Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival Hosting Drive-Thru Pancake Breakfast, Virtual Events
This year's Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival was canceled back in mid-April, but the 37-year-old festival will still be hosting several events surrounding the 4th of July, including the always-popular pancake breakfast. However, it too will have a different look in 2020.
In a media release, the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival has reiterated there won't be any events this year with large in-person crowds. Here is what's planned:
Starting Monday, June 22, the annual Medallion Hunt will be held. Clues will be released HERE, HERE, and in newscasts on TV-9. The 4-inch acrylic disc "medallion" will be somewhere in the Cedar Rapids metro. Hy-Vee is providing a $500 Hy-Vee gift card to the winner.
Saturday, June 27 is the Drive-Thru Pancake Breakfast. It will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. in the ImOn Ice Arena parking lot. A packaged pancake breakfast, cooked on-site, will be $5 each. Only cash is accepted. Anyone who purchases a meal with get a free 2020 commemorative Freedom Festival Button. They include a Hy-Vee coupon book. A $35 value. Built By Pros and the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Building Trades will be cooking the meals at the arena that morning.
Wednesday, July 1 is the debut of a Virtual Celebration Video on KCRG 9.2. Mediacom MC22 is producing the video that will feature a historical look at past Freedom Festivals. There will be music, interviews, pictures, and portions of last year's fireworks and Freedom Festival Parade. It will also include a video from Chuck Long who was scheduled to be the keynote speaker at this year's Tribute to Heroes Dinner.
Throughout the day on the 4th of July, KCRG 9.2 will have a Freedom Festival Flashback with the rebroadcast of parade and fireworks from Freedom Festivals of the past.
2020 Commemorative Freedom Festival buttons are available at all Hy-Vee stores in Cedar Rapids and Marion. The $5 cost of each button helps to offset pre-paid costs for this year's event. The Hy-Vee coupon book mentioned above is included with each button.