BIRMINGHAM,Ala.– The United States Air Force’s Band of the West will perform at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham on Thursday July 2nd as part of the museum’s Independence Day Celebration.

The event is free, for all ages and will have Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering (STEM)-based aviation activities for kids prior to the band’s performance. Jim ‘N’ Nicks will be selling food and drinks for the event with part of the proceeds going to the museum’s Mary Alice Beatty Scholarship. The $5,000 scholarship will be awarded annually starting in 2016 to a young woman actively pursuing a career in aviation and aerospace technology.

The STEM activities will include gliders and flight simulators with volunteers on hand to help guide and teach children aviation concepts.

Elizabeth Grady, events manager for the Southern Museum of flight said that in hosting this event, the museum is able to give the public an opportunity to come see the museum for free.

The museum will be open for free from 4-6 p.m. with the band beginning their hour-and-a-half performance at 7 p.m.

The Band of the West, a 45 member band out of San Antonio Lackland Air Force Base, is comprised of members of the U.S. Air Force. The Band is highly regarded and has performed for presidents, heads of state, and dignitaries from around the world.

“This is a veteran-friendly event, we will be paying tribute to all of our veterans and veteran’s families at the event,” Grady said, adding that, “in a very traditional military fashion we will have a color guard—the 117th air refueling wing.”

Other fun Fourth of July type activities at the celebration will include face painting, balloon animals and cornhole.