DeSoto County announces 4th of July Freedom Fest

DeSoto County— May 19, 2023 — DeSoto County announced that it will present a free all-day event for the community this Independence Day called Freedom Fest, held at the Turner Agri-Civic Center, 2250 NE Roan St, Arcadia.

On July 4, 2023, the gates open at 12 p.m. with the event continuing through the county’s annual fireworks show at 9 p.m. at the same location. The firework celebration is produced by Explosive Touch Enterprises, LLC.

Indoor and outdoor festivities are planned throughout the day, offering fun for the whole family – kids, toddlers and adults – thanks to Freedom Fest organizers like Wet & Wild Party Rentals.

Wet & Wild offers multiple entertainment options, such as bounce houses, water slides – and massive combinations of both – dunk tanks, a mechanical bull and much more. They also provide activities for smaller children and toddlers such as a trackless train.

“We are excited about having this free event available for families this Fourth of July,” County Administrator Mandy Hines said. “We’ve talked about it for a number of years now, so it’s great that we can finally make this happen for our community. We want to make the Turner Center a place for our community members to go for family fun, and to let it serve as a local destination for everyone.”

Adding to the excitement, local radio host and promoter Mark Anderson from 104.5 “Mark in the Morning,” will bring in live music from regional country bands, as well as an independent professional wrestling show.

“These are some of the best independent wrestlers in the state,” Anderson said.

A variety of food trucks and other vendors will also be on-site throughout the day.

“Even though the county has had fireworks here at the Turner Center for decades,” Anderson added, “we’ve never had a true all-day celebration. We hope this is something we can build off of for future family-oriented events.”

The DeSoto County Turner Agri-Civic Center offers 90 acres of opportunities to residents and guests. Facilities include a large air-conditioned arena, exhibit hall, barns, paved parking, and helpful staff. Staff can be reached by calling 863-993-4807.

For more information about the event, go to VisitDeSoto.com or find it on Facebook at Facebook.com/DiscoverDesoto.

Wet and Wild Party Rentals is a family-owned business that provides everything from water slides, bounce houses, obstacle courses, and foam parties to concession machines, tents, tables, chairs and entertainment equipment. More information about Wet & Wild can be found at Wetandwildpartyrentals.com or by calling 941-441-8301. They can also be found on Facebook at Facebook.com/wetandwildpartyrentals.