Gallery: America's Freedom Festival in Provo

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
The 1st Maryland Continental Group marches down University Ave. as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Members of Lowes Xtreme Airsports delight the crowds with a mobile trampoline as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Members of the Navajo Nation Marching Band from Arizona attend for the first time as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah Valley University green man gets high fives from the thousands lining the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Nate Swapp finds himself picking up the rear for the Utah Valley Llamas as the parade carries on where thousands lined the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Members of the Utah Provo Mission are cheered by the crowds as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
The Jetsons hover above the ground in their spaceship as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Jared Roberts of UVU tries to get the crowds to do the wave as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Zina Allred of the Oak Hills Vaulters waves from the top of a horse as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
David Eberhard with BYU athletics soars through the air for a dunk as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Timp View High school's flag team twirls its way along University Ave. as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Waving her flag, 7-year-old America Johnson of Lehi joins the thousands lining the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

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Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune The 1st Maryland Continental Group marches down University Ave. as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Members of Lowes Xtreme Airsports delight the crowds with a mobile trampoline as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Members of the Navajo Nation Marching Band from Arizona attend for the first time as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Valley University green man gets high fives from the thousands lining the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Nate Swapp finds himself picking up the rear for the Utah Valley Llamas as the parade carries on where thousands lined the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Members of the Utah Provo Mission are cheered by the crowds as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune The Jetsons hover above the ground in their spaceship as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Jared Roberts of UVU tries to get the crowds to do the wave as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Zina Allred of the Oak Hills Vaulters waves from the top of a horse as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune David Eberhard with BYU athletics soars through the air for a dunk as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Timp View High school's flag team twirls its way along University Ave. as thousands line the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Waving her flag, 7-year-old America Johnson of Lehi joins the thousands lining the streets of downtown Provo to watch the Freedom Festival Parade on Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

The Salt Lake Tribune

· July 5, 2012 10:41 am

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The 2,000-acre wildfire blazing in the canyons above Alpine failed to deter crowds intent on celebrating the Fourth of July at America's Freedom Festival.

Thousands lined downtown Provo streets Wednesday to watch Utah's largest Independence Day parade.

The celebration began with an early morning balloon fest. It included soccer games, a basketball camp and a Colonial Heritage Festival in nearby Orem.

The day was to conclude with the annual Stadium of Fire fireworks show featuring a performance by the Beach Boys.