Some changes in place at Victoria concert and fireworks

By SONNY LONG •
Originally published July 3, 2009 at 4:12 p.m., updated July 3, 2009 at 11:25 p.m.

• ALSO ON THE 4TH IN VICTORIA

  Saxet Lakes Park - Open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., public can pop non-banned fireworks. Aerial fireworks are prohibited. Aerial fireworks are anything with fins or sticks. They include bottle rockets and missiles, ...

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ALSO ON THE 4TH IN VICTORIA

Saxet Lakes Park - Open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., public can pop non-banned fireworks. Aerial fireworks are prohibited. Aerial fireworks are anything with fins or sticks. They include bottle rockets and missiles, but not mortars or Roman candles.

H-E-B Plus, 6106 N. Navarro St. - 8:30 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. Trikes, Bikes and Wagons Parade, ages 2 to 12.

Incredible Pizza, 3706 N. Navarro St. - 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fourth of July Military Celebration.

Templo Jerusalem Baptist Church, 2205 E. Mockingbird Lane - 1 to 5 p.m., gospel concert.

AREA FOURTH OF JULY EVENTS

LAVACA COUNTY

Shiner: 30th annual Shiner Half Moon Holidays, Green Dickson Park, Saturday, a park fun run starts at 7:30 a.m. followed by a parade through downtown Shiner at 10:30 a.m. Live music in the park begins at 1 p.m. and is headlined by Two Tons of Steel at 7:15 p.m.; games, concessions and contests; fireworks, sponsored by Spoetzl Brewery, at 9:15 p.m.

DEWITT COUNTY

Cuero: Grace Episcopal Church Family Fun Carnival, Cuero Municipal Park, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Young Patriots parade, games, contests, food booths, country store, raffle; free admission, concessions 50 cents each, bucket auction $1 each; Lions Club barbecue sandwich dinner, park pavilion, 5:30 to 8 p.m.; $5 donation; City of Cuero fireworks show, city park, dusk. Free admission.

Yorktown: Lions Club-sponsored fireworks and concessions at the city park, 8 p.m.; fireworks at dark. Free admission; Hermann Sons family picnic, lodge hall, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Music by Guadalupe River Surfers band; Bring side dish for evening meal, bring lawn chairs; beverages available in the hall; no outside coolers; watch fireworks at nearby city park.

GOLIAD COUNTY

Goliad: Fireworks display, Coleto Creek Park, 9 p.m., Park offers swimming, picnic tables, barbecue grill, playground, hike and bike trail, lighted fishing pier. Free after 7 p.m. with proof of permanent county residence, $8 per vehicle before 7 p.m.

REFUGIO COUNTY

Refugio: July 4 Celebration, Refugio County Fairgrounds, 7 a.m. to 9:15 p.m., cook-offs, kiddie parade, frog jump, ice cream-making contest, jalapeno-eating contest, horseshoe pitch tournament and more. Fireworks start at 9:15 p.m. Free.

Austwell: Fish fry and silent auction, Wilson Heard Pavilion, 6 to 9 p.m, Fish fry starts at 6 p.m., silent auction from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., disk jockey dance and light show from 8 p.m. to midnight. Fish fry $7 a plate. Everything else is free. No firework display.

MATAGORDA COUNTY

Bay City: July 4 Flight Fest and Fireworks, Bay City Municipal Airport, 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., games and food/drink booths open at 4 p.m., Highland Lakes Squadron Plane Rides 4 to 6 p.m., Model Airplane Club Performs 4:15 p.m., ping pong ball drop at 6 p.m., Paul Fiala and Debbie Harvey-Rihn Aerobatics Performances at 6:45 , Model Airplane Club Performs at 7:10 p.m., patriotic show featuring Bay City city councilman Clarence Fenner at 7:45 p.m., H-E-B fireworks show, largest show in the county at 10 p.m. DJ services throughout the day.

Palacios: Palacios' Centennial 100th Birthday Party, East Bay Park. Saturday events: re-enactment of French Explorer LaSalle's landing at 10 a.m., centennial baby contest at 11 a.m., barbecue lunch, no-boat boat races, helicopter rides, tricycle races, dedication of monument and 100-year time capsule at 6 p.m., fireworks show at 10.

Sargent: 6th Annual Sargent Bam Bam Jamboree, Caney Creek Pavilion, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Music throughout the day by Chaz Band, craft show and flea market, games and prizes for the kids, cake and pie baking contest (enter at 10 a.m., event at noon), auction, raffle (drawing at 5 p.m.), barbecue booths and drink booths, fireworks shortly after dark.

JACKSON COUNTY

Edna: Texana Outback Freedom Fest 2009, Lake Texana State Park, Saturday, doors open at 1 p.m.; firework display at 9:30 p.m. Presented by Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture; featuring Donahue Band with performances by Gary P. Nunn, HoneyBrowne, Rich O'Toole, Max Stallin, price, $20 a ticket.

CALHOUN COUNTY

Port O'Connor: Centennial Firework Display, Kingfisher Beach, Saturday at dusk.

KARNES COUNTY

Runge: Parade at 10 a.m., barbecue and music, games at the VFW Hall beginning at 11 a.m.; arts and crafts, food booths; fireworks at dark.

For the first time, a fence erected specifically for Victoria's annual fireworks show and concert will funnel foot traffic to vendors set up for the event at the Community Center.

"We want to give the vendors the opportunity for increased sales," said David Hartman of Hartman Distributing, the event's major sponsor. "These nonprofit groups that set up out here need a boost."

Hartman said the additional fence doesn't mean a change in the free admission to the event, but a couple of more changes are taking place.

Attendees will not be allowed to park on the community center grounds, but should park in the Youth Sports Complex parking lot or the Community Center parking lot.

Also, no coolers or ice chests will be allowed this year.

"The Texas Zoo has beer sales and the Victoria Jaycees Queen's Court has water and soft drink sales and these two groups were suffering by people bringing in their coolers and ice chests with beverages. We encourage everyone to take advantage of the cold drinks the vendors will have available because it will be hot out there," Hartman said.

Other nonprofit vendors include the National Down-Syndrome Society, and Bible Truth Apostolic Church of El Campo. The Knights of Columbus and Our Lady of Sorrows Church softball team also receive proceeds from the sale of space to "for profit" vendors. Those include private and business vendors with barbecue sandwiches, sausage and fajita wraps, homemade ice cream and sno-cones.

Members of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars will also be handing out free poppies. During the event, Ron Kocian, representing Warrior's Weekend, will receive a check for $10,000 from proceeds from the annual Tails & Tunes Fishing Tournament and Concert in Port O'Connor.

The celebration begins at 6 p.m. with the fireworks display about 9:30 p.m. Jarrod Birmingham is the featured entertainer with Rhythm of the Road also taking the stage.

In addition to Hartman Distributing, event co-sponsors include the Victoria Advocate, KIXS, Waste Management, Suddenlink, and 98.7 Jack FM. The event is coordinated through the Victoria Parks and Recreation Department.