at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center, noon start time, 11 a.m. registration. Online registration at www.austincoc.com. Registration fee: $12 by June 13; $15 after.

—Austin Eagles Club Summer Bash. Car show, noon-3 p.m. Bingo at 2 p.m. Food served outdoors all day.

 

Sunday, July 6

—Morning Lions Fly-In Breakfast at the Austin Airport, 7 a.m.-1 p.m.