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From left, Bill Freeze, chairman over the Freedom Festival collectible pins; Provo City School District Superintendent Wendy Dau; Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi; and Freedom Festival Executive Director Jim Evans pose for a photo Thursday, May 2, 2024.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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The collectible pins for the 2024 America's Freedom Festival in Provo.

Courtesy Provo Freedom Festival

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The beginning of May marks the start of an exciting time in Provo and throughout Utah County as America’s Freedom Festival events kick into gear. It also means the collectable Freedom Festival pins will start making the rounds.

On Thursday, Jim Evans, executive director of the Freedom Festival, and Bill Freeze, the Freedom Pin chair, stopped by Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi’s office to the unveil this year’s pin, honoring the community’s teachers and coaches.

Provo City School District Superintendent Wendy Dau, also in attendance, received a pin for her work in education.

“We’re very excited that teachers are being honored by the Freedom Festival this year in Provo,” Dau told the Daily Herald. “This is like the kickoff for the great event and just (shows) how much our country means, and we’re just excited to be invited to be a part of it.”

Dau took over as superintendent last July after serving in various roles in the Canyons School District.

In previous years, the traditional pin honored first responders, astronauts, veterans and other leaders. “In the 13th year of the Freedom Festival pin, we want to recognize a group of people that have contributed so much to the youth of America … our school teachers and coaches,” Freeze said.

Teachers and coaches embody principles of freedom that Freedom Festival committee and city leaders wanted to recognize. “We all have special teachers who made a difference in our lives. Same thing with coaches, who taught us to work hard and never give up,” Kaufusi said.

The pin, designed by Robison Fine Jewelers, is sponsored by Central Bank, which plans to distribute 800 of them to Provo teachers before the end of the school year. They also will be available for $5 at Central Bank locations in Utah County and the Freedom Festival office in Provo.

“Our Provo school system has outstanding faculty members with many years of experience. Their dedication and example to our youth is immeasurable to the success of our future community,” Kaufusi added.

The Freedom Festival features an array of events over the next several months including the youth patriotic program Hope for America happening Tuesday through Thursday in the Marriott Center at Brigham Young University in Provo. The Memorial Day service happens May 27, followed by the mayor’s prayer breakfast in June.

Pop group the Jonas Brothers will headline the annual Stadium of Fire on the Fourth of July.

“I think we estimate over 600,000 people come to enjoy some of the activities,” Evans said. “So we’re just inviting you to find something you’d like to do. Bring your family, your kids, grandkids, yourself and come enjoy as we celebrate the wonderful blessings and freedoms we have here in this country, here in Utah County and in Provo.”

The 2024 Freedom Festival pins comes in three colors: red, white and blue.

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