County filled with fetes for family fun

Crystal River and Dunnellon have lively Independence Day celebrations that will culminate in fireworks shows.

By JORGE SANCHEZ

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 4, 2000

CRYSTAL RIVER -- Crystal River leads the Independence Day celebrations today with a triathlon, followed by a family fun festival that will be a preamble to the fireworks tonight.

For early risers, a triathlon event of swimming, bicycling and running begins at 7:30 a.m. at Fort Island Gulf Beach. About 200 athletes are expected to participate.

The fireworks are scheduled to begin about 9:30 p.m. over the waters of Kings Bay. Prime viewing spots are Hunter Springs Park or just about any parking lot or side street west of U.S. 19. The closer to Kings Bay, the better. The show lasts about an hour.

Before the fireworks light up the night sky, the Family Freedom 2000 Celebration Festival will offer a daylong schedule of fun at Hunter Springs Park, which has a swimming area, picnic tables and playgrounds.

There is no admission for the event. The parking lot will fill up quickly, however, and police will be directing traffic and controlling parking along side streets.

The fun at Hunter Springs begins at 10 a.m. with a daylong volleyball tournament and many other activities, including include a moon walk fun house and miniature train rides for youngsters.

Hunter Springs beach will be open for swimming and the spring-fed, 72-degree waters will provide a refreshingly cool swim. Also, River Sports Kayak will have about 25 kayaks bobbing in the water, available for free demo rides. Experienced kayak instructors will be available to help first-timers.

Local entertainers are scheduled to begin performing at 3 p.m. at the stage area at Hunter Springs. Scheduled performers are Jesse Watson, Jimmy Brown, Anna Schutz, Miriam Foster and Jim Harpin.

Hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and other food will be sold at Hunter Springs by the band boosters associations for Crystal River and Lecanto high schools.

DUNNELLON: Dunnellon will play host to its Boomtown Blast today at Dunnellon High School, with a fireworks show capping a day of activities.

rBefore the fireworks begin, a lucky person will win $200 as part of Uncle Sam's Cash Landing. The school's football field will be marked off in small squares, and an airplane will fly over and drop a flour sack. The owner of the square in which it lands wins the cash. Tickets for the cash landing can be purchased for $10 at the chamber of commerce off West Pennsylvania Avenue, the Dunnellon Fire Department or Grumble's Antiques.

The Boomtown Blast promises lots of family fun and begins at Dunnellon High at 4 p.m. "We will have games for the children, including watermelon games, pie eating, games of chance and games of development," said event organizer Penny Lofton.

Other activities include a dunking booth and a special sports arena, featuring games such as the football throw, basketball dunk and baseball speed throw, Lofton said.

"Our main attraction for the evening will be entertainment," Lofton said. "We not only have some of the best local talent performing but are opening up the stage to a lip sync show."

Headliners for the event are singer Doc Redwater and Gilberto Dannin, a saxophone player.

There will be food booths open as well as a barbecue sauce contest sponsored by Skeet's Bar-B-Que in Dunnellon and WTRS 102.3 FM radio.

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