The Fourth of July is a time for family, fun and fireworks.
It also just so happens to coincide with the greatest things about summer, Summerfest and the Milwaukee Brewers season.
This extended holiday weekend was jam-packed with friends, family and adventures, and got more “America” than I’ve ever gotten in my life.
It all began with my absolute favorite music experience of the year, Summerfest. A group of my Milwaukee friends got together for Collective Soul Saturday night, so we did the whole thing where you sit on the bleachers for hours to reserve a spot, which makes bathroom trips and beer and food runs contingent on your buddy’s ability to hold your spot.
Collective Soul rocked, like always, with their mix of 90s pop and semi-Christian rock. The night was so spectacular, at one point John, Simon and Nathan were rocking back and forth standing on the bleachers, arms around each other, for the ballad “Run,” the last song.
Cheesy and unnecessary, yes, but, hey, when you’re a dad and rarely get out for a big event with friends that live 45 minutes away, it’s a beautiful thing.
Parking was free, thanks to a tip from my sister-in-law to park in the Fifth Ward, but the walk from First and Bruce was about one and a half miles. The bar stop at O’Lydia’s helped, but my obsession with wearing flip-flops didn’t.
While the music also delivers, so does the food at Summerfest. A little Chubby’s cheese steak and Angelo’s pizza slice played their roles of sopping up the beverages. If you get to Summerfest this weekend, park for free and save the $20. You’ll thank me later.
Ramczyk Brewers outing returns
After getting back from Milwaukee at 1:30 a.m., it was an early morning the next day for the Ramczyk Family Brewer game, a tradition that’s seen my four sisters and brother and families check out games in St. Louis, Cincinnati, Kansas City and Pittsburgh – all by road trip.
While we really haven’t done anything Brewers-wise since we visited my sister, Lisa, in Kansas City in 2015 for a Royals game, Sunday’s afternoon tilt was a blast despite a lopsided Brewers loss.
We went all-out, with two grills, two large picnic tables, bag toss and bubbles for the kids.
With two 3-year-olds, Coraline, my daughter, and Luke, my nephew, sitting in a chair watching the entire game probably wasn’t ideal, so my sister Laura and I took the kids and Luke’s sister Sophie to check out Miller Park.
The little ones climbed on the Racing Sausages, went down a replica of Bernie Brewer’s slide, waited in line (for a few seconds until we realized the line was too long) and took family photos with props like Hawaiians leis, while a computer-generated Bernie Brewer dances around in your shot.
All of these activities, along with fast pitch, timed baserunning and batting cages, were all free for kids, so I would highly recommend it.
With the crowds, it isn’t always easy keeping track of a toddler, but I always found my child, thank God.
As we returned to our seats, a woman near us in the right-field bleachers was hit in the head by Eric Thames’ home run on the ricochet, so EMTs were tending to her a few feet away. It seemed like she was OK, but it was startling at the time.
With nearly 20 in our group, we left in the top of the eighth when the Brewers were getting smoked, 8-3.
That night, I returned to Burlington at around 5:30 p.m., just in time to have my buddy Matt pick me up for Summerfest, round two.
Even more Summerfest
I know, it sounds really crazy, and it is, but the only act I guaranteed had to see, Ludacris, a late-90s, 2000s rapper of “What’s Your Fantasy?” and “Yeah” fame, was performing FOR FREE Sunday night at Miller Oasis.
One of the most successful rappers ever in terms of crossover success and record sales, there was a time about 10 years ago when Ludacris was a headlining act at Summerfest, and my friends and I paid a good $40 a ticket to see him.
This time, we didn’t grab seats hours in advance. People flooded the area, standing on bleachers and picnic tables to a point where we couldn’t see the stage in the back. Luckily, two massive big-screen TVs on each side of the stage allowed us to see “Luda,” who sounded and acted like his usual energetic self, though he’ll turn 40 in September.
His most popular guest verses fired up the crowd, which surprisingly included many teens who weren’t yet born when Ludacris was tearing up the charts in the early 2000s.
Then, it was onto the classics, and Nate and I belted out line after line (still don’t fully have my voice back on Wednesday night) as Matt displayed classic Matt craziness by dancing way too hard.
Three women behind us took such a liking they began recording Matt’s moves with their phones. In classic Matt fashion, he proceeded to dance with them. It worked for a bit, before they scattered into the sea of fans – another classic Matt result when trying to dance with strange ladies.
Overall, it was a memorable Summerfest experience. I love music and dancing, and combining those elements with a cool Lake Michigan breeze and 70-degree temperatures was heavenly.
On Monday, it was our annual Fourth of July on the third at my wife’s uncle’s house in Lyons, where swimming, grilled burgers and fireworks ruled the night.
Not only did we watch the Grand Geneva display from the backyard, but my wife’s brave brother and cousin let off some powerful, dangerous fireworks that sounded like bombs in the sky and buried poor Coraline in mom’s arms with each deafening bang.
But, America!
The massive bonfire allowed for roasted marshmallows, and M&M’s kept Cora smiling.
It took until the actual Fourth of July, but I finally found something more America than Summerfest, fireworks and parades.
As any good parents of toddlers, we’re constantly up for a parade, so the kid can fill up on Tootsie Rolls and suckers.
So we joined my wife’s cousins down in Spring Grove, Ill. for an amazing parade where people on floats squirted us with water guns and hurled tons of candy.
It was a nice cool down from the humid temperatures and hot sun, and the kids were bouncing off the walls as usual.
More American than ever
Then it happened.
Shyla and Ed were in town from Colorado to celebrate their recent engagement. Both Spring Grove natives, they know everyone in town, and Ed was intent on meeting up with buddies for some softball.
So we walked over the nearby softball diamonds for some 16-inch softball, where you don’t wear gloves because the ball is nice and soft, and a beverage in hand while playing the field is pretty much required.
And a wooden bat was used, to keep it uber-traditional.
What’s more American than bare-hand, co-ed softball on the Fourth of July, with brews, and strangers simply bonding and having a good time?
The infield had two large mud puddles, and several players bit hard after losing their balance while trying to make a play.
A “Space Jam” jersey was mud-soaked, Ed broke his arm trying to slide, and the game was still going on, with no rule on number of innings, two hours later when we returned to our family party.
With guys and gals ranging in age from 25 to 60, it was the largest collection of random misfits, trying their best to win the game while simultaneously partying with shirts off and mud stains, and it was beautiful.
Back at my wife’s aunt’s house, I swam with Coraline, who leaps into the pool with a reckless innocence and fearlessness that makes dad proud.
We crushed brisket sandwiches and chicken wings, and there was front-yard volleyball. It was really nice to see everyone, and watching my child run around and play with the older cousins brings an indescribable joy.
So the Fourth was about as fun-filled as imaginable, with family, concerts, food, softball, swimming and more helping to make unforgettable memories.
I must thank all of the men and women who have fought for our freedom. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy our parades and fireworks.
And a special shout out goes to Andy Sireno, a Burlington High School teacher and baseball coach who left for deployment in Iraq this week.
Thanks for making the sacrifice and having the courage to protect this country because, Lord knows, I couldn’t do it.
We are all hoping for your safe return, and we can’t wait to welcome you back to Burlington in May.
Happy 241 years to the greatest nation in the world. I got more America than ever this year, and I hope you shared the holiday with the ones you love.
-
-
-
-
-