SPRINGFIELD – Thousands of folks made their way to Island Park last weekend during the Springfield Utility Board’s Light of Liberty event for the Fourth of July.
The gates opened at 4 p.m., but crowds came in waves well after 9 p.m. The line to get into the park hit Mill Street around 6:30 p.m. and didn’t show any signs of slowing.
As people weaved the line on and off sidewalks, around corners, past houses, and through parking lots, Dan Casula set up his guitar and strummed some chords and sang for folks during the wait. He played well-known classics that were easy to sing along with and build camaraderie, like John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
Adhering to the new clear bag policy got folks into the park faster. A special line allowed expedited entry, and as people got closer to the entrance, SUB’s recently retired general manager, Jeff Nelson, helped direct folks to the correct lines.
“It is such a common event experience these days that no one seemed surprised,” said community relations manager Meredith Clark. “We’ll review with the planning team, but I’d say this is a strong possibility for future events.”
Once inside, the sound of kids playing, friends catching up, vendors cooking, and groovy disco beats from Agents of Unity and Satin Love Orchestra welcomed park visitors.
Springfield resident Darian Banks said her daughter Octavia spent nearly the entire time playing inside a giant inflatable.
“It was a good experience,” Banks said about the sold-out event.
She learned about the event when visiting the park last April for Octavia’s fifth birthday, and said they will be back next year.
Mini golf, face painting, basketball hoops, and a fan-favorite selection of bounce houses and obstacle courses also kept the kiddos entertained. People draped snakes around their necks at a reptile petting zoo, raced robots at an expo, and took selfies in front of balloon backdrops throughout the park. Parents could unwind with beer and wine drinks from the pavilion.
Some folks came for the live music that made the feet start tapping, and the head start bobbing.
“My friend saw the advertisement for this, and we were drawn particularly by Satin Love Orchestra,” said Johanna Newton, Cottage Grove Middle School band and choir teacher. “We’re both music lovers, so we appreciate their skills.”
The band sang covers of Michael Jackson’s “Rock with You”, Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music”, and KC and the Sunshine Band’s “That’s the Way (I Like it).”
Newton and her friend Laurie Hammond lay on a blanket in the grass near the main stage and watched the band perform as the sun went down. After Satin Love Orchestra finished, some visitors left the park without interest in the fireworks show.
Connie and her husband came from the coast specifically for the fireworks show and sat in lawn chairs under a tree. Once a Springfield resident, Connie said this was the second time she had attended the event.
“We were looking at the different events, and this one looked like the most fun, and I remembered that it was really fun,” she said.
Fireworks started at 10 p.m. with music broadcast on KRVM FM 91.9. “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen played while red, white, and blue explosions lit up the night sky. Coming from an island on the Willamette River, the fireworks reflected on the water and went off for about 15 minutes straight.
