Morgan Hill's July 4th Festivities Will Go On ... Virtually

MORGAN HILL, CA — After 145 years of staging Morgan Hill's July 4th extravaganzas, the Freedom Fest volunteers working behind the scenes on the local Independence Day events are finetuning details to host this year's holiday — due to COVID-19 concerns — in a virtual format.

"Unfortunately, holding the Independence Day celebration in its traditional manner with limited mass gatherings and the economic hardships facing our traditional donors, it is just not possible," organizers said. "In the spirit of resilience, we are changing the format of almost all of our events to be a broadcast virtual event."

In years past, Morgan Hill's Freedom Fest stood out in the San Francisco Bay Area with its popular, two-day event featuring a "Patriotic Sing" at the community amphitheater, a family street dance in downtown Morgan Hill, a car cruise, an award-winning parade and a rousing fireworks finale.

This year, however, the events will go on via a broadcast of a virtual car cruise, a virtual patriot sing with community children, a virtual parade, complete with bands, horse units and special guests, ending with a replaying of Morgan Hill Independence Day fireworks.

"This show will have a few special surprise guests, live recognition of some of the heroes who have worked tirelessly on the front line for many months, and will highlight the rich tradition of this holiday and the diversity of our community and our country," organizers said.

"We know that the spirit of this holiday is more than just a traditional celebration. We know that the spirit of community and celebrating our country will shine through,"

Area residents are advised to follow Freedom Fest's Facebook page for updates, or those with questions can email info@mhfreedomfest.com .

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