City staff said the layout for Frisco Freedom Fest 2020 will be more spread out than in previous years to allow the public to celebrate and maintain social distance to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Cleaning protocols will also be in place for the scheduled amusements, shuttles and food services, said Cara Harting, the city’s sponsorship and event development administrator.
“We have provided, throughout the site, extra hand-sanitizing stations,” Harting said of plans for the event. “We always have those, but we have more than doubled the number of those.”
The city-hosted attractions will kick off on July 3 with events such as a cornhole tournament and the Hotter ‘n Firecrackers 5K and Glow Run.
On July 4, Taste of Frisco is slated to start at 3 p.m. followed by the Party in the Plaza at 4 p.m. Those events will be on the main stage and in Simpson Plaza in front of the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd.
The Party in the Plaza will feature a children’s area, vendor village and various amusements and rides.
Harting said three of the rides that usually generate longer lines are being moved to the south side of the parking garage that is located behind the municipal center to allow more space for those lining up.
The children’s area will also be more spread out than in previous years and will feature additional safety protocols, she said.
“Our face painters and glitter tattoos will be using an airbrush mechanism as opposed to paint brush, because it's more sanitary,” Harting said.
She said the children’s area will include games related to some of the sports that are played in Frisco.
“It's representing our sports, but [it is] also super easy to grab up those balls to clean them [and] wipe them down,” she said.
Musical act The Jordan Kahn Orchestra is slated to serve as the headliner for this year’s festival.
Frisco’s annual Fireworks Extravaganza will cap off the evening at about 9:30 p.m. City staff said the 20-minute show will be visible from around the George A. Purefoy Municipal Center and Toyota Stadium.
City staff plan to release a traffic plan for the event that will spread out parking to make it easier for people to leave when the fireworks end. Harting said parking spots that meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act will be available at the municipal center and the Frisco Discovery Center, where the event’s shuttles will operate.
“We're just excited to be able to do this for our residents and hope they are too,” Harting said.
Community Impact Newspaper is among the sponsors for this year’s events.
