Fireworks on the River
Please note: 2011 Parking Changes
(Map courtesy of the Telegraph Herald) The Dubuque Jaycees have announced parking changes for this year’s Radio Dubuque/Dubuque Jaycees 3rd of July Fireworks and Air Show Spectacular on Sunday, July 3. The Dubuque Jaycees will again offer parking in several lots for $10 per car. These are the only lots from which proceeds will be used to cover the cost of the fireworks, and will include: Klauer Manufacturing’s lot; grassy areas behind and to the side of Bowling and Beyond; the former Thermo Fischer Scientific building’s front and back lots; and Hurst Logistics lots numbers one and two. Combined, these lots offer plenty of parking for the public. The Jaycees also offer prime space for RV parking priced at $35 and up, depending on size of the vehicle. Very special thanks to the Bill Klauer, Jr., of Klauer Manufacturing, Steve Hurst of Hurst Logistics, the City of Dubuque, and Steve Hurst, Wayne Briggs and Steve Smith of SGW, for donating the use of their lots in order to raise funds for this year’s Dubuque Jaycees/Radio Dubuque 3rd of July Fireworks and Air Show Spectacular. The 3rd of July Fireworks would not be successful without annual in-kind donations from Clark Wolff of Selco Incorporated, Scott Dittmer and Joe Rettenmeier of Dittmer Recycling, Harris Golf Carts, Reuter Metals Inc., and Steve’s Ace Hardware. Vendors also have a new location this year in AY McDonald Park. Look for the following businesses and organizations in the new area: Tri-State Area Veteran Association (selling pop and water this year in two satellite stations located in AY McDonald Park); Pizza Hut; Colts Drum and Bugle Corps; Cold Stone Creamery; Georgie’s Treats, and Sno Cones. This year the Eastern Iowa Outlaws roller derby team will also have a booth down at AY McDonald Park. These vendors support the fireworks, so please thank them by supporting them on July 3 and throughout the year. For more information on July 3 parking, contact Tammy Welbes at 563.583.5555 or by email at ruajc@yahoo.com. Related Information Article on Fireworks from June 23-July 6 issue of 365 Ink (PDF) June 29 Telegraph Herald article on new fireworks venue # # # VOLUNTEER INFORMATION PARKING This year’s parking changes will also impact where we park our own cars. For years, the Jaycees have always parked along the guardrails of the Klauer Lot. This year, however, only handicapped parking will be there. Instead, all Jaycees workers must park in the front (west side) of the building. This will ensure that our vehicles are secure while opening up a great amount of space to the handicapped. In the past, there was a medical emergency with a handicapped child and the family was stuck in the grassy parking lot. We want to make sure that vehicles in handicapped parking can leave for an emergency and also be accessible to emergency personnel if necessary. Thank you so much for your understanding and cooperation. VOLUNTEER SCHEDULE On July 2, we start setting up at 6 p.m. We will meet at the Klauer Lot at the corner of Kerper and Shiras Ext. That night we will prepare the barricades, grabber cones, and snow fence, as well as secure the Jaycee area and basically get things ready to go for the morning. On July 3, we start at 8 a.m. setting up the garbage cans, preparing the recycling bins, setting up vendor row and other bits and pieces. We also will start parking cars as early as 9-10 a.m. until the lots are full. After the fireworks show, we empty the lots with the assistance of the police and the auxillary, which is a lot of fun. We need lots of people the entire day! Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Depending on how fast the lots fill up, we may even provide supper but that will be a last-minute decision. We will take care of all liquids for the day: pop, water, electrolite drinks, and, of course, beer for relaxing when the work is done. You will see about 25,000 people in this amount of time. Last year the military ranked our our Air Show/Fireworks Show in the top 10 nationwide based on the size of our show; the previous year we were in the top 15. On July 4, we start at 10 a.m. We’ll pick up recycling bins, take down the snow fence, and tear down our area. Then we return our stuff to the 365 building. We will take help of all kinds, no matter when, no matter who, and no matter how long. There is work for everyone! (Plus, volunteers get bonus collectible t-shirts!) # # # About the Fireworks Already a Dubuque icon for years at Veterans Memorial Park, the Dubuque Jaycees Fireworks moved to the river’s edge more than two decades ago and has since grown every year to become one of the premier Independence Day celebrations in the Midwest and the country. Thanks to the combined effors of the Dubuque Jaycees, Radio Dubuque, Kat-FM, KDTH, and The Rock, the River Fireworks annually draws more than 100,000 visitors and residents downtown to take part in wishing America a happy birthday. This year, the Show Center, including the announcer’s stage, the VIP seating area, the parachute jump landing site, and all food vendors will be moving to the A.Y. McDonald Park near the Hawthorne Street Boat Launch Ramp. In previous years, all these activities were held in the parking lot of Bowling and Beyond. Due to military aerobatic maneuvers, boaters will be restricted from the river between the Iowa and Wisconsin shores, from Lock and Dam 11 to the Wisconsin bridge, until the completion of the air demonstration. The fireworks and air show are a special tribute to the men and woman of the armed forces that give us the freedom that we enjoy today. Do to the extreme noise of the Air Show and Fireworks, PLEASE leave your pets at home. The Dubuque Police Department will be enforceing a NO PET policy. Top 10 Tips for Enjoying the Show 1. Come early – Nothing can replace the old standby: arrive nice and early. There will be music and food. If you come before 7:00 p.m., you are pretty much guaranteed a decent parking spot. If it’s a Saturday, you need to come a lot earlier to get a good spot. 2. Bring a radio and tune in – Even hours before the show, you will want to tune in one of the Radio Dubuque Stations: 92.9 KAT-FM, 1370 KDTH, 97.3 The Rock, or 101.1 THE RIVER. They will have continual updates from the show and great music all day long. Even if you are right there at the show, listening to the radio will give you insight into details you might be missing, especially during the air shows. And the most important reason to listen is because the the fireworks show is set to music. If you only see the explosions in the sky, then you are missing half the show. Tune it in and crank it up. Hearing radios around you in all directions tuned to the same music makes the show the best it can be. 3. Use the Jaycees Parking Areas – To avoid congestion and streamline parking, the Dubuque Jaycees carefully plan out large parking areas for the public. There is a $10.00 fee to park here but you can take pride knowing that money goes directly toward paying for next year’s show. (Note: Paying to park in lots not operated by the Jaycees means your money is going into someone’s pocket and not back to the event. Please do your best to support the event by parking where your donation really makes a difference.) 4. Special Needs Parking – If you have disabled individuals in your party or potential medical emergencies (such as pregnant woman), you can request special parking areas from your Jaycees parking assistant. Just notify him or her of your situation and you will be directed to the proper area. 5. How do you get a VIP parking permit? – Sorry, we can’t help you there unless you are a sponsor or you know the right people. A small lot adjacent to the Official Fireworks Viewing Area is reserved for sponsors, contributors, and other VIPs. It takes a lot of help from a lot of people to make this event successful, and this is just one small way we can say thank you to those individuals and businesses who make it all happen. Special Note: Even if you have a VIP pass, you will need to arrive early enough to get into the VIP lot. There are always a few more VIP passes out there than there are VIP spots. Plus, you never know how unique vehicle parking challenges will affect lot space. If you have a pass and are turned away at the VIP lot, you may use the pass for free parking in the main Jaycees lots. 6. Get a good seat. – You really can’t beat the view from right beneath the launch pad. A.Y. McDonald Park (in front of the Hawthorne Street Boat Ramp) is the Official Event Viewing Area (“party central,” if you will). This is where it is all happening: the demonstrations, the color guard, the music, and food and beverages. This is also where you will find all the sponsors, the main stage, and glowropes for the kids. Radio Dubuque’s stations, Kat-FM, KDTH, THE ROCK, and THE RIVER, will all be broadcasting from right here. This space gets very full but there always seems to be room for a few more so don’t be afraid of the crowd. We’ll make room for you. After all, the reason there is a crowd is because this is where the real fun is. If you really can’t get down to the main stage for some reason, there are other great places to watch the show from. Following are a few suggestions. Eagle Point Park – This will be as full as the Main Stage area, if not moreso, but there is a good reason: you are at eye-level with the fireworks. On the flood wall – Thousands of Dubuquers line the flood wall with their blankets and lawn chairs to view the show. It is away from the party but an easy walk from most any parking space. On the river – Though boaters are prohibited from being on this stretch of the river during the air shows, afterwards the river is an amazing and unique place to experience the light show. It is also a beautiful sight from shore as hundreds of boats sparkle across the mighty Mississippi. The bluffs – Here you’ll be farther away and the party is not as big, but the view is unobstructed. If you can find a seat somewhere, pull up some sod and enjoy the show (and the easy exit afterwards). Behind your car – Many of the parking spots are so good at the fireworks that you may decide to pop the trunk and make your camp right there in the parking lot. Additional benefits to this plan include easy access to the cooler and no carrying of stuff required. 7. BYOS – Bring your own seat. There is always room on the ground, but a couple of hours on mother earth and you may be wishing you had brought a chair. No matter where you sit, you can most likely find room to set up a couple lawn chairs. 8. If you come hungry, bring cash- There are always a great variety of food vendors at the fireworks to serve your hunger needs. From pizza and burgers, to snow cones and soda, rest assured there is someone just dying to keep you well-fed. There are also glowropes for the kids and possibly other goods for sale. Don’t come with empty pockets if you want have a treat or leave with a souvenir. Buying food and goods at the fireworks from official participating vendors supports local businesses and also supports the funding of next year’s show. 9. Getting Out – Patience is a virtue. You managed to party for hours before the show–why the big hurry to leave so fast? Considering there are thousands of cars packed at the end of Kerper Boulevard, it is really amazing just how fast and efficiently the Dubuque Police Department gets you out safely and on your way home. Within an hour of the event concluding, you could easily be home watching Letterman. For those who decide to relax a while, have another soda, and chat about how great the show was, there is virtually no wait when they eventually decide to pack it up and head home. It is our suggestion that you do not plan on getting out immediately. Go in with this mindset and you’ll be quite at ease when the show is over. 10. Pick up after yourself – This is a volunteer run event. All those people in orange vests are citizens just like you who have come down to have a good time. The better we do at putting our trash in the receptacles provided, respecting other people’s property, and obeying the law, the more fun we will all have and the more memorable the event will be for the city of Dubuque. Remember that people come from across the country and the world to take part in the Dubuque Jaycees Fireworks on the River. You are a representative of our community, so do your part to make it a welcoming and enjoyable event for everyone you meet. Bonus Tip: Log on to Dubuque365.com after the show to see and download photos of the event. Enjoy them, display them, e-mail them around the world or share them with your friends at work. Who knows, maybe we will catch you in our lens. |
February 22nd, 2012 ID Event - Ice Skating, 6:00 PM ID Event cont. Trivia Night, 7:00 PM March 1st, 2012 Exec Board Meeting at Town Clock Inn, 6:00 PM March 16th, 2012 Social/New Member Orientation, 6:30 PM Helpful Links |
