Freedom Fest returns in Birmingham

HEAT COMING UP IN JUST A BIT. GUY BRITTANY. WELL THE HEAT AND SOME POP UP SHOWERS, AS ADRIAN JUST MENTIONED, COULD PUT A CRIMP ON THIS WEEKEND’S FREEDOM FEST. YEAH. SO IT’S BACK IN PERSON FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2019. OUR WVTM 13, JARVIS ROBERTSON IS IN BIRMINGHAM TONIGHT LIVE. JARVIS, A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS EVENT. YEAH. BRITTANY NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL CERTAINLY BE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE WEATHER THERE THIS WEEKEND. YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE BEHIND ME NOW, THEY ARE SETTING UP THE STAGE FOR FREEDOM FEST. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BEING OUTSIDE IN THE HEAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT IS THAT IT’S VERY HOT ON THE ASPHALT. THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF PEOPLE STANDING OUT IN THIS AREA. SO IF YOU ARE COMING OUT THIS WEEKEND, THE ORGANIZERS, THE FIRST RESPONDERS, THEY WANT YOU ALL TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THE HEAT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2019, FREEDOM FEST WILL BE IN PERSON THIS WEEKEND IN DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM. IT’S BIRMINGHAM, RIGHT? LIKE WE LOVE OUR CITY. WE LOVE THAT WE GET TO DO THESE AMAZING EVENTS FOR OUR CITY. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO COME OUT. SO IS THE SUN. JULY IS THE HOTTEST MONTH OF THE YEAR. THAT’S WHY YOU’VE BEEN ORGANIZERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS ARE SAYING TO BE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE HEAT. WE ALL HAVE A HYDRATION STATION SET UP, SO WE’LL HAVE MISTING FANS WILL ALSO BE SELLING WATER. WE’LL ALSO HAVE SOME LITTLE CUPS WHERE YOU CAN GET WATER. HYDRATION MAY SEEM OVERSTATED DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR, BUT IT’S HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. DON’T WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW TO START DRINKING WATER. LIEUTENANT KATINA WILLIAMS WITH BIRMINGHAM FIRE AND RESCUE SAYS DEHYDRATION IS A COMMON PROBLEM. RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF HEAT RELATED CALLS DURING THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, SHE SAYS. WATER, GATORADE AND FRUITS ARE A GOOD WAY TO HELP YOU MAINTAIN HYDRATION, ESPECIALLY IN TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT INDEX. CUT DOWN ON THE CAFFEINE, CUT DOWN ON THE ALCOHOL AND WHAT YOU’RE WEARING WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE LIKE, LOOK, COLOR CLOTHING TYPICALLY IS A REFLECTOR AS OPPOSED TO YOUR DARK COLORS, WHICH ABSORBS THE HEAT. AND DON’T FORGET YOUR HATS AND YOUR SUN VISOR. WE WON’T ALLOW ANYTHING LIKE TENTS OR UMBRELLAS. ANOTHER CONCERN WILL BE THE SIDEWALKS AND ASPHALT. IT’S ALMOST LIKE AN OVEN THAT WILL MAKE IT HARDER FOR YOU TO COOL OFF. DON’T FORGET THAT SWEATING IS A GOOD THING, BUT YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU’RE ACTUALLY STOP SWEATING AND THAT’S REALLY A PROBLEM. YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU CALL 911. NOW, I’M ALSO TOLD THAT COOLERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED OUT HERE AT THE EVENT. NOW THEY DO KICK OFF AT 3:00, GOING UNTIL 10:00, AND IT’S ONLY GOING TO BE ON THE SATURDAY. REPORTING LIVE IN DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM, I’M JARVIS ROBERTSO