Guide To Attending The Freedom Festival At Fort Sill Polo Field

The Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival will look a little bit different this year. For over 10 years, the annual Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival has taken place at Lawton's Elmer Thomas Park. But this year due to construction in the park, the festival will take place on the Fort Sill Polo Field. With the change in venue, citizens will need to be mindful of different security precautions and what you can and can't take to this year's festival.

This year, the Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival will take place from 5-10 p.m. on Saturday, June 27 at the Polo Field on Fort Sill. The festival will be hosted by Fort Sill Family MWR and the City of Lawton. Attendees will be able to access Gate 2 without a visitor pass beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday. The Polo Field will open at 5 p.m. and the festival's festivities will begin at 6 p.m.

General admission entry for the Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival will be at Fort Sill's Gate 2.

Those attending the festival will be able to enter Fort Sill at Gate 2 without a visitor pass. To enter at Gate 2, attendees will need a valid photo ID; a REAL ID is not required. Gate 2 will open at 4 p.m. Saturday. Parking will also be available near Gate 2.

Lawton residents can access Gate 2 by taking I-44 North and take Exit 40B and then follow Rodgers Lane West to Post Road. Attendees from Elgin or Chickasha can take I-44 South to Exit 40C.

All vehicles that enter at Gate 2 will be subject to random checks.

Fort Sill will enforce a clear back policy for the Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival.

Festival attendees will also want to be mindful of Fort Sill's bag policy for the festival. Attendees can only bring clear bags to the festival. Small bags and purses that are 5"x8" will be allowed, but anything larger must be a clear bag and no larger than 14" x 14" x 6". No backpacks allowed.

More information about what items can and can't be taken on Fort Sill during the Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival is below.

Each member of a family or group, including children, may carry an approved clear bag and a small purse.

Cameras, tablets, blankets, and empty water bottles (to fill at Fort Sill's Water Buffalos for free) will be permitted.
NO coolers or similar containers
NO outside food or drink
Alcohol will only be served to those who receive an alcohol wristband at the event entry point.
NO weapons, including pocket knives, knives of any type, Leatherman tools, and similar items.
NO cannabis, recreational drugs or drugs of any type, according to Federal Law.
NO drones
NO laser pointers, glass objects, fireworks, or frisbees
NO pets, except service animals
Unruly behavior will not be tolerated. Military Police will be on site to maintain safety and security.

For more information about the Lawton Fort Sill Freedom Festival, visit the Fort Sill Family MWR's official website.

Oklahoma's Best 4th of July Celebrations

There's nothing like celebrating America's independence in the heartland, and Oklahoma practically overflows with patriotism across the state. While most towns have their own celebrations, some are larger than others. Since it would be hard to catch all of them in one day, they're spread out a bit over two and a half weeks, pick one or more and let your American flag fly.

Gallery Credit: Kelso

2026's Hottest Fireworks Picks

Shopping for fireworks is a lot like picking out a new vehicle. While you're interested in what a car or truck can do, we generally pick based on how they look. The fireworks store is full of sensory-overload designs and hilarious images, but logos rarely tell you what it does. We visited King Fireworks in Geronimo, OK, where they have a cool scanner system that pulls up the fireworks on TVs throughout the store so you can see what you're buying, but here are their top picks and best bangs for your buck this year.

Gallery Credit: Kelso