1st Lt. Jeffrey Northcutt, an instructor pilot at Columbus Air Force Base, teaches Jude Taylor, 10, about the T-6 Texan II Saturday at Freedom Fest. As part of the festivities, the base had five aircraft with tail flashes, colorful designs to represent the base squadrons, on display to teach attendees about the T-6 and T-38 aircraft used in pilot training. “To show them what we do every day is pretty special and I really enjoy that part,” Northcutt said. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff

Chief Master Sgt. Lebaron King, left, watches Lisa Dennis, 14th Flying Training Wing historian, center, show items from a time capsule buried 50 years ago on Columbus Air Force Base, while Col. James Blech, commander for the 14th Flying Training Wing, speaks Saturday to a crowd at Freedom Fest. The capsule contained roughly 15 items, including vintage squadron patches, presentation slides and an old American Express card belonging to a woman on base. “This is one of those things that historians absolutely live for,” Dennis said. “... It’s actual living history; it’s that direct link that’s not in a library. It’s not archived. It hasn’t been preserved. It’s raw history.” Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff

A group of attendees watches fireworks from the Columbus Air Force Base flightline Saturday night at Freedom Fest. Freedom Fest, which replaced Thunder Over Columbus this year, was a Fourth of July celebration held at CAFB that included food vendors, live music, aircraft displays and a mobile museum. Col. James Blech, commander for the 14th Flying Training Wing, was excited to see the nearly six months of planning come to fruition and be so well received by the community. “This (was) even better than I thought it would be,” Blech said. “It’s incredible. We had a big plan, (an) ambitious plan, with all these bands out here and all the different kids’ events. … But it’s amazing (and I’m) really happy.” Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff

Bobby Dale Mann, left, and Ann Mann select answers Saturday to questions on the U.S. Citizenship Test at the Freedom250 mobile museum on Columbus Air Force Base. The mobile museum has been traveling since February to events across the country in nearly all 50 states, Brooks Ruehle, tour manager for the mobile museum, said. The museum contains a history of the founding of the country, identifies important figures in the country’s history and houses several electronic screens with interactive games. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff

Robbie Ross, lead singer for Seeking Seven, sings out and strums guitar while Jake Andrews keeps the beat during the band’s performance Saturday at Freedom Fest. Ross, an optometrist technician with the medical group at Columbus Air Force Base, said he was excited to play with his band not only for the event and its attendees but for his coworkers on base. “(To play) not just any Fourth of July celebration but for the 250th year (of the country) that’s the biggest Fourth of July celebration anywhere,” Ross said. “And I was shocked when I got the call and was asked to do it.” Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff

From left, Natalie Wise, Heather Sanders and Whitney Waggoner, performers with Arkansas Circus Arts, pose for a photo in front of a backdrop Saturday while John Sanders, a performer with the group, takes their photo. John Sanders said the group typically performs at their studio in North Little Rock but performers also travel to states like Tennessee, Texas and Missouri to perform at birthdays, city events and private events. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff

Finn Stubbendorff, 15, watches while his sister Lyle Stubbendorff, 15, lines up a putt Saturday at a mini golf course during Freedom Fest at Columbus Air Force Base. The mini golf course was part of a kids’ zone, which included 16 other activities, including bouncy houses, a rock wall and a miniature Ferris wheel. Finn and Lyle’s father is Jesper Stubbendorff. Braden Simmons/Dispatch Staff