FREETOWN
Since the 1930s, Freetown has turned red, white and blue for a festival in July.
Live entertainment, food prepared by the fire department, a pictorial display, games and a parade have been staples of the Freetown July Festival.
Plus, in recent years, the two-day festival has been capped off with fireworks.
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After this summer’s festival, though, its future may be in jeopardy.
During a Feb. 5 meeting, the seven-member festival committee discussed how little money it has in the bank and how much it takes to keep the festival going.
They realized this could be the final year.
“When I returned home from the meeting and told my children, they were sad but resolute, ‘We’ve got to do something,'” said committee member Cheryl Long, whose children perform as a group at the festival.
Long said it takes between $5,000 and $6,000 to conduct the annual event, including the cost of the fireworks display.
The committee, though, consistently has had a $1,000 shortfall.
“People are so busy with their lives and most likely forget to plan for it,” Long said of why she feels the festival has lost money in recent years. “Plus, there are so many other activities to choose from. Also, folks may not realize all that we have to offer at our little festival. Between live entertainment, an auction, baby contest, 5K run, parade and games for the children, we’ve got the whole family covered.”
Through shortfalls in recent years, Long said “faithful prayers and last-minute generous donations” have allowed the festival to continue.
The committee has set several fundraisers to allow people to help keep the festival going.
A Marion-Kay Spices fundraiser runs through March 5. Spices may be purchased by contacting a committee member or sending a message via the Freetown July Festival Facebook page. A link to an order form is pinned at the top of that page.
Another way to help is the Spring Fling Community Sale and Vendor Event from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 14 at the Freetown Community Center. Vendors may rent an 8-foot-by-8-foot booth space for $20 with proceeds benefiting the festival. Long said they are looking for yard sale-type booths, craft booths and direct sales. There are 17 spaces still available.
A GoFundMe page also has been set up to accept online donations. It’s at gofundme.com/freetownjulyfestival.
Long said the goal is $3,500, which would allow the committee to purchase the fireworks that cost $3,000 and help provide the funds necessary to purchase food and prizes and help pay for karaoke and entertainment.
In recent years, she said the committee has held pancake breakfasts, a spaghetti dinner, a Tupperware sale, movie nights in the park, a community yard sale and a Texas Roadhouse roll sale for fundraisers. None of them, however, have been profitable beyond $100 each, she said.
People also can help by attending the festival on the second weekend in July.
“Purchase food, bring your children to play the games, enter the baby contest or 5K and donate prizes, either to the auction or for the children’s games,” Long said. “These are all ways that people can contribute financially and support the festival.”
Volunteers also will be needed to help set up and decorate the morning of opening day, run game booths, take tickets at the inflatables, work in the kitchen and help tear down at the end of the festival.
The committee also needs someone to run the car show because the people who organized it had to bow out due to a hectic schedule, Long said.
“They did a fantastic job last year of advertising, securing prizes for the goody bags and handling the car show the day of,” she said. “We don’t have anyone to run the car show this year, and we know this will hurt the festival.”
Volunteers to serve on the committee also will be accepted to generate new ideas for the festival or help with fundraisers.
Dana Jester is president of the festival, and the other members are Long, Janet Smith, Gale Smith, Erin Newby, Ralph Jester and Mary Katherine Burnside.
For many years, the Freetown July Festival was conducted on the Fourth of July. The festival stopped at one point until being revived 13 years ago by the Pershing Township Volunteer Fire Department.
“Our small-town festival, which began way back in 1939, continues to bring our community together reminiscent of days gone by,” Long said. “Taking time out for wholesome, family fun and relaxation is so necessary, especially in our hurried culture.”
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The Freetown July Festival committee is conducting several fundraisers to help the festival continue beyond this year.
A Marion-Kay Spices fundraiser runs through March 5. Spices may be purchased by contacting a committee member or sending a message via the Freetown July Festival Facebook page, facebook.com/freetownfestival. A link to an order form is pinned at the top of that page.
The Spring Fling Community Sale and Vendor Event is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 14 at the Freetown Community Center. Vendors may rent an 8-foot-by-8-foot booth space for $20 with proceeds benefiting the festival. Yard sale-type booths, craft booths and direct sales will be accepted.
Online donations may be made at gofundme.com/freetownjulyfestival.
Attending or volunteering at this year’s festival also will help. It’s set for the second weekend in July.
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