Bok Tower Gardens will celebrate the nation’s 236th birthday as part of the national “Let Freedom Ring 2012” festivities on Wednesday, July 4. To honor our nation’s military, free admission will be offered to all branches of the military, active, retired and disabled veterans. In addition to special carillon concerts at 1 and 3 p.m. by guest carillonneur Lee Cobb, the Singing Tower’s 12 ton Bourdon bell, the largest of the carillon’s 60 bells, will ring 13 times at 2 p.m. Other carillons, courthouses, city halls and church bells across America, including the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, will ring simultaneously to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Visitors will be able to watch performances on a monitor located behind the Peace Lantern near the Singing Tower. Cobb will meet visitors at the Singing Tower moat gate near the Information Booth following the concerts.