Campus Connection

Annual event held at UW-L Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex to benefit veterans

[caption id="attachment_4826" align="alignleft" width="700"] Freedom Fest is held annually at the Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.[/caption]Tickets are now on sale for the eighth annual Freedom Fest, featuring performing artists The Remainders, Phillip Phillips and Heart. The Coulee Region’s premiere outdoor music festival, held at the UW-La Crosse Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex, benefits veterans, service members and military families. This year’s event is slated for Saturday, July 18. Tickets can be purchased at www.freedomfestlacrosse.com, or at select area Festival Foods locations for $50 (general admission) now through the event date. General Admission tickets are available for $60 at the gate. Preferred seating, including front rows VIP, VIP and lawn seating, are also available. Freedom Fest offers a unique summer music fest experience, one which is about much more than music alone. The day kicks off with the Freedom Fest Motorcycle Ride, typically drawing more than 300 motorcycles that tour throughout the scenic Coulee Region in honor of veterans. The event also offers a moving tribute to Wisconsin’s Fallen Heroes and their families. Between headline acts, the music pauses for the Fallen Heroes Presentation, during which thousands of attendees stand silent as each of the fallen are displayed on screen, allowing the crowd to show their respect. All proceeds from Freedom Fest benefit veterans’ causes, including the Veterans Hall of Honor on campus, and scholarships for veterans who wish to attend a UW school or Viterbo University; often UW-L students are selected for the honor. To date, Freedom Fest has presented $129,000 in scholarships, and with this year’s event, that number will climb to more than $150,000. In addition, Freedom Fest chooses a cause to highlight every year. In the past these causes have included charities that benefit wounded warriors and Wisconsin’s Fisher House, which offers free housing, food and transportation assistance to veterans in need of care at a VA hospital, as well as their families. This year, Freedom Fest will support Camp Hometown Heroes, a summer camp held in Wisconsin every year for the children of fallen heroes. The children are flown in from around the U.S., with all expenses covered. Their time together allows them to connect with children who have experienced similar loss in their lives and gives them the chance to begin to heal. The public can stay connected with the latest event updates, including special promotions, by following Freedom Fest La Crosse on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.