PEA RIDGE -- The 11th annual Pea Ridge Freedom Fest is set to begin at 6 p.m. Sunday. The Joyous Bells will play at 5:40 p.m. before the event.
The event is held on the grounds at First Assembly of God Church on Weston Street. It has grown from just over 100 people attending 10 years ago to more than 2,000 people in 2016.
Freedom Fest began as a gift to the community from Edwin Brewer, pastor of First Assembly of God, and other church members, and is a cooperative effort with several area churches.
"It's because of these other churches; there's no way our church could do it alone," Brewer said.
"It's basically the same although we will have a couple of extra booths this year," Brewer said. One change will be that the tickets will be distributed under the awning at the front of the church and the food tent will be south of the church building, between the church and the baseball fields.
Beginning at 6 p.m. a free dinner of hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, chips and a drink will be served.
Music will be provided by several different bands.
"We encourage people to bring lawn chairs or blankets," Brewer said.
"We just would like to invite the public to come. We want them to enjoy themselves in a good, safe, Christian family environment," Brewer said.
Many different churches and organizations will have booths providing snow cones, cotton candy, watermelon.
Fireworks, donated by Brewer's company, begin at dark. They are set off by members of the Pea Ridge Fire Department from the baseball fields on Weston Street.
NW News on 06/21/2017