Colonial Days a new addition to the Freedom Festival

PROVO — A first-time event for America's Freedom Festival at Provo, Colonial Days offers three free days of celebration for the family that center around the birth of freedoms and rights.

It also creates a place to ponder on the magnitude of the gifts of the Founding Fathers.

"Last year, about a month and a half before the festival, we were asked to join the festival with a venue celebrating the 300th birthday of Benjamin Franklin," said Dan Hone, co-chairman of the Colonial Days event. "We did a very small event. We and the neighbors wanted to do more. We have a lot of things that celebrate pioneers but little that celebrates the Colonists."

Hone said neighbors offered to take down their fences to create a Colonial square, 120 volunteers lined up to paint, the Bray-Conn company offered their $477,000 copy of the Declaration of Independence. A new musical based on the time period became available. The Crandall museum acquired a vintage Ramage press.

It was one thing after another.

"It really began to snowball," Hone said. "Last year, in one and a half days, we got 3,000 people. This year, we don't know what to expect, but the mayor's office is helping us find extra parking and shuttles. We expect thousands."

Provo Mayor Lewis Billings has also proclaimed Center Street to officially be known as Colonial Avenue during the holiday.

Volunteers involved in Colonial Days plan to be roaming the square in authentic costume.

Entertainers include the Brunson Brothers, members of the Old-Time Fiddler Association, harpists, Vocal Works, storytellers and jugglers.

Royalty from each of the Utah County cities will be on hand.

An original Broadway-style musical, "First Freedom, an American Miracle," will debut on the Colonial Square stage. Written by Rob Lauer with Sam Cardon's original musical score, the show features 17 new Cardon songs and tells the story of James Madison's fight for freedom of conscience in the Virginia House of Commons.

The KJZZ Historical Theatre, featuring radio personality Glen Rawson, will present history in story and video vignettes.

Visitors to Colonial Square — which include Paul and Leeza Ridd's restored Colonial home, a field of flags and an area for a Colonial encampment complete with demonstrations of cooking, sewing, blacksmithing and candle dipping as it was done in the 1700s — will almost literally step back in time.