The Evansville Freedom Festival is an annual festival in Evansville, Indiana

Evansville, Indiana

Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...

 that celebrates the Fourth of July. What began in 1970 with only a handful of events has grown to include unlimited boat racing, airshows, food booths, dances, and music culminating with a fireworks show over the Evansville riverfront.

From 1979 to 2008, the Thunder on the Ohio

Thunder on the Ohio

Thunder on the Ohio was a hydroplane boat race in the H1 Unlimited season.Thunder was held each year on the Ohio River in downtown Evansville, Indiana, USA. Evansville had hosted Thunder on the Ohio consecutively since 1979...

 hydroplane races had been the signature event of the Evansville Freedom Festival. Thunder was typically the first official race of the American Boat Racing Association

American Boat Racing Association

H1 Unlimited is an Unlimited Hydroplane racing league that is sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association , and Union Internationale Motonautique . Until 2009, the series was known as ABRA Unlimited Hydroplane, in turn renamed from APBA Unlimited Hydroplane in 2004...

 season. In 2009 Thunder on the Ohio broke away from Evansville's Freedom Festival and moved to the end of August as a stand alone event. Thunder still draws boats and drivers from all over the country as well as some local favorites.

The United States Navy's Blue Angels

Blue Angels

The United States Navy's Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, popularly known as the Blue Angels, was formed in 1946 and is currently the oldest formal flying aerobatic team...

have been an added attraction in recent years. The Blue Angels were part of the Freedom Festival's air show in both 2001 and 2005.