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City festival ‘something different’ for July 4

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BY ZACH PLUHACEK / Lincoln Journal Star

Friday, Jul 04, 2008 - 11:40:06 pm CDT

It took awhile for the smell of gunpowder and smoke to creep between the trees at Oak Lake Park on Friday evening.

But by 8 p.m., the city’s hazy odor was mixed with those of lake water, barbecue and funnel cake.

The Uncle Sam Jam was in full swing more than two hours before the first fireworks soared over the water at 10 p.m.

Story Photo
Spectators watch the Uncle Sam Jam fireworks at Oak Lake on Friday night. (Michael Paulsen)

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The final minutes of the fireworks display at Oak Lake on Friday night. (Anthony Roberts / JournalStar.com)...

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Matthew Moss, the runner-up in a Zinger eating competition, was catching his breath and preparing for the sugar rush.

“I thought I could stuff as much as I could in my mouth,” he said, “but that didn’t work.”

The New Yorker, here visiting his girlfriend’s family, ate nine Zingers (think Twinkies with frosting) in exactly three minutes.

“I felt pressed to do it because I ate jalapenos at a contest ... and I won that,” he said.

Coincidentally, the guy who ate his nine Zingers faster than Moss, Dale Buescher, won the jalapeno-eating contest at Oak Lake Park last year. Buescher finished his Zingers in one minute and 15 seconds.

Devan Buescher, Dale’s son, ate a bunch of chocolate pudding in a competition before his dad’s.

The amount of pudding or his time didn’t really matter to Devan; he just enjoyed the free dessert.

Fallon Howard and her family, which showed up at the park at 5 p.m., liked the food, too. Just before 8 p.m., they were chowing down on nachos.

Usually, Howard said, they light off fireworks at home, but the big festival at Oak Lake was “something to do this year, something different.”

Brad and Christine White — old pros at attending Fourth of July festivals — managed to get their 12 kids to the park by 5 p.m. They still seemed entertained about two hours later.

Sometimes the whole family goes to Seward (they own a 15-passenger van), but this year they decided to stay in Lincoln.

“It depends on how tired we are,” Brad White said. “Seward wears you out.”

They had a picnic on the island, played Frisbee and occasionally wandered over to the more crowded stage area on the east side of the lake.

Near them, the Stout family was doing about the same thing: soaking up the nice weather and relative quiet on a holiday known for its loud explosions.

Relatives from Missouri were in town, and the fireworks are bigger at Oak Lake — more like Missouri’s — than the one’s you can buy at the stores around Lincoln.

“Usually we do it at home, but this year we thought we’d do something different,” Robert Stout said.

There were a lot of newcomers at the Uncle Sam Jam this year, as well as many people who hadn’t been to the city’s main fireworks festival since before it moved from Holmes Lake.

Emily Sellhorn and Laura Allen’s group wasn’t sure what to expect, so they showed up at about 4 p.m. and sat in the most convenient spot they could find — the parking lot.

Luckily, people directing the parking by the lake gave them a spot under a tree, providing ample shade for their group.

“We didn’t want to carry everything from the park,” Sellhorn said.

Her only complaint was that the bathrooms were a bit too far away, but at least there weren’t crowds of people everywhere, she said.

“It’s our first year to come out,” Allen said. “We didn’t know what the crowds would be like.”

Reach Zach Pluhacek at 473-7306 or zpluhacek@journalstar.com.


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Shawn Smith wrote on July 5, 2008 12:35 am:
" "at least there weren’t crowds of people everywhere"... interesting. When the event was at Holmes Lake, there were always TONS of people. It was proposed a number of years ago that the event should be alternated back and forth, between Oak Lake and Holmes, and I STILL think that would be the best idea. on years the Saltdogs are in town on the Fourth, send it to Oak Lake. On years when they play out of town, send it to Holmes Lake. Then, if you don't like "that" part of town, or you claim that "those people have it better than we do", you simply have to wait a year, for it to come around to back to your favorite area. Then, in years you don't want to have to go to the "trouble" or "hassle" of finding parking, going to an area of town that isn't yours, etc., you can find something else to do for a year. Also, by moving it every year, the tax dollars for the WHOLE city are spent fairly. You could even cycle in Mahoney Park, and have it in one area every three years. No matter how it's done, right now, the Uncle Sam Jam needs to change. It's considered one of the most wasteful uses of tax dollars by a large number of Lincoln's citizens, but because our local government doesn't listen very well, and doesn't like to change, the Uncle Sam Jam continues to be something that benefits SOME of Lincoln's citizens - but not the MAJORITY of Lincoln's citizens. It's too bad because it's not a bad event. But long-term, poor attendance and higher costs will doom the event to non-existence. Move it around, let it benefit more people. doing that, the city will likely have "people everywhere" and a successful event - just like they used to every year, when it was at Holmes Park. "

 Eric wrote on July 5, 2008 8:57 am:
" You would think that Lincoln would have a much better fireworks show than what we witnessed last nite. We will be going to Norfolk tonite for a much better show from a town 1\10th the size of Lincoln. Lincoln should be ashamed of itself. "

 Thanks Lincoln... wrote on July 5, 2008 10:55 am:
" Great time, and outstanding job by the LPD getting everyone where they were supposed to be. "

 was out wrote on July 5, 2008 3:07 pm:
" of lincoln and went to an airport on a hilltop. From there could see 5 towns having fireworks shows + one hotel and one resort having them. When it was over just got in the car and drove away. I guess I was wrong about someone driving in from out of state to see lincolns,but, bet they didn't rent a room downtown to see the show. These lasted from 8-10 p.m. "

 Colleen ONeill wrote on July 5, 2008 7:06 pm:
" This is my family's first year of coming out to Oak Lake Park. My sister's boyfriend, Matthew Moss, (he is the one that was runner up in the zinger competition). We were really impressed with the fireworks at Oak Lake Park, and that they were alot better than Seward's fireworks. The whole family had a blast and can't wait to come back to Oak Lake Park next year. "

 the city wrote on July 5, 2008 7:25 pm:
" of lincoln is another of those { wannabees}. If you have nothing but cornfields with a tall building sticking up out of the plains you can only dream of things other citys have. It is not a matter of growing up its a matter of realizing that lincoln is a landlocked town with a high tax problem. Unless its a matter of family the baby boomers will look to more age related places to move in the next few years. I don't see or talk to many who would move to or want to stay in lincoln for their retirement years. To much waste and good ole boy stuff going on. With a small amount of research there are not many places who give the schools 63 % of the tax income. Lincoln may be growing east but at the expense of the taxpayers who still live in the city limits. I for one will welcome lincoln in my rear view mirror. "

 what wrote on July 5, 2008 7:42 pm:
" What does the fourth of july fireworks show have anything to do with not liking lincoln and wanting to leave the city? "

 snowbird wrote on July 5, 2008 9:53 pm:
" To the person who wants to see lincoln in their rearview mirror:
Hurry up and get going. When you have lived a few places, then you
will see Nebraska is the good life. If not, that's ok. You are gone. "

 Did not will never attend wrote on July 5, 2008 10:05 pm:
" I would go to the fireworks if they were returned to Holmes Lake. I will not be a pawn in the Haymarket revitalization plan. Oak Lake is not my idea of an attractive place to go. Too bad the city planners had to be so underhanded when they took the celebration away from Holmes Lake. I have seen comments written in the paper that people like me should "get over it". Well, I will not be told what is best for me by people who represent businesses in tis city. If you want to be one of the mindless sheep, go for it. For myself, the neighborhood show is just fine and a bit more genuine. "

 I was there... wrote on July 5, 2008 10:57 pm:
" And I thought it was great. I didn't even want to go in the first place, because every year we can see it from our house, and I've never been impressed...but I was so glad my husband dragged me out there. Great weather, friendly people, good show and good food. Holmes Lake is obviously in th"e past. That is the problem with some Lincolnites, their "me me me attitude, and are not willing to accept change. Last time I checked Lincoln was a community not a war torn country with this "our side" and "their side". Where did all the patriotism go??? What ever happened to just having a good time...Oh, those people were to busy boycotting. Too bad, your loss. "

 Really getting annoyed wrote on July 6, 2008 6:42 am:
" A big waste of money. It really isn't needed "

 dewboy wrote on July 6, 2008 10:23 am:
" What a wonderful area to have a fireworks display Oak Lake park is. Especially when one considers the HEALTH WARNINGS at Holmes Lake. The City of Lincoln would be wise to just make that entire area a dog run and forget it. "

 Liked it wrote on July 6, 2008 7:10 pm:
" can't figure out what people are complaining about-we could see it from a hill near the highlands and enjoyed it as much as at Holmes Lake,Kansas and Oklahoma.I just think some people are so miserable/unhappy they like to whine and complain about everything. "

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