After a three-year hiatus — two years of virtual events due to COVID-19 and one year of absence ― Freedom Fest will return to an in-person experience in the heart of Birmingham’s civil rights district.
The city’s day-long music and empowerment festival will again take place in Kelly Ingram Park Saturday, July 29.
Birmingham hosted the inaugural Freedom Fest in 2019. Designed as a celebration of Birmingham’s civil rights history, the festival offered two simultaneous experiences: A series of workshops and lectures on civic engagement hosted inside the buildings of the civil rights national monument (including 16th Street Baptist Church and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute) and a lineup of performers on the stage in Kelly Ingram Park. The workshop agenda included lectures about urban design in historic districts and panel discussions ranging from justice and advocacy (with U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, Anthony Ray Hinton and Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin) to a roundtable about women’s rights (with panelists including state Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, state Sen. Vivian Davis Figures and Melanie Bridgeforth of the Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham, and Dr. Nadia Richardson of No More Martyrs. The panel was moderated by Kelly Ann Scott, the VP of content for Alabama Media Group). Performers that year included Love Moor, Musiq Soulchild, Ruben Studdard, and 8ball and MJG.
READ: Birmingham Freedom Fest: Music & empowerment in Kelly Ingram Park
In 2020, the city hosted Freedom Fest in an online format due to the ongoing public health challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival also took place amid protests for social and racial justice in response to the murder of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd — two Black people killed at the hands of policemen.
Streamed on both YouTube and the Freedom Fest website, speakers that year included U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams. That year, the lineup of musicians included Shaheed & DJ Supreme featuring Kids in the Cypher, who performed their set on the Black Lives Matter street mural on 1st Avenue South and headliner Rapsody, who closed out the festival with a production shot in black and white.
WATCH: REPLAY OF THE 2020 FREEDOM FEST
The city also hosted Freedom Fest in a virtual format in July 2021, featuring discussions about health disparities, poetry from Brian “Voice” Porter Hawkins, and performances by Pastor Mike Jr.
WATCH: REPLAY OF THE 2021 FREEDOM FEST
This year’s Freedom Fest will be part of Birmingham’s 60-year commemoration since the 1963 campaign for civil and human rights.
“I join so many of our residents who are ecstatic about the return of Freedom Fest’s in-person experiences,” Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin said in a Thursday announcement. “Freedom Fest has always been an incredible celebration of the music and culture that defines our community, and this year will be no different. Attendees should expect a powerful day of empowering conversation and memorable musical performances that reflect the strength that defines our city.”
According to the announcement, the first half of the day will feature discussions on equality and civic engagement issues “led by some of the brightest minds in advocacy.” The second part of the day will feature live music from local and national “recording artists, musicians and creatives.”
Tickets to the 2023 Birmingham Freedom Fest presented by the City of Birmingham are available for purchase for $25 (before fees) at www.freedomfestbhm.com.
Organizers of the event say the full line-up of empowerment sessions and performances will be announced soon.
“As we continue to mark the 60th Commemoration of Birmingham’s campaign for civil and human rights, Birmingham Freedom Fest gives us an opportunity to reflect upon the tremendous sacrifices made for our freedoms today,” said Denise Gilmore, senior director of the division of Social Justice and Racial Equity, in the announcement. “We invite the community to join in the Empowerment Sessions and be inspired to continue to work toward a united Birmingham.”