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Spirits were flying high this weekend as a record-breaking 200,000 people showed up at Freedom Weekend Aloft at the Anderson Sports Complex. Festival-goers had such a wide array of events, activities (see top photo), and concerts from which to choose, there was something for everyone. Whether they were there just to relax, watch the 85 dazzling balloons ascending into the sky, attend one of the big-name concerts, or test their courage on some of the scarier amusement rides, Upstate attendees had the opportunity to get their money's worth. The pleasant weekend weather only added to the mix, and made it possible to seek out everything Freedom Weekend Aloft is famous for providing.
Dog lovers from all over came to the US Disc Dog Freedom Weekend Nationals. Participants came from Atlanta, Nashville, and as far away as Miami! One of the crowd pleasers was Ladybug with her amazing flips and turns.
The concerts in the Amphitheater delighted people of all ages. Trace Adkins and Terri Clark started the weekend off with big hits, including "Big Time" and "Chrome" by Trace Adkins, and "I Just Wanna be Mad" and "Better Than You" by Terri Clark. Country fans packed the house. On Saturday night, the crowd went wild for Uncle Kracker and Lifehouse. On Sunday night, David Lee Roth (see bottom photo) rocked the house with audience favorites like "California Girls" and "Jump". The Doobie Brothers packed the amphitheater on Monday night, performing much-loved hits such as "Black Water" and "Long Train Runnin". Large, enthusiastic, and responsive crowds attended the concerts each day of the festival.
Freedom Weekend Aloft is produced annually by a volunteer staff, and is held each Memorial Day weekend.
(Story and Photos by MainStreet Online feature writer Jennifer Amann.)
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Donna Schoech, owner of Ladybug (see second photo below of dog flying through the air catching a frisbee), was very proud of her amazing dog. Ladybug looked like she was having a dog-gone good time, as were all of the canines. At the end of the competition, the audience was still begging for more.
A large amount of activities directed toward kids did not give them time to sit down. The friendly conductor of the train drove kids and a few parents all over the event, pointing out the highlights. Kids could go to the petting zoo, which featured a camel, ride carnival rides, take pictures with the Michelan man, or ride in a hot air balloon. 