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Area comes alive with July 4th celebrations |
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Thursday, 02 July 2009 |
 Custer County and surrounding area residents will certainly not lack for anything to do this coming holiday weekend, with six local communities planning Indep-endence Day celebrations.
A number of activities will get underway Friday in Arnold, Oconto and Sumner. Events will continue throughout the weekend in those communities, along with July 4th activities in Merna, Comstock and Halsey.
ARNOLD - - A three-day celebration will begin Friday evening with the annual “Night of Thunder” tractor pull at 7 p.m. The pull is located one mile east of Arnold on Highway 92.
The theme for this year’s parade is “125+ Years and Still Growing Great Things.” The parade, which begins at 10:30 a.m., will follow a breakfast at the United Methodist Church and precede a chicken noodle dinner at the Legion Hall.
A kiddie parade, kid’s races, turtle races, red neck olympics, miniature golf and free swimming at the pool will round out Saturday afternoon’s activities.
A barbecue will be in the city park from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by a melodrama and music, and fireworks at dusk at Old Mill Park.
The fun continues in Arnold Sunday with a horseshoe tournament at 4 p.m., church in the park at 6:30 p.m. and a concert by “Simple Grace” at 7 p.m.
COMSTOCK - - Though it may be a small community, folks in Comstock know how to throw a party! And that is just what they will be doing this 4th of July.
The city park will play host to a sand volleyball tournament, which gets started bright and early at 8 a.m. Saturday morning. The parade will start at 10:30 a.m., followed by a barbecue in the community hall.
There will be a pie and ice cream social at The Den, as well as a live auction, horseshoe tournament and kids’ races at the park. Musical entertainment will be provided starting at 4:30 p.m., and the Snack Shack will open at 5 p.m. Softball games will highlight the evening’s activities beginning at 7 p.m., with a fireworks display at dusk.
SUMNER - - Just past the southern edge of Custer County is the community of Sumner, home to one of the area’s largest 4th of July parades. The theme for this year’s parade, which is set to begin at 10:30 Saturday morning, is “If I Had a Million Dollars.”
The parade will be followed by lunch at the community hall, and foot races and a money pile at the football field. The rodeo and sand volleyball tournament finals will begin at 1:30 p.m., and visitors can enjoy a car show, “Highway 40 Show & Shine,” from 1:30 to 4 p.m.
Later that afternoon there will be jousting, boat race and entertainment at the park, with the firemen’s barbecue set to begin at 5:30 p.m. Tub’s Pub will feature karaoke from 3-7 p.m., and the fun walk will begin at 7 p.m.
Fireworks will be shot off at dusk at the football field - bring your chairs or blankets.
OCONTO - - Just to the west of Sumner about 21 miles, folks will be celebrating Oconto Fun Days. The fun will begin Friday with sand volleyball at 3 p.m. Sloppy Joes and hot dogs will be served by the Oconto Social Study Club from 5-9 p.m., and the mystery scavenger hunt will take place from 6-9 p.m.
On Saturday, horseshoes will begin the day at 7 a.m., with homemade ice cream being served starting at 9 a.m. at Evans Feed Store. The parade, with this year’s theme “Oconto Patriots,” will begin at 11 a.m., and a free lunch will be served at noon at the community building.
Saturday afternoon activities include critter races, foot races, egg & balloon toss, treasure dig, bingo and miniature golf, with events beginning at 1 p.m. The alumni banquet begins at 7 p.m., with a street dance to “Knights of the Turntable” from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The weekend will conclude with the annual 4-person golf scramble Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at the Cozad Country Club.
HALSEY - - The community of Halsey will once again play host to its annual July 4th celebration, which features a free buffalo and beef barbecue.
A Suds & Sundaes meal will be served at noon, sponsored by Purdum’s Women Fellowship. That afternoon there will be duck races on the Middle Loup River, as well as turtle races, horseshoes, a cake walk, bingo and kid’s games in the park beginning at 2 p.m.
The free barbecue will get underway at 6:30 p.m. followed by a large fireworks display at dusk.
MERNA - - Merna’s annual Heritage Days festival has a full slate of activities planned for Saturday, beginning at 7:30 a.m. with a free pancake feed at the high school. The 1-mile fun run/walk will begin at 7:30 a.m., with the 5K fun run/walk getting started at 8 a.m.
The annual co-ed softball tournament starts at 9 a.m. at the Merna ball field, with the parade down Main Street beginning at 10 a.m. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the community center.
Also beginning at 11 a.m. will be a pedal tractor pull, carnival concession stand and the 5th annual tractor and pickup pull. Fun on the Midway and mud volleyball will begin at noon, with bingo getting underway at 1:30 at the community center.
The ping pong ball drop will be at 4:30 p.m. for kids up to age 12, with a barbecue and alumni meeting following from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the city park.
A watermelon feed will be at 8:30 p.m. at the ball field, followed by a fireworks display at 10 p.m.
The weekend will conclude with the finals of the co-ed softball tournament Sunday, beginning at 9 am.
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Broken Bow’s annual fireworks display will be at dusk at Melham Park.
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The Custer County Chorus will perform at Broken Bow’s Summertime in the Square tonight. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 06 July 2009 )
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