Hundreds of MNPD Officers will be On-Duty Downtown for Nashville's Historic Two-Day Let Freedom Sing Event

Hundreds of Metro police officers will have a strong visible presence in the downtown core on Friday and Saturday to enhance the safety and enjoyment of the 250,000+ persons expected to join our city's two-day celebration of America's 250th birthday, Nashville's largest 4th of July event ever.

The police department asks everyone to be mindful of their surroundings, and if they see something suspicious or concerning, say something to a nearby officer. Event goers are also reminded to treat their personal belongings as if they were in an airport and not leave them unattended. The event footprint will be protected by the deployment of more than 330 street barriers of various designs. Items prohibited in the designated 4th of July footprint include firearms, backpacks, wagons or pull-carts, bicycles, scooters, beach or pole style umbrellas, and pop-up tents. Pets are not allowed (except for service animals).

Downtown parking: Folks coming downtown for the celebration are encouraged to arrive early and have a parking plan. To locate available parking downtown, visit parkitdowntown.com.

Drones--Federal Temporary Flight Restriction in Effect: The Federal Aviation Administration has implemented a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) covering one nautical mile from the center of downtown Nashville through July 21. Persons flying drones within the restricted airspace will be subject to, at minimum, seizure of their equipment and fines. The MNPD & the FBI will work to quickly identify drone operators in violation. This collaboration led to the seizure of six drones for TFR violations during CMA Fest last month. A seventh drone pilot warned.

Celebratory gunfire, PLEASE DON'T DO IT: Gunshots fired into the air, especially in urban settings, are very dangerous. Falling bullets can cause serious injuries. Please don't turn a celebration into a tragedy for someone else.

July 4th Bridge & Cumberland River Closures: The Woodland Street Bridge will close to vehicle traffic at 8 p.m. Saturday night and will then be available only to pedestrians. The Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge will close at 8 p.m. and will not be available for viewing of fireworks due to it being in the fallout zone. Boat traffic on the Cumberland River downtown will be stopped in both directions at 9 p.m. and kept away from the fireworks fallout zone in the area of Nissan Stadium. The fireworks show is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m.

Interstate Loop Closure: For the safety of motorists, the interstate loop on the east side of downtown will close for approximately one hour beginning 30 minutes before the fireworks display, with TDOT assisting. The closure will impact four interchanges: Shelby Avenue, James Robertson Parkway, Woodland Street/Interstate Drive, and Ellington Parkway/Spring Street. Area residents are cautioned against stopping on the shoulders of the interstate system to watch the downtown fireworks display. Stopping/parking on the interstate is inherently dangerous.

After the fireworks display, the police department will deploy a specific egress plan to move traffic out of the downtown area as efficiently as possible.

Motorists are asked to be patient as officers work to disperse the very large volume of traffic.

The police department reminds Nashvillians that it is illegal to use fireworks in Davidson County, with the exception of properly permitted public displays. Neighborhood complaints can be sent electronically to Hub Nashville at www.hub.nashville.gov. Residents are urged to refrain from calling 911 to report fireworks in order to keep those lines open for true emergencies.