Blast in the Park draws sizable crowd to La Cygne event

Re-Ohz owner Logan Smith front and helper Drew Bishop serve up ice cream cones during the Blast in the Park on Saturday. (Photos by Roger Sims/Linn County Journal)

The weather did more than just cooperate with La Cygne’s Blast in the Park on Saturday, July 8. It was just about perfect for the evening event with temperatures in the mid-70s replacing the scorching heat from a day earlier and a clear, calm sky providing a near-ideal backdrop for the fireworks display after dark.

The La Cygne Community Park was busy with long lines of people buying supper from the food trucks or drinks and snacks from other vendors. The bounce houses rocked with activity, the petting zoo and craft vendors had a steady stream of visitors, and both playground areas in the park saw plenty of children climbing and swinging.

Volunteers with the La Cygne Fire Department handed out firefighter helmets and gave kids a chance to use a fire hose.

The La Cygne Fire Department handed out dozens of plastic fire helmets to kids and let them hold a fire hose to douse the cutout of a house with flames in the windows.

The crowd was augmented by more than a hundred participants in the Grady’s Kids motorcycle run, who ended their daylong ride at the park for food and a silent auction at the east shelter.

Live musical acts provided entertainment for adults, with acoustic country artist Austin Kurzen beginning the evening. Frendly Fire, a rock cover band performed later in the evening as the sun began to set and even more cars arrived with people planning to catch the fireworks show as dark fell.

Four-year old Copelan literally flies down the slide at one of the bounce houses at the event.

The event gave groups of families and friends the opportunity to set out lawn chairs and visit as they awaited the pyrotechnic display orchestrated by Wald & Co. The display delighted the crowd.

“It was a great turnout,” said Jenn Vogt, who was chief organizer of the event. “We saw a lot of positive feedback on Facebook.”

She said that the vendors were pleased with how well they did at the event, and the fireworks display helped make the evening successful.

Children got the chance to hold ducks, sit on a horse and pet goats at the petting zoo.

Dusty Jones' Prestige 3D Printing and Design booth draws quite a few shoppers looking at the many unique items her 3-D printer created.

The Grady's Kids' 2023 motorcycle run ends the daylong ride with food and a silent auction at the Blast.

Acoustic country musician Austin Kurzen performs at the west shelter.

The evening fireworks display by Wald & Co. draws applause from appreciative crowd.