Our big weekend is just about here

By Tribune staff
Monday, Jul 07, 2008 - 10:23:00 am CDT

It seems pretty calm now, but a flurry of activity is about to hit Fremont.

This is the week of the

78th annual Fremont 4-H Fair and the 22nd annual John C. Fremont Days -- the biggest weekend of the year in the city.

It all kicks off at 9 a.m. Wednesday with the

4-H Fair’s horse show. There also will be reining, pole bending and barrel racing on Wednesday.

All of the 4-H Fair activities take place at Christensen Field, near Linden Avenue and Ridge Road.

The fair started as a way for area 4-H’ers to prepare for their own county fairs. It involves children from nine counties -- Burt, Butler, Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders and Washington.

Highlights of the 4-H Fair include ATV and tractor operators contests, livestock and small animal contests, cat and dog shows, a petting zoo and the coronation of the Fremont 4-H Fair king and queen.

And what fair would be complete without food? There are watermelon feeds and a pancake breakfast planned on Friday and Saturday at Christensen Field.

But the 4-H Fair is only the beginning of Fremont’s big week. John C. Fremont Days begins at 10 a.m. Friday with pony rides and the opening of the food court at John C. Fremont City Park.

The official opening ceremonies don’t take place until 5 p.m. where Fremont favorites Mary Reynolds and Bob Olson take the stage. Reynolds, as always, will be at the piano and Olson will lead a Dixieland Band. After the ceremony birthday cake in honor of Midland Lutheran College’s 125th anniversary will be served.

There is plenty of entertainment planned, and most of it is free. Those performing in the Chautauqua Tent include hypnotist Ray Thompson, Moostache Joe’s Variety Band, Sheltered Reality Percussion Ensemble, Peterson Family Gospel, the Ridge Players, Lightning Bugs and the First Nebraska Volunteer Band.

Children’s activities will be set up 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday on the green at Midland Lutheran College. But there also is the stick horse rodeo at 4 p.m. Saturday at Christensen Field, pony rides and giant inflatables in the Schweser’s Parking Lot at Sixth Street and Park Avenue and the Wild West Show at the Downtown Stage on Saturday.

Returning favorites include the hot air balloon glow at 9 p.m. Friday at First Lutheran Church, Petrow Candy Kitchen Chocolate Clown Sundaes throughout the weekend, rides on the Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad, the John C. Fremont Days Rodeo on Friday and Saturday, the street dance and beer garden on Saturday night and the parade down Main Street at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Capping off the entire weekend is a concert by Grammy Award-winner Steven Curtis Chapman. Tickets still are available for the 7:30 p.m. Sunday concert and can be purchased at www.itickets.com.

Opening for Chapman will be The September Project and Spoudazo.

Early forecasts from the National Weather Service in Valley call for high temperatures in the lower 90s Wednesday through Saturday and in the upper 80s on Sunday.

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fremonter
Jul 7, 2008 2:46 PM
the 4h fair is great. i give the kids a lot of credit. but john c. fremont days is BORING. same old stuff every year. way too many vendors selling junk. its nothing but a yard sale. (and a bad one at that) spice it up people. no one i know of has said that they are going this year because its so dry and boring. typical of fremont i guess. and we wonder why we have not grown. fremont is stuck in low gear and has been for many years. we need some fresh blood.
a nother fremonter
Jul 7, 2008 3:12 PM
If you think the JC Fremont Days is boring, maybe it's because you haven't taken in all there is to take in. It is not just about downtown but all over the city. I do think that the 4H parade got a raw deal when it was combined with the JFC parade. It seems that the JFC part of the parade overshadows the 4H part too much. Where are all the neat floats that the 4H people had? Also we could do with a lot less politicians!
fremonter
Jul 7, 2008 3:31 PM
to a nother fremonter;
i have taken it all in and as i said BORING. i do agree that the 4h parade and activities should be kept separate.
josh
Jul 7, 2008 5:09 PM
if you been there once you done it all iam not even going to the beer garden even the beer is boring its all boring the big week haha I will be in my back yard with my coors light
JT
Jul 7, 2008 5:20 PM
As an out of towner I've always thought JCF Days are pretty fun.
Bobo
Jul 7, 2008 9:18 PM
To fremonter:
Normally you and I don't agree. Not this time. Tired. The car show can be OK, but how many '57 Chevy's and old tractors can a guy look at? Or dorks with muskets and coon-skin hats?
Remember all the hype for this Chapman guy? If he was all that, he'd have sold out by now. Yes, I know about his little girl. Tragic. Still, would've sold out if anybody was interested.
I think a little UFC would spice things up. With local contestants. Wet T-shirts might be a little over the top, tho. It is a family event.
Dex
Jul 7, 2008 9:38 PM
If you dont like JCF days and think it is boring, stay home. There is no law that you have to go or even enjoy anything about JCF Days. But remember there must be something good about it that it attracts so many people to our town year after year and makes money for our town.
You know what they say, every party has a pooper.
Sam
Jul 7, 2008 10:44 PM
you wonder where all the 4-h floats went to? many years the 4-h'er would work to put a float together in the heat of the day, only to wait there turn in the parade, then all the shriners on there motor bikes would come out of a airconditioned building and get to go ahead of them, don't get me wrong the shriners are a good group but as they had a cool place to stay why not remain a little longer and let the kids go through first.
fremonter
Jul 8, 2008 12:01 PM
to dex:
and can you tell me how much of that money goes into the politicians pockets? and maybe how much? i sure dont see any worthwile improvements to fremont because of the money it makes from jcf days. oh yea and btw, i do stay home or go other places rather than to jcf days. i would much rather go to a 4h function than to jcf days. the kids work very hard at what they do and to me its worth the trip. jcf days? i would rather go and have a root canal or a colonoscopy. seems like more fun than jcf days.
shriners wife
Jul 8, 2008 2:09 PM
To Sam:
I've been to many parades with my husband and there is no airconditioned building available. They are in line just the same as the other floats and line up an hour prior to the parade. Many gentlemen are older and heat can be a concern. The Shriners parade for the kids. Both the kids along the parade route and to show support for the kids who are patients of the Shriner Hospitals. I'm sorry you can't be more of a kid at heart and just enjoy the entertainment.
scoop
Jul 8, 2008 2:27 PM
Why don't they sell cheese on a stick? Now that the state fair has moved ,it will be nothing but a fond memory just like the topless clubs of yore.
lefty
Jul 8, 2008 2:49 PM
I'll agree that there's a few fun things for the young and old at this annual festival. But sadly the biggest draw is the beer garden. General John C. would be so proud of that intoxicated fiasco. But like others have stated ...you arent required to go...and I feel eventually, few will.
funny guy
Jul 8, 2008 4:35 PM
BRING BACK THE 4H PARADE!!! WHATS WRONG WITH HAVING 2 PARADES IN THE SUMMER? THE KIDS DESERVE THERE OWN DAY THEY WORKED REALLY HARD ALL YEAR AT LEAST GIVE THEM 2 HOURS A YEAR 2 HAVE THERE PARADE
Bored
Jul 8, 2008 6:24 PM
JCF days have been the same since I was a kid! (I'm 21) The only thing I like to do is go to Midland College for the younger children (I have a 3 year old), she really enjoyed it last year. Im just sick of people cleaning up this town for it to be totally trashed Sunday night. Everything is over priced and is junk. I agree they need to spice it up
Ryan
Jul 8, 2008 7:21 PM
The only thing "typical" about Fremont is people making anonymous posts and complaining. I used to think the Tribune giving people an outlet for opinion was a good idea. It's never been a place for people to post ideas or alternative answers, just to gripe. I guess it's true, Fremont will always be a boil on the buttocks of Omaha.
Billy pack
Jul 8, 2008 9:54 PM
this here JCF days is the only vacation i dun git in a yar. i polish up my three teeth, comb over my hair and put on my whitest sleve less t-shirt. i's gunna git me a funnel cake and have a good time and jus maybe i see you at da beer garden. i dun tried to grow beer in ma garden, but it never done did work. couldn't get the lumanin cans ta stay on da vine. see ya there, de de de!
Beer Garden Fiasco
Jul 8, 2008 10:25 PM
I hope the police will be patrolling the neighborhoods near downtown during and particularly after the beer garden.....there are drunks walking home from downtown, urinating in yards, yelling and carrying on......living near downtown, I kind of dread JCFD every year. How about next year, the festival be held out by the water park and middle school?
Nancy
Jul 9, 2008 9:19 AM
My only question about JC Fremont Days is why was it moved to the hottest week in the whole summer from the late August date it had when it first started? I have heard it is because of the Dodge county fair, well that is a lame answer. There are other week-end that are not so hot and muggy, why not then. Don't get me wrong, I love to go see the things going on in Fremont but when the heat gets up there I think twice and many others do too. It's hard for parent with small children because there is really no where to take them to get out of the heat other than bars or restrurants downtown. The first few years they opened the beer garden to the general public with accordian players. The parents could get out of the sun and have a beer and the kids a soda without having a heatstroke and it was free to get into. Now you have to be 21 and pay a large cover price. This is a celebration of the spirit of Fremont, not suppose to be a money gouging affair. Enjoy the week-end and watch the heat!
SoCANV
Jul 9, 2008 10:43 AM
We love coming to your fremont days. The homemade pie at the methidist church is the best. Everything is easy to axcess and you can tell just how much hard work has gone into the making of this event.
Thanks you for sharing your hometown fun with us out of towners
native
Jul 9, 2008 11:01 AM
What happened to the Bed Races? And the Waiter/Waitress Contest? And the Volunteer Firemen Water Fights? And the Window Display Contests? It seems to me that everything that didn't bring in money got canceled. All the fun stuff.
fremonter
Jul 9, 2008 12:52 PM
hey billy pack:
you sound like a great candidate for the fremont city council. your very well educated. far more educated than the clowns we have in office now. in fact you would be the best pick for president too. you have my vote.
Kathy
Jul 9, 2008 12:55 PM
If you think it is boring why don't YOU volunteer to help and give YOUR ideas? It is always those who complain that do not do anything to try to make things better - just want to be critical of everyone else's hard work. Get off your duff and help!
fremonter
Jul 9, 2008 1:11 PM
nancy:
as i have said many many times the jcf days is nothing but money making operation. the real reason for jcf days has long been forgotten. like the parade, its mostly politicians and commercial businesses. the whole thing is nothing but a farce. all its for is money money money.
Parade of Homes Joke
Jul 9, 2008 3:20 PM
How about the local real estate companybuilder looking to make big bucks during John C. Fremont Days by having a 4-house-Parade of Homes this weekend?
Sorry Fremonter
Jul 9, 2008 3:54 PM
I think for Fremont all we have is 4H and John C. Fremont Day's. That's about it. No other events really. So if they take away that what would all the old people have to do? But I agree it's all the same stuff year after year-and unless you have money to spend not much to do.
fremonter
Jul 9, 2008 4:23 PM
to kathy:
certain people have offered suggestions but none were put in place because they didnt make money. as i said before its all about the dollar. i wouldnt waste my time working with the idiots in charge of jcf days because all they see is dollar signs. the suggestions that native made have been made before. you dont see any of these ideas happening do you. need i say more?
silence dogood
Jul 9, 2008 7:21 PM
Wasn't the original idea to get people not from here to spend money here? Seems to me it is ranked in the top 100 events in the country, believe it or not. My guess says something about it works, a prophet is never appreciated in his own home town.
ozzy
Jul 9, 2008 7:28 PM
i have lived here for 2 years and attend the JCF days only because i have 2 small kids-- there's nothing particular fun for us adults to do... except i guess watch the drunks run around town after the beer garden. i'm from a small town in northeast NE and there's more for adults to do there during their summer time fling! probably because we can survive without charging everyone for everything everytime they turn around.
question
Jul 9, 2008 9:07 PM
For you all complaining about the people after the beer garden.....if you didn't go to the beer garden, why are you up that late walking around or nearby downtown to see those people??? Sounds weird to me.

Stop beating up JCF Days. You can't please the people in this town for nothin'. It's a good ol' fashioned community festival, yes aimed to bring in people to spend money in our town. Maybe it's successful in doing that, maybe not. Either way, it's something to do, something to take your kids to, the car show is cool and it's fun to walk around downtown and bump into friends you haven't seen in a while.
So stop your complaining. I hardly ever blog, because frankly it's slightly time consuming and I have better things to do. But when I do, I try to have something positive to say. The rest of you might consider doing the same. Have a nice day!
Kathy
Jul 10, 2008 11:05 AM
Here lies the problem with the arm chair festival volunteers - how are we suppose to pay for the "free events". If you do not have events that make money then who pays for the "free" things - remember - nothing is free. Just because the observer doesn't have to pay to see it, that does not mean that the festival did not pay the participants expenses. If you complainers spent one year on the board you would have a totally different attitude and you would never say another critical word about those who spend countless, and thankless hours trying to put together the best festival that they can.