Opening of Let Freedom Ring

Name: Opening of Let Freedom Ring
Start: 2026-06-04T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-06-04T20:30:00-04:00
Location: Cherry Street Pier

Schedule

Thu Jun 04 2026 at 06:00 pm to 08:30 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Cherry Street Pier | Philadelphia, PA

Step into a powerful moment of reflection, history, and civic pride with Let Freedom Ring by renowned artist Paul Ramírez Jonas, on view this summer at the entrance to Cherry Street Pier. Presented in partnership with the Association for Public Art. Free and open to the public.
Join us at Cherry Street Pier for the unveiling of Let Freedom Ring on Thursday, June 4, from 6 pm to 8:30 pm! The evening will feature remarks from artist Paul Ramírez Jonas and Charlotte Cohen, Executive Director of aPA, along with special performances by Play On Philly. Experience the power of art, music, and history as we gather to witness the ringing of freedom’s bell and embrace a future where liberty resonates for all.
This monumental installation features a stunning bell tower that plays the historic anthem “My Country ’Tis of Thee,” as famously sung by Marian Anderson in 1939 and later echoed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech.
But there’s a twist: the song plays in full, except for the final note.
Visitors are invited to step up, ring the 600lb bell themselves, and proclaim what freedom means to them. Whether it’s for a person, a cause, or a dream, this final note becomes a personal declaration of hope, justice, and unity.
Let Freedom Ring is more than art; it’s a call to action and a celebration of our shared story.