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    Uncle Sam Jam Place to Be for Fourth of July Activities in Lincoln, Neb.

    By Meagan Morris | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Fri, Jul 1, 2011
    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
    Do you have a story to tell? Become a Yahoo! contributor

    The Fourth of July celebration in Lincoln, Neb., has evolved over the years into a family event complete with live music, all-day family activities and, of course, a large-scale fireworks show.

    The 2011 Uncle Sam Jam will take place Saturday at Oak Lake Park instead of July 4, according to Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler.

    "We have a great day planned, and I want to thank our sponsors as well as city staff for keeping this annual tradition alive in Lincoln," Beutler said in a statement. "Moving the Uncle Sam Jam from July 4th to the 2nd holds down City expenses and allows families to enjoy the public event Saturday as well as private family celebrations on Monday."

    The celebration is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and conclude after the fireworks display at 10 p.m., the mayor said. Some of the Uncle Sam Jam activities will include races, laser tag and much more.

    Canoe Rides

    Canoe rides will be available for both children and adults starting at 1 p.m. Life jackets, paddles and instruction will be included for free and trained professionals will be on hand to help, too.

    Bingo

    Who doesn't love a good, competitive game of Bingo? The city will offer Bingo games for anyone over the age of 12 for just a quarter between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. The games will be held in the shelter building east of Oak Lake.

    Archery

    Trained professionals will offer archery lessons from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the north end of Oak Lake Park. Not into bows and arrows? There will also be a laser tag competition at the tent set up on the park grounds.

    Races

    Relay races for both adults and children will start at 3 p.m. outside the shelter east of the lake. Races planned for the afternoon include a three-legged race, potato race and mile-high relay. The city is also planning to offer a sponge relay and water balloon toss to help people cool off during the hot afternoon.

    Fireworks

    The fireworks display by Zambelli Internationale will start promptly at 10 p.m. and feature synchronized music provided by partner radio stations B107.3 FM, Froggy 98.1 FM, 105.3 Wow FM and KLIN 1400 AM.

    Parking

    Thousands of people are expected to turn out for the Oak Park fireworks event. On-site parking will be available at Oak Lake Park and in the Pfizer grass field at N.W. 4th and Cornhusker, but spaces will fill quickly.

    Two parking garages -- Haymarket Garage at 9th and "Q" streets and Que Place Garage at 11th and "Q" streets -- will offer a special $3 parking rate for the fireworks display along with a free shuttle to the park.

    Meagan Morris is a freelance journalist, native Nebraskan and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She focuses her work on arts, entertainment, culture and women's issues. Follow her on Twitter @upsidemeagan.

     

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