Freedom isn’t free, in Medicine Park its price is festivities

MEDICINE PARK — Freedom isn’t free, but this weekend in Medicine Park, celebrating those who served our nation in its name will be on the menu.

Be it through activities, live music or a parade, the cobblestone community will offer its best in honor of veterans.

The Freedom’s Not Free Festival has something for everyone.

Of course, what’s an event filled weekend without a parade. Line-up for entrants will begin at 1 p.m. The parade down Cobblestone Row will commence at 2 p.m.

Events open up at 10 a.m. today at the Discovery Outpost with “Free Craft Friday” activities where you can create your own tissue paper flags to celebrate your patriotism.

InnHabit is hosting 10 veterans and guests for the weekend, beginning today, as part of a prize giveaway. This means the Refuge Ale House will host a welcome party with discounted pints for veterans and live music from Caleb McGee from 7-9 p.m.

Farther down Cobblestone Row, David Halliburton will perform at 7 p.m. from the Nice Ice Baby stage. If it’s cold, there will be a bonfire and hot drink specials to warm you up.

Fancy Nancy’s Bar & Grill will have Cody Newby hitting the stage at 8 p.m. All ages are welcome and you can be sure there will be fire pits, heaters and beer specials to keep you from having a cold nose.

On Saturday, The Healthy Hippie Café will host a patriotic pancakes breakfast. It’s $10 for a short stack order of pancakes with bananas, berries and maple syrup and veterans and active military may receive a 10 percent discount from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

The Healthy Hippie Café will be the starting point for the F5 Endurance Race from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The race is conducted on the 1.7-mile Fish Trail loop and the goal is to complete as many laps as you can over five hours. Saturday will be the foot race and Sunday will be for mountain bikers.

Katsuk will perform at 11 a.m. Saturday at the café as well before taking over the Fancy Nancy’s Bar & Grill stage from 7- 10 p.m.

The Smilin’ Bob English band will then entertain beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday and Cade Roth & The Black Sheep will perform the same time on Sunday.

Discovery Outpost will host a “Fallidays” event from 6-8 p.m. complete with crafts, games and snacks.

BanD’s Lighthouse will perform from 3-4 p.m. Saturday at Hitchin’ Post Park’s Main Stage. They’ll then move the show to Small Mountain Street Tacos Drunken Goose Stage from 6-8 p.m. for another round.

The legendary Medicine Park Music Hall will host Garage Mahalix from 8:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday.