Freedom Fest returned Saturday to Belmont Park for its fourth Independence Day celebration at the beachfront venue, with a 70-foot inflatable Statue of Liberty serving as the centerpiece.
Patriotic San Diegans poured out in the thousands for the festival’s sand-shaking electronic music. From humble origins in a La Jolla office, festival hosts Almost Nakey moved to Mission Beach for bigger stages and bigger stars — with hip-hop star Nelly headlining last year’s beach bash.
“It’s just continued to grow,” founder Liv Johnson told Times of San Diego prior to the event. “We’ve developed massive inflatables, we’ve built bigger stages, we’ve got more exciting talent.”
DJ Austin Millz served as this year’s headliner, making the shoreline of San Diego the finish line to his 24-hour, cross-country tour that began in New York with a pit stop in Texas. He showed little sign of fatigue as he energized the crowd.
Supporting Millz was a lineup that blended national acts with rising regional talent, showcasing a mix of house, electronic and dance music throughout the night. Hip-hop artist MIMS, best known for the 2007 hit “This Is Why I’m Hot,” was joined by DJ duo Girl Math, singer-songwriter and producer Jenny Voss, and DJs Edris Omar, Luke Andy, Sprout and Burko.
Attendees dressed head-to-toe in red, white and blue turned their attention to a giant LED American flag flashing on the main stage. The crowd grew as Girl Math intensified the music, moving to the beat as people spilled onto the main walkway.
Inflatable beach balls filled the air, launching straight up and crash landing on top of flag-covered cowboy hats. Some similarly inflated dice also appeared, prompting some to see who could roll the highest number — and send it highest into the air.
Voss sang the national anthem after the sun slipped below the horizon. A group of backup dancers dressed as hot dogs joined Voss on stage, dancing along to her rendition of “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus as the audience threw their hands in the air.MIMS took the main stage next telling the DJ, “give me something to freestyle to” before launching into a 10-minute freestyle rap.
Beneath a towering tiki-fied inflatable Statue of Liberty, festivalgoers waved tassels, posed for photos and carried on dancing as fireworks lit up Mission Bay.
The festival has come a long way since its debut in 2020, when roughly 2,000 people unexpectedly filled an office building near La Jolla Cove. That turnout convinced Johnson and her team to make the event an annual tradition.
Six years later, the event bills itself as San Diego’s only oceanfront Fourth of July music festival. Tassels waved as red, white and blue smoke filled the dance floor, the party continuing long into the night.
