Smash Mouth to headline Flower Mound’s Independence Fest

Other bands have yet to be determined.

Smash Mouth

Flower Mound has officially booked an “all star” band to headline this year’s Independence Fest.

Chuck Jennings, the town’s parks and recreation superintendent, said the town received an executed agreement Thursday to confirm the pop rock band Smash Mouth’s performance at the festival.

The event is set for July 4 at Bakersfield Park.

Smash Mouth, which has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide, is known for No. 1 hits “All Star and “Walkin’ on the Sun,” as well as other hits “Then the Morning Comes,” “Can’t Get Enough of You Baby” and a cover of The Monkees classic “I’m a Believer.”

The headliner at last year’s festival was Grand Funk Railroad.

“With the success we had last year with Grand Funk Railroad, we wanted to continue that with and event that would bring in people from all over the community,” Jennings said. “We wanted a band that would be attractive to all ages and all families, and Smash Mouth has that type of following. [Event coordinating company] Promoter Line has used them in other events in the past, and they said Smash Mouth was really entertaining.”

Jennings said the town came up with a list of bands that would fit in well with Flower Mound’s festival and made suggestions based on the festival’s budget.

“We hear a lot of good things about them,” Jennings said.

Jennings said opening bands have not been determined yet. In fact, meetings to nail down other specifics regarding Independence Fest won’t start until February.

But Jennings said town officials hope to have several of the same features as last year’s event, such as an antique car show, an art show, a kids zone, and food and business vendors.

Last year, more than 10,000 people attended the event. It was the first time the town had combined the previous Wild About Flower Mound Festival with its Independence Day fireworks show.

“We really raised the bar last year,” Jennings said. “So hopefully we can continue to raise it so people will look forward to this every year.”