Elton John [ tickets ] will spend the Fourth of July on stage in Philadelphia, where he'll headline the "Philadelphia Freedom Concert & Ball," a benefit that aims to raise $2 million for HIV/AIDS awareness.

The event--which takes its name from John's 1975 hit "Philadelphia Freedom"--will also feature the Philly Pops, led by pianist/conductor Peter Nero, as well as some not-yet-announced special guests.

The concert is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and is expected to draw an audience of more than 1.5 million people, according to organizers. Though general admission to the concert is free, a limited number of V.I.P. tickets for preferred seating are available for $500.

A fundraising ball will follow at 11 p.m., tickets to which range in price from $1,000 to $2,500. More information is posted at the event's website.

In addition, organizers plan to raise funds via corporate sponsorships and concession sales.

Proceeds from the event will be split between the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which raises international awareness and resources for HIV prevention and care services, and the Hirschfeld Fund, which was created to raise and distribute funds for HIV/AIDS research, and will allocate funds to regional HIV/AIDS service provider organizations, according to a press release.

"Philadelphia has long been one of my favorite cities because it has always had an intrinsic spirit of freedom and compassion," John said in a televised statement broadcast live Wednesday (2/9). "This compassion has never been needed more than now. Having recently spent time in South Africa I saw first hand how the programs of the Elton John AIDS Foundation are really assisting in the fight against HIV/AIDS. I met with vulnerable and orphaned children who have been left destitute. There are three quarters of a million such children in South Africa alone and eleven million on the continent.

"It will be a long fight, and one that must be met with strength and compassion, but we can all make a difference."

John is currently in the midst of his latest stretch of shows at The Colosseum in Las Vegas, and is set to embark on a round of U.S. arena dates next month.