GENTRY -- This year's Freedom Festival kicks off at noon on Saturday, July 4th, in Gentry City Park, with some events starting earlier in the day.
The day will include softball tournaments, which will be ongoing throughout the day; an all-day car show, with awards presented at 4 p.m.; a little Miss and Mister Gentry pageant at 4 p.m.; inflatable rides for the children; and an outstanding fireworks display at dusk.
The featured entertainer of the evening is Chris Lane, an up-and-coming country singer from Kernersville, North Carolina, where he began to play live shows after his college baseball career ended. According to Lane's website, over the last few years, Chris has played more than 500 shows, opening up for Florida Georgia Line, The Band Perry, Eli Young Band, Chris Young and Brantley Gilbert, among others. Lane has also been featured on Lee Brice's "The Otherside Tour" and will continue to be on select dates with Florida Georgia Line throughout the year. He signed with Big Loud Mountain and is currently recording his first extended play recording with producer Joey Moi. His show is set to begin at 8 p.m. on the stage in the park.
Leading up to Lane's performance will be a returning band, the ShotGunBillys, an Arkansas band which performs a blend of energetic country and rock in its own unique style. The ShotGunBillys website describes the band's music as "revved up, down home, rockin' Southern country music that is as honest as a hard week's work." The band takes the stage at 6:40 p.m.
At 5:30 p.m., Gentry performer Kaylin Cripps and her band will provide the entertainment. Cripps performs a blend of country, rock and gospel and is popular throughout northwest Arkansas and beyond.
General News on 06/24/2015