Page 8 Wednesday, July 9, 2014Democrat/Leader

FORT MEADE NEWS

The ohs and ahs heard in many communities around Polk County returned to Fort Meade this year, with a community July 4 celebration last Friday at Patterson Park highlighted by the city’s first fireworks show in six years.

Hundreds were at the park, and hundreds more lined the east side of North Charleston Avenue to watch the pyrotechnic extravaganza, which went off as planned right at 9 p.m., and lasted about 25 minutes.

There were plenty of amazed faces, especially on the faces of youngsters who dotted the landscape, and a round of applause from the adults at the show’s end.

Organizers said overall they were pleased with how the day went, bolstered by the fact that Mother Nature cooperated, moving early day rain showers away from Fort Meade, keeping event goers dry. There was even a nice breeze to keep the tem-peratures bearable.

Officials said they will meet to review what went right, and what they could do better for future celebrations, but that fireworks were expected to be on the agenda again next year.

All the comments I have received have been positive regarding the

event,” City Manager Fred Hilliard noted Monday morning. “We will be have a post event review to see how we can improve it for 2015, and we shall work to put it the budget for next year.”

In recent years, there has been a small community event at the Fort Meade Outdoor Recreation Area which ended in the early afternoon, and did not include fireworks which were cut out of the city’s budget starting in 2009 because of spending constraints brought on by a poor economy.

Chamber Director Priscilla Perry, who helped plan the festivities, was also pleased with the day.

“The fireworks show was everything and more we ever expected. The com-munity came, enjoyed and supported it,” she noted. “Improvements? The logistics of the daytime event will be tweaked for better accessibility to the public, but I was sure proud to be a part of the folks who made it all happen.”

There were food vendors set up at Patterson Park, and many events scheduled, everything from baby crawl races and a Patriotic pooch contest, to the Miss and Mister Firecracker competition. There was also events like pie and watermelon eating contests, arm wrestling and water relays. Those events all started at 4 p.m.

City Planner April Brown, who did much of the planning for the event from the city’s point of view, was also overall happy with the day.

“I thought the Fourth of July cele-bration went great. While there were some ‘kinks’ that we need to work on for next year I thought it was a

great success,” Brown noted. “ The fireworks were awesome and watching the children with them laughing and getting excited when they would light up was worth it. Even adults were having fun watching them as well. Thanks to the city for bringing back this tradition.”

Ohs, ahs return to Fort Meade’s FourthBy BRIAN ACKLEY

backley@heartlandnewspapers.com

Fireworks show caps off community celebration at Patterson Park

Fireworks returned to Fort Meade for the first time in six years Friday night at Patterson Park, and were enjoyed by many at the park, and hundreds more crammed along Charleston Avenue.

Some people at Patterson Park put on their own show before the main event.

Shane Coulter, right, and Daniel Raebig were two of the participants in the arm wrestling compe-tition.

PHOTOS BY CHARLES A. BAKER III

Several babies won ribbons at the Miss Firecracker Pagent which drew a large turnout, including Brady Barnett, left, Madison Thomspson, center and Damien King, right.