Two hot air balloons will be available at the Freedom Festival this year. (File Photo)

VIENNA — The Vienna Freedom Festival will be held June 30 and July 1 at the south end of the Grand Central Mall and July 2 at Spencer’s Landing in Vienna.

The festival will have many events during the three days, including seven shows, a carnival, fireworks, parade, food and craft vendors and Vienna’s first rodeo on Sunday.

The entire festival is going to be a wonderful show, according to Rod Smith, the vice president of the Friends of Vienna, which is organizing the event.

“The whole three days will be filled with highlights,” Smith said.

The annual festival opens at noon Friday, June 30, with a carnival, food vendors and crafters. Entertainment starts later in the evening.

Lalia Rhodes battles her cousin, Nate Richards, in bumper cars at the 2022 Freedom Festival. The 2023 edition of the festival, which will include Vienna’s first rodeo, will be held June 30, July 1 and July 2 at the Grand Central Mall and Spencer’s Landing. (File Photo)

“This is one of our most successful events,” Vienna Mayor Randy Rapp said.

The festival features first-class entertainment, with an impressive fireworks display on Friday, Rapp said.

“The fireworks display is just incredible,” he said.

First on the main stage after the opening ceremonies at 5 p.m. is Insured Sound, a well-known local band. Insured Sound performed at the original Freedom Festival in the 1980s, Smith said.

“They were one of the first bands to sing there,” he said.

Maddox Cottrille sits in Bobby Taylor’s ‘71 Volkswagen while his siblings Cole Cottrille, Arlo Cottrille, and Nova Lee Cottrille wait their turn at the Vienna Freedom Festival in 2022. The 2023 festival will be held June 30, July 1 and July 2 at the Grand Central Mall and Spencer’s Landing. (File Photo)

Next up is Huey Mac from Morgantown, then Tusk, a Fleetwood Mac tribute show, Smith said

The main stage is between J.C. Penney and Outback Steakhouse. The carnival, vendors and crafters will be in the parking lot outside Penney’s.

The annual parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday with the route traveling the outer loop of the mall parking lot, Smith said.

Batman and the Batmobile will be available starting at 10 a.m. Batman speaks to school-age youth about right and wrong, Smith said.

The 249th Army Band, part of the West Virginia National Guard, will perform inside the mall by Penney’s at the old play area.

The Sour Mash String Band, Sarah Allison Turner from Beckley and Drake Milligan will perform starting at 5 p.m. on the main stage.

Milligan was a third-place finisher in “America’s Got Talent,” performed at the Grand Ole Opry and was nominated as Country Artist of the Year.

“He puts on a great show,” Smith said.

At Spencer’s Landing, hot air balloon rides will be offered for $10 a ride, Smith said. Two balloons will be available this year, he said.

“There were so many people waiting last year, not everyone got to ride,” Smith said.

Sunday’s activities shift over to Spencer’s Landing, where the city’s first rodeo will be presented by the Southern Extreme Bull Riding Association at 7 p.m.

The event is going to be a real, professional rodeo with professional riders, Rapp said.

“I’m really looking forward to the rodeo,” he said.

The mutton race for children, who will ride sheep, starts at 6 p.m., Smith said.

All activities are free, except for the rodeo, which is $15 for adults and free for children under 5; the balloon rides; and the fares at the carnival, Smith said.

More than 40 sponsors have participated with monetary and in-kind contributions, he said. Among the big contributors are the City of Vienna, the PM Company, the mall and Results Radio, Smith said.

The schedule is:

FRIDAY, JUNE 30

(at Grand Central Mall)

* Noon, festival opens including carnival, food and craft vendors

* 3 p.m., silent auction at the Friends of Vienna tent

* 5 p.m., opening ceremonies (main stage), Insured Sound (main stage after opening ceremonies)

* 7 p.m., Huey Mac from Morgantown (main stage)

* 8:30 p.m., Tusk (Fleetwood Mac tribute band, main stage)

* 10:30 p.m., fireworks (behind the mall)

SATURDAY, JULY 1

(at Grand Central Mall)

* 10 a.m., parade, Batmobile

* 11 a.m., festival opens, car show

* 3 p.m., 249th Army Band (by J.C. Penney inside the mall)

* 5 p.m., Sour Mash String Band (main stage)

* 7 p.m., Sarah Allison Turner from Beckley (main stage), hot air balloon rides at Spencer’s Landing

* 8:30 p.m., Drake Milligan (main stage)

SUNDAY, JULY 2

(at Spencer’s Landing)

* 2 p.m., food vendors open

* 3:30 p.m., mechanical bull ride

* 6 p.m., mutton busting, beginning of the rodeo

* 7 p.m., bull riding and barrel racing.

Jess Mancini is available at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.