Fireworks light up the night sky during Monday’s 28th annual Star-Spangled Spectacular at Faurot Park.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
LIMA — The Fourth of July is a time for families to get together not only to celebrate the birth of our nation, but to celebrate families with cookouts, good times and fireworks. The Freedom Run at the Star-Spangled Spectacular in Faurot Park is such a family event.
Entire families got involved with the run during this year’s 5K run at Faurot Park. Colin and Emily Kriegel, from Delphos, ran pushing their kids in strollers — Maryn, 1 year, Malcolm, 4, and Evyn.
“We want to run as a family,” Emily said. “We do Delphos Run Club every Thursday. We just want to instill healthy habits in our kids and this race is fun. It’s the first time in a while that they’ve have had this race. So we wanted to bring the kids out. They’ve never done this one before. We thought it would be fun. The kids like seeing all the different people and watching everybody run. They like to cheer for people. They like to criticize us and tell us to go faster even though they are the one in the stroller.”
After the race as the kids were playing on the new playground, Colin admitted, “It was hot and would have been a lot easier without the stroller.”
Sam and Jennifer Bowersock had family running and family cheering. Sam Bowersock, Michael, Aubrey, and Hugh ran in the race. Jennifer and the other kids cheered.
“We have been training this summer to do some 5K’s,” Sam said.
Jennifer explained the day, “They always like to do this one at the park. Then everybody’s coming to our house and then come back to Faurot Park for some fireworks. We saw a lot of fireworks last night. It’s nice they opened the fireworks in Ohio now. There were a lot out our way. The kids enjoyed it. We love watching them.”
Aubrey, the only runner with a tutu, described her very first 5K race as a “challenge.”
“It was hot,” she said, referencing the heat that persisted throughout the day.
Hugh, who had a goal just to beat all the old men, was pleased with his results, while Michael admitted, “I got tired toward the end a just kept pushing through it.”
“t’s a good family activity,” Sam Bowersock said. “I’ve always enjoyed it; trying to get the kids to enjoy it. So it’s just a way to do something together as a family.”
After the events in the morning run, the Lima Area Concert Band was glad to be playing at the event after a two-year hiatus. With concertgoers waving American flags provided by Tom Ahl, the program included a number of patriotic numbers as well as some easily recognizable pieces. The program included the classic “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Phillip Sousa, “God Bless America” by Irving Berlin and finishing with Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” with spectators enjoying the sky light up with fireworks.
Conductor John Hill, who has been with the group for 50 years, proudly proclaimed, “The group has gotten better every year. That’s what keeps me going.”
