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Storm Lake's Star Spangled Spectacular is about to kick off and thousands of visitors will pour into The City Beautiful. Able Commodores Holly Schipper and Liz Smith have overseen the dedicated committee of volunteers. They've attended to the many details to pull off the two-day celebration. They've even written a rundown of events, which can be found in the special section in today’s Times Pilot.
What do we still need to know?
This: What will they be wearing?
The duo, who own Sugar Bowl Gift Shop in Storm Lake, have developed a fine reputation for coming up with elegant, yet whimsical red, white and blue outfits for the Fourth of July.
And they coordinate their clothing. For their appearance on KTIV to preview the SSS a few weeks ago they wore matching light washed jeans spangled with white stars and identical grey flag T-shirts.
At last year's kiddie parade, Liz wore headgear with two Uncle Sam hats popping out of the top. In Holly’s hair was an oversized red chiffon bow. The two wore red, white and blue from head to toe. Holly and Liz often organize the kiddie parade, and they are seen handing out big patriotic-looking gift bags to the grateful young winners.
SSS committee members in days of yore — the celebration is in its 46th year — wore white polos with a small embroidered logo of the Spectacular.
Holly and Liz did away with that when they headed the event 10 years ago. "We were the first to turn it down," said Holly.
Look for matching outfits on the 3rd, she divulged. And “maybe some sparkle on the 4th, depending on whether it rains or not.”
Will there be something outlandish?
“It depends on your definition of outlandish,” Liz said.
Will they wear the same thing they wore on TV?
“We never repeat.”
The pre-planning of outfits. Is it part of Liz and Holly's general tendency to organize?
“We’re list makers,” said Holly. “We’re lucky we work together.” They use Google docs for shared information.
Look for the duo zipping around in a golf cart Wednesday and Thursday making sure everything is going as it should.
Having a blast with fireworks
A look back at a 2006 article in the Storm Lake Times Pilot made longtime fireworks chair Orren Knoffloch think back over the 40 years he has been involved in the coordination and execution of fireworks in Storm Lake. The crew at the time consisted of: Orren Knoffloch; Eric, Mike and Matt Morrow; Loren Pearson; Steve Lullman; Clark Gordon; Paul Henze; Mark Burkitt; Scott Randall and Josh Foster. 2006 was the first year since 1991 that Brad Sargent was no longer helping because the Sargents had moved out of town.
The actual process of setting up the equipment has stayed the same, says Orren. Wooden mortar racks, which have been rebuilt for the third time, are stored by the city. They are brought out the morning of the 4th. There are dozens of racks, 19 alone for the grand finale. The racks are anchored on the Chautauqua Park jetty with sand bags.
Ultimate care is taken, for as Orren says, "If they fall over, they shoot."
The racks are placed according to safety guidelines. “We start with the 3-inch (shells),” explained Orren, which will be closer to the crowd, “and work toward the 6-inch.”
A five-inch shell is the equivalent of a stick of dynamite.
The explosives need to be 600 feet, at a minimum, from the spectators.
The crew has to give up alcohol for the day so they are alert and capable. Workers won’t get home until 2 a.m. First the equipment needs to cool off for an hour. Then everything needs to be torn down, in the dark.
In honor of this year’s theme: “Light up the Sky on the Fourth of July,” the fireworks crew has been selected as this year’s grand marshals of the Big Parade on the morning of the 4th. It will be the first time the grand marshal(s) can't appear in the parade. The crew will be busy setting up for the evening show. Get ready for the big blasts, the bursts of color and the crackling pops. Fireworks start around 9:30 p.m.
For pets, who often are frightened by fireworks: stay calm yourself; consider playing white noise or music; allow your dog extra space or a hiding place; give your dog comfort, attention and treats; and consider using a pressure wrap or vest.
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