NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Downtown Nashville is gearing up for the Let Freedom Sing... Music City July 4th celebration, with crews working around the clock to prepare for what's expected to be a packed event full of fun, festivities and fireworks.
"Nashville is a destination point for a lot of people for a lot of reasons, but on the 4th of July it is the place to be," said Lansden Hill, president of Pyro Shows.
It's hard to imagine the celebration in downtown Nashville without a spectacular fireworks display, and the planning for this year's show began immediately after last year's event concluded.
Pyro Shows is the mastermind behind the dazzling display, with Hill having overseen the production for 20 years.
"It's a little inspiring and intimidating, but we're up for it," Hill said.
This year, crowds can expect an even bigger show in the sky, with fireworks shells synchronized to a live performance by the Nashville Symphony.
"New songs, new colors. Some of the favorites. The finale will be 'Stars and Stripes Forever' again — that's what people expect," Hill said.
Hill notes that technology has dramatically evolved since he began in the industry.
"When I started 50 years ago, the fireworks were buried in the ground in a steel pipe, and we had a railroad flare on the end of a broomstick to light them," Hill said.
For Hill, producing the show comes with pressure, but he's always proud of the outcome and hopes those who watch leave inspired.
"When they turn their television off or walk away and say, 'Wow, this was really worth it,'" Hill said.
The event has regularly drawn more than 200,000 attendees and saw a record-breaking 355,000 last year.
This story was reported on-air by Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Music lessons for just 50 cents! A Nashville music school has been providing that to area students for over 40 years including for the city's current mayor. As a child, I always wanted to take piano lessons. I was able to for about 6 months but had to stop due to family finances. I would have loved to have had access to a program like this at the W. O. Smith Music School.
- Lelan Statom
