FORT HOOD, Texas (FOX 44) – It’s almost time for an evening of entertainment, activities and fireworks at Fort Hood!
Freedom Fest is set for this Friday, from 4:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. at Hood Stadium – located behind the Clear Creek Post Exchange. Activities include children’s inflatables, beverage sales, food trucks, plus a Zoo Imagination station.
Singer Cassadee Pope will start off the live music, with X Ambassadors headlining the event. The 30-minute fireworks show is expected to begin at 9:30 p.m. Fireworks are paid by profits from the Fort Hood recycling program.
Freedom Fest is a free event, and is open to the public. Members of the general public in privately owned vehicles need to get a pass from the Marvin Leath Visitor’s Welcome Center. Drivers and passengers 18 and older need to have a valid photo ID.
On-post shuttles will be running approximately every 15 minutes, from 4:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Anyone under the age of 18 using the bus must be accompanied by an adult. For a list of shuttle stops, you can visit Fort Hood’s Family and MWR website.
In addition, Bell County Judge David Blackburn issued a Drought Disaster Declaration for all of Bell County on Wednesday. The declaration bans the sale or use of fireworks for Bell County unless a permit is obtained, which is mostly limited to public events. Although Fort Hood is a federal entity and not within the jurisdiction of the judge’s order, the intent of the declaration is for all to use extreme caution if hosting a fireworks event – which Fort Hood will do.
U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Hood Public Affairs Director Tom Rheinlander said in a statement released on Wednesday:
“Fort Hood’s Directorate of Emergency Services is taking definitive steps to ensure that the fireworks display at our Freedom Fest held June 24 is a safe event for the community to enjoy. Due to the dry conditions, the DES is working with our local community fire departments to have preventative fire coverage during the display.
“The Killeen and Copperas Cove Fire Departments will provide fire crew coverage along I-14/HWY 190. The Fort Hood DES Fire Department will have additional fire crews stationed in and around the fireworks display area before and during the event. Additionally, the Fireworks display launch area will be watered down as an added safety measure prior to the event.
“Prior to conducting the fireworks show at the Freedom Fest, Fort Hood officials will consider all contributing factors including outside temperatures, wind direction and humidity levels to determine it is safe to proceed.”