MISSION BEACH – The fifth annual Freedom Fest on July 5 at Belmont Park featured artists Nelly, Shiba San, and Kaleena Zanders, who thrilled the thousands of excited attendees. The all-day and night rave wrapped up the weekend’s Fourth of July festivities with a bang.
Under the leadership of Liv Johnson and her La Jolla-based production team, Almost Nakey, the festival kicked off at 2 p.m. with attendees decked out head-to-toe in red, white, and blue attire.
“This was a moment in the history books for an oceanfront San Diego Fourth of July celebration. I have never seen such beautiful people in my life, everyone attending was shining and radiating with so much joy, love, and excitement,” Johnson said.
With two main stages and plenty of activation booths in between, the afternoon began with performances from San Diego-based DJs.
Opening up the Mt. Ravemore stage, DJ De La Cheezy took the stand, performing a mix of house, EDM, and hip-hop-inspired beats, starting the festival on an enthusiastic note.
On the Same Same But Different stage, located on the Coaster Terrace, Charolls played a mix of old classics with his signature EDM style.
“Performing at Freedom Fest was such a fun experience. The sound quality on the Same Same But Different X Almost Nakey stage I played on was so clean. Probably the best sound I’ve spun on. I think my highlight from the day was seeing how many people were having a good time with perfect weather in the best city in California,” Charolls said.
Later in the afternoon, DJ Indigo Valet joined the Same Same But Different stage, taking the crowd into the early evening.
“The best event for Fourth of July weekend. My highlight was having an elevated ocean view as my backdrop while I DJ’d,” said Andrew Ashour, of Indigo Valet.
With music bumping and attendees continuing to file in, activation booths across the festival were in full swing, serving up drinks, passing out samples, and engaging with guests. Some of San Diego’s favorite drink brands were sponsors, and the crowd was a sea of Cutwater Spirits, PNKYS canned wine, Above Board liqueur, and Oroma cocktails.
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“We were blown away by how many people were not only curious but genuinely excited to discover a liqueur that tastes amazing without all the sugar. The feedback was nonstop, and people kept circling back for more,” said Above Board team member Bethany Holub.
While party mode stayed on throughout the day, wellness activities were equally present. In the VIP section, YemanJÁ Wellness Mission Beach was serving up doses of its wellness concoctions, and across the festival, Volo Sports held a beer pong game alongside a PNKYS dunk tank.
“Everyone was so caring of each other and kind to each other. The vibes overall were so smooth and everyone was so enrolled in the vision of the festival,” Johnson said.
As the evening progressed and the sun began to set, headliner Nelly geared up for his Freedom Fest debut, an aspect of the festival Johnson feels most proud of.
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“Nelly is such a massive talent. The fact that we had him drive in from Vegas was such a historical moment for San Diego and our team. The level of production that went into his set was so high and above and beyond anything we have seen in a long time. The sun was setting, and being able to see the ocean behind our headliner and having everyone in the crowd excited for that was so great,” Johnson said.
Nelly’s performance left festival-goers ready for more.
“Nelly brought the heat with all of his classics. I will be going back again next year for sure,” said Freedom Fest attendee Linda Dawood.
Following the festival, Johnson and her team were grateful, hopeful, and ambitious for all that was to come.
“These shows are dedicated to the people of San Diego, who are the most loving, kind, and fun. Everyone who arrives at our shows is truly the heart of the city,” Johnson said. “Watching people get ready, get together with friends, and do everything they can to show up as the best versions of themselves is such a massive thing.”
On the horizon, Johnson and the Almost Nakey team are gearing up for more local events.
