Your guide to July 4 in Lincoln, area

 9 comment(s)  
 E-mail Story
 Print Story
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

Tools Sponsor

By the Lincoln Journal Star

Independence Day celebrations were ringing out Friday in Lincoln and across Southeast Nebraska. Here’s what you need to know about area activities this Fourth of July.

In Lincoln: Uncle Sam Jam 2008: Oak Lake Park, First and Charleston streets.

*� Free (except for concessions)

[+]Enlarge

(LJS File)

(LJS File)

*� 7 a.m.: 5K fun run registration, Haymarket Park; run begins at 8 a.m.

*� Noon to 10 p.m.: Activities and food concessions

*� Noon to 4 p.m.:�  Social chess games open to the public, park shelter

*� 4-7 p.m.: Bingo, park shelter

*� 7:30-9 p.m.: Food-eating contests, near symphony stage

*� 9-10 p.m.: Free concert by Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra� 

* 10 p.m.: 22-minute fireworks, choreographed to music from the symphony

*� Full schedule at the city's Web site.

Get there early: Because of the expected large crowd at the Uncle Sam Jam, people are advised to arrive by 8 p.m., two hours before the fireworks. Signs will direct motorists to the parking areas.

Send us your photos: We want to see your parades, parties and Independence Day celebrations. Submit them at www.journalstar.com/community/photos/ and we'll publish them online.

Around the area: For Fourth of July schedules at other Southeast Nebraska communities, click here.� 

Getting to Oak Lake: Because of the expected large crowd, people are advised to arrive for the Uncle Sam Jam 2008 by 8 p.m., two hours before the fireworks. Signs will direct motorists to the parking areas.

Free shuttle bus service: 5 to 11 p.m. between the main entrance at Oak Lake Park and these locations:

Haymarket Parking Garage, Ninth and Q; Gold’s bus stop, 11th and O; County-City building, northeast corner of Ninth and H, or southeast corner of Ninth and K. Free parking in the city lot northwest of 10th and G streets; State Fair Park Lot 9, west of the Devaney Center. Enter off Court Street between 14th and 15th streets; State Fair Park Lot 6, west of�  Devaney Center. Enter off North Antelope Valley Parkway, north of Military Road; Haymarket Garage and the Iron Horse parking lot, 7th and Q streets, will offer $2 parking; Handi-Van service available for eligible riders; call StarTran at 441-7109

Pfizer lots available: Want a good view of the fireworks without going to Oak Lake Park? Try the Pfizer parking lots at Northwest Fourth and Cornhusker Highway. Beginning at 8 p.m., Pfizer will allow parking in designated lots on the north and south sides of Cornhusker.

Sounds of music: Friday's concert by Lincoln’s Symphony Orchestra will be aired live by radio stations B107.3 FM and KLIN 1400AM beginning at 9 p.m. At 10 p.m., 105.3 WOW-FM and Froggy 98 will join the broadcast. The orchestra will be in the park north of the parking lot at Charleston Street and Sun Valley Boulevard.

Here’s LSO Music Director Edward Polochick’s repertoire:

“Star-Spangled Banner”

“Fanfare for the Common Man”

“South Pacific Overture”

“An American Salute”

“Armed Forces Salute”

“Seventy-six Trombones”

“1812 Overture” (Fireworks begin during this song)

“National Emblem March”

“Hoe-down from Rodeo”

“March from Superman”

“America the Beautiful”

“There is No Place Like Nebraska”

“Stars and Stripes Forever”

Watch the fireworks live here starting at about 10 p.m.

Seward events: “America’s Official Small Town Fourth of July City” expects 40,000 visitors.

*� Activities begin early, with public breakfasts at the VFW and Civic Center, 2-mile and 10K runs, bicycle rides and the 7:30 a.m. flag raising and anvil firing at the bandshell.

*� Food and activities all over town. Live music and special programs morning through night.� 

* Free shuttles between various sites, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and 5:30-7 p.m. (No rides to and from the fireworks display.) To use the shuttle, park at the high school.

Other highlights:

10 a.m., 1860s baseball game, St. John ballfield. Free

11 a.m., Aerobatic airplane show, Municipal Airport, bring lawn chairs

1 p.m., nationwide bell ringing

1 p.m., City Municipal Band “Salute to Sousa,” bandshell

4 p.m., parade

5 p.m., beef barbecue, north of bandshell, advance tickets at Seward banks, also sold on site

8 p.m., parachute jump, Plum Creek Park

10 p.m., Fireworks, Plum Creek Park. Bring a blanket and chair.

What’s open: � The Lincoln Children's Zoo will open Friday at its usual 10 a.m., but will close at 4 p.m.

Among the attractions:

*� The bald eagle, our national bird.

*� Pony and railroad rides

*� 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. harbor seal performances.

*� Nebraska State Capitol open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; tours hourly except noon.

*� Homestead National Monument near Beatrice open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What’s closed:

*� City, county, state and federal offices

*� Department of Motor Vehicles� 

* U.S. Post Offices; no mail delivery. Regular service resumes Saturday.

*� Star Tran Bus �” no service.� 

* Banks� 

* Lincoln City Libraries

*� Lincoln Children’s Museum