Over 3 days worth of holiday events in Tekamah

Freedom Fest, organized by Tekamah Chamber of Commerce, gets going Friday night before the big day arrives on Monday.

It all starts with a Friday night performance at Ronnie’s by Dueling Pianos.

On Saturday, the newest addition to the Freedom Fest lineup, the pet parade, will start at 9 a.m. at the downtown minipark.

Saturday evening, Chatterbox is hosting a street dance with music by eNVy from 7-11 p.m. Chatterbox also is hosting music from 4-8 p.m. on Sunday night featuring In Due Time.

Monday’s activities start bright and early.

For those who get rolled out of bed early thanks to the annual firing of anvils by Tekamah Fire Department, there is a pancake breakfast at the Presbyterian Church starting at 6:30 a.m. Serving continues until 9.

The annual 5K Color Run, sponsored by the local TeamMates program, launches in a cloud of color from the downtown minipark at 8 a.m. Registration opens at the auditorium at 7:30.

The annual parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 4. The theme for this year’s parade is “Courtesy of the Red, White and You!”

Preregistration is encouraged, but not required. A registration form is inside this week’s Plaindealer. Floats can check in at the Plaindealer office starting at 8:30.

The parade will follow its normal route, proceeding north up 13th to M Street, turning east to 9th then back north to O and into Athletic Park. A hydration station will be available at the 9th and M corner, at Arbor Care center.

Lunch at the park will be offered by the Family Traditions BBQ food truck.

An antique tractor and car show and shine will be held in the park after the parade. Anyone is welcome to join, there is no registration fee.

There will be a horseshoe tournament in Memorial Park, the north park, after the parade.

Tekamah firemen will be hosting water fights for kids at 2 p.m. That event will be held in Q St. near the park. Tekamah’s sparkling new pool will host free open swimming until 3:30.

Burt County Museum will be open for tours Monday afternoon, 1-4 p.m. The museum is offering a variety of lawn games, as well as refreshments, as part of an old-fashioned celebration. Northridge also is offering free open golf from noon till 3 p.m.

The day’s feature event, the fireworks show, goes off at Northridge Country Club at approximately 10 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the show will be held the following day, Tuesday, July 5.

For those who want to get a jump on the pyrotechnics, fireworks also will be available for sale in town. Tekamah Area Veterans again are operating their stand at the corner of highways 75 and 32 in the heart of Tekamah.

Area towns celebrating

Other area communities also will be celebrating the Fourth in style.

Oakland is having its annual Party in the Park on Sunday, July 3. As part of the event, Oakland Lions Club is holding the fifth annual Ducks on the Logan duck race. A fundraiser for the club’s community service work, interested parties “buy” rubber ducks which are then floated down Logan Creek from County Road L north of the city to the RV park near Highway 32. The first duck to complete the trip earns its owner a cash prize. More information is available from any Oakland Lions Club member.

The party starts at 6 p.m. with a variety of family-friendly events, concluding with a fireworks show at dusk.

In Lyons, the Community Club is hosting a cornhole tournament on July 3 to benefit the Lyons-Decatur football team. The tourney is part of an evening program at Brink Park. The city’s annual 4th of July Festival is hosting a 5K fun run Monday morning and car and motorcycle show on Main Street that runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Trophies will be available in 14 classes for the show. The day also includes a scavenger hunt and a variety of other events to please the whole family.

The annual parade starts at 5 p.m., followed by the barbecue put on by the local fire department. A fireworks show will be held at the ballpark at 10 p.m.