SAN DIEGO – The fifth annual Fourth of July party at the beach is set to keep the holiday’s fireworks burning through the weekend.
Freedom Fest, from La Jolla-based event production company Almost Nakey, will take place at Fit Social in Belmont Park from 2-10 p.m. on Saturday, July 5, with performances from Nelly, Shiba San, Kaleena Zanders, Indigo Valet, and more.
Behind it all is Liv Johnson, a sixth-generation La Jolla native on a mission to create and host some of the biggest and best festivals in the city.
“Our festivals are about the people of San Diego. We love our city, and Freedom Fest is about honoring them on Fourth of July weekend,” Johnson said.
For Johnson, who throws several annual festivals, including the sister event SantaCon, also at Belmont Park, hosting is in her blood.
Almost Nakey began as a swimwear brand back when Johnson was in high school. After selling at farmers markets for several years, she kicked off the company’s first in-person event on July 4, 2020.
“Our first one was at La Jolla Cove, right next to Eddie V’s, in an office building. We had about 2,000 people show up, and it got wild. Some of the chefs from Eddie V’s ended up coming over and partying with us,” Johnson said.
Knowing she had a vision for what San Diegans wanted and with the means the execute full-scale events, Almost Nakey’s festival-hosting era was officially born. Now, Freedom Fest is back and with more hype than ever.
“This is our third Freedom Fest at Belmont Park. Thankfully, these shows just keep growing and growing, and so does our production team. This is our fifth year being able to do this, and that just feels so special,” Johnson said. “Our sweet spot has been truly just transforming this venue.”
What makes it so special? Well, for Johnson, it’s the people.
“I don’t know what it is about our crowds here in San Diego, but our events bring in the best people. Everyone is dressed up and excited, and this year I want to give them a chance to be super immersed,” Johnson said.
Performers Strawberry Disco Circus serve whipped cream during last year’s Freedom Fest at Belmont Park. (File photo by Thomas Melville/Beach & Bay Press)With a lineup boasting Nelly and plenty of other familiar names, Johnson is confident this year’s crowd is in for a good time.
“We have artists coming right off Stagecoach, Coachella, and EDC. It’s such a huge amount of talent that it’s exciting,” Johnson said, noting that mixing the usual house music and EDM with rap and other genres was a big part in picking who she wanted to perform.
Another aspect of event hosting that Johnson carefully considers is the sponsorships. Finding sponsors that are local and true to the Almost Nakey brand is important in ensuring a seamless flow for attendees.
“I want our sponsors to be ingrained in the festival. I want the sponsors to be built into the infrastructure, and I just think that makes it so much more fun for everyone. The production level is so high, everyone involved has to bring that same mentality,” Johnson said.
This year, presenting sponsors include canned cocktails from Cutwater Spirits and Oroma, plus canned wine from PNKYS, and coconut water provided by ZICO. In addition to official sponsors, the festival will host multiple activations from other local brands.
In addition to musical performances and sponsor activations, Johnson and her team have plans for plenty of hands-on activities.
“We are going to have a mechanical bull, a double-decker stage, multiple smaller stages, we will have a large VIP space inside hosted by local wellness brands and a beer pong area,” Johnson said.
As Johnson and her team focus on Freedom Fest 2025, she believes this is just the beginning for Almost Nakey.
“We are a small company, and it takes everything to do these shows, but it is the greatest joy of my life,” Johnson said.
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