The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Thursday was undergoing the transformation process ahead of the big, Fourth of July celebration.
In addition to a block party, fireworks and a drone show, star power is set to be demonstrated on stage Saturday with Chaka Khan, the Smashing Pumpkins, Chris Stapleton performing. Queen Latifah will be the host of the event.
The block party outside the Coliseum will offer free food, drinks, games and giveaways.
Once the party starts inside the Coliseum, the Pack Drumline out of Chicago as well as a show directed by RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Jamal Sims will entertain the crowd.
“This performance is about to be spectacular, turn on this crowd,” Perry Donta’e founder of the Pack Drumline, said.
Sims hoped the joy and celebration of the community will spread for the holiday.
“Everybody’s coming together as a collective to unify and to bring something that’s special to this audience. Hopefully it permeates into the world, the stage director said.
Local performers, including Renard Hughes from Claremont and and LA-based choir Tonality, will also take the stage not only to celebrate the nation’s independence as well as to reflect on what’s happening across the nation.
“We’ve been using music to talk about situations like gun violence, homelessness, immigration,” said Alexander Lloyd Black, Tonality’s conductor, said. “I hope that people take a moment and think about, while there are a lot of things to discuss and a lot of things to fix, this country’s always been about refinement.”
The night will end with fireworks and a drone show.
The best part: the price of tickets will match the year when the United States of America was founded — $17.76.