CENTRAL PA 4TH FEST

Array of activities draw crowds

Holiday event offers more than just fireworks

Eric Smith

UNIVERSITY PARK — Throughout the day on Saturday, the crowds celebrating at the Central PA 4th Fest grew seemingly by the minute as people staked claims to the prime real estate areas for firework viewing. Over the course of the afternoon, canopies, lawn chairs and blankets continued to overtake the grassy areas along Park Avenue and Porter Road.

CDT/Michelle Bixby

Outstanding Young Woman Lorrin Kline, 17, left, of Philipsburg paints hearts on six-year-old Lexy Weiss of Indiana at a kids crafts tent operated by the Outstanding Young Women during 4th Fest activities at Penn State University Saturday, July 4, 2009. CDT/Michelle Bixby

View larger

• Red, white and blue tradition

At 1 p.m., as the Spikes game against the Williamsport Crosscutters began, people were still flocking to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for some of the first projected rain-free baseball in some time. Even 20 minutes after the first pitch, there were lines 10 people deep at the three open ticket windows.

For Ross Mocko, Chris Miemiec and Matt Trippel, the wait to get into the park was something they were willing to endure. Mocko and Miemiec were visiting from Conway, S.C., to see their friend Trippel, a Penn State student. All were looking forward to the evening fireworks, but the Spikes game was a good way to spend the afternoon, they said.

“It’s the Fourth of July, and this is America’s pastime,” Trippel said.

That combination is something that Jason Dambach, general manager for the Spikes, believes is turning into more of a recognized local tradition.

“This is our fourth year doing this,” Dambach said. “People are coming to realize that every July Fourth, the Spikes are part of the summertime tradition in Central Pennsylvania.”

Dambach admitted that the timing of the holiday landing on a Saturday and the good weather were factors in the turnout, but said that attendance has been strong this year overall.

“Walk-in ticket sales are better than ever this year,” he said.

Just down the road from the ballpark in a tent selling 4th Fest souvenirs, one of the event organizers was helping coordinate activities with the 300 volunteers on scene. Skip Webster, marketing committee chairman for 4th Fest, said he was pleased with the combination of good weather and the weekend holiday.

“That definitely helps,” Webster said. “Next year should be good too as the Fourth falls on a Sunday and everybody will have Monday off.”

After the Bryce Jordan Center discontinued the family playground due to financial concerns, 4th Fest organizers decided they would fill in the gaps.

“We are separate from the Bryce Jordan Center,” Webster said. “The 4th Fest is a 501(c) nonprofit. We stepped up to the plate and have amusement rides this year.”

The organizers also decided to add another unique feature.

“This year, we have a graphic waterfall,” he said. “We first saw it on YouTube.”

The waterfall creates shapes, letters and images out of water. When it is dark, colored lights illuminate the images as they fall to earth and return to a liquid pool. The waterfall was a popular attraction, at least for some quick photographs from passers-by, throughout the afternoon.

“This is something coming to us from Chicago,” Webster said. “They did it for us at cost because we are a nonprofit.”

And as a nonprofit, the 4th Fest is supporting other charitable causes, Webster said. The Operation Thank You booth was taking donations with proceeds going to U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

“One hundred percent of the money donated goes to products that are shipped overseas to the troops,” Webster said.

The new additions to the 4th Fest make the day something more than a fireworks celebration, he added.

“It’s more than just a day to blow things up,” Webster said. “The mission of the 4th Fest should be year-round.”

For fest-goers Cherene Comick, of Pottstown, and Wendy Gale, of Berwyn, the fireworks were definitely the main attraction.

“I heard they are in the top 10 of the best fireworks in the United States,” Comick said.

But Comick and Gale said they were interested in the other attractions and planned to visit different activities throughout the day.