chainsawchuckie...although the location of the fireworks was last minute, none of the vendors, food venues, etc. should have been. This is an event that is held every year. I am certain that they don't wait until the week before each year to get donations, vendors, and so on. If so, they certainly need to rethink their planning stages.

I say that it was wonderful.
I've been watching the Jaycees since I can remember.
For it being moved at that short of a notice, they did an awesome job.
People need to stop complaing about how they didn't like the the show. GET OVER IT. what would you like them to do.
Cancell the show and have more people pissed off about it.
Yeah thats what I thought.

Very nice show by the Jaycees; as always. I like the Traxler site much better then where it was this year, but under the circumstances (with flooding) it was a very good alternative choice. I hope they are not really serious about continuing to hold it there in the future. The traffic issues will be insane wherever you hold it at. If you ride a bicycle, you avoid all those issues.

Overall it was an outstanding show. The grand finale of the fireworks is always very impressive. Thank you Jaycees, and all the donors who support them.

t0 janesville girl did you go to the festival and read the back of the jaycees t- shirts that had the sponsers names on them or pick up a program book that also had the sponsers names printed in there?

hey toad GREAT SHOW!!! congrats to Joel and the fireworks crew!! I was pouring beer till my arms were about to fall off. had a great time and saw some old friends from the Jaycees. yes there are a few things that should be learned from this. there could have been more food vendors and some of the other things that have been mentioned in past posts but remember this was put together kind of at the last moment and it was a stepping stone and hopefully they can improve it for next year!! Thank You to all who "made it happen" Take the comments from this blog and work on improving to make it bigger and better next year!! STAY SAFE!!!!!

I am disappointed that the Janesville Jaycees did not recognize the 15 business that donated $1000 each. I think something in the paper would have been appropriate. It appears that Jim Halbach received all the credit for the donations when in fact many businesses donated to the Jaycees. I will probably rethink my donation next year.

To all looking for a place to donate funds for next years fire works show send your donation to janesville jaycees p.o.box 343 zip 53547-0343 please make sure you that you request your donation is towards the fire works the fire works crew thanks you very much and looks to give you a great show next year

snarly - It is their bills not there bills.

Aren't you confusing July 4th with Memorial Day?

Most of the posts are offering suggestions, in light of the last minute change of venue. Complaining about complaining is silly.

Spunkmeyer, sending a reminder of what the 4th of July is all about is not complaining. That is simply what I was trying to do - send a reminder. And mymaro, I just think that our hard earned freedom should be reserved for more honorable things that complaining. Our Country does not realize how good we have it (I know that I take our freedoms for granted often). I was simply trying to get people to realize the pettiness of the complaints. ALL of our soldiers deserve better.

That's a wonderful idea Toad, but some of us aren't in the correct age bracket. Also, at least your seeing some contributing ideas and if you know a current Jaycee's member, make sure they're checking here. We understand that all of those individuals are volunteers, but when you do something for the entire city and surrounding community, you have to think of everything that could go wrong and accept criticizm when others have ideas. And since you've been in the Jaycee's and know those individuals doing all the work, please answer Irish_Mafia's question about donations. Irish, I do know there is a national website (www.usjaycees.org) and they have links to local chapters but Janesville hasn't set up the site entirely, so there isn't any local contact info there. BUT...I am sure you could contact the national headquarters and they can steer you in the right direction. I know Jim Knilans, who coordinated this event and many past events, but I am not sure he's accepting phone calls directly at home. :)

So where do we send donations? Someone has to know.

Good points, toad.

good show! bravo! dont care where its held. God bless the USA!

you all don't get it they can not pay there bill

to all of you complaining about the fire works and how the festival was ran why not join the jaycees and help them out being a former jaycees and chairman of the fourth a few years ago and currently on the fire work crew all of this happens on our own non payed time vacation days are used up just to make a good show and still some are not happy that its not a perfect world oh by the way did you donate to the fire works? your taxes does not pay for it like other citys do

I prefer sitting on the memorial bridge watching them.. its a center location of town...keep it in the middle ...or on that farmland by the jail perhaps

newlywed, yep thats EXACTLY what theyre fighting for. ITS CALLED FREEDOM!!!!!!!!! and thanks to ALL our soldiers we have that luxury.

Traxler Park on the mighty Rock River!

I REALLY hope it stays at the complex. There is unlimited potential there that you just don't have at Traxler. Wide open spaces, tons of parking, next year the access will be perfect in all directions... Plus people can park on all of the county roads on the side and see the fireworks from just about any location from the back of their van/truck. It was a fabulous location!!! In regards to someone asking if there is an online place to donate to the Jaycees--- that's a GREAT idea. You should (as I will) contact the Jaycees and see if someone can set up a simple website for the organization and with it they could set up a direct PayPal button into their organization's back account for tax-free donations. SO SIMPLE! I love it! My vote is to KEEP IT AT THE COMPLEX!

bravo spunkmeyer!

So how is complaining about the complaining any better?

Hopefully someone from Jaycee's will be reading these posts for improvements for next year IF it is to be held either at the Sports Complex OR at Traxler. There were not enough trash cans for the amount of people. Although there were plenty near the food venues and carnival rides, there weren't any farther towards the road or near the unused concession stand. AND...what a good opportunity for the sports complex booster club to make some fundraising money. They could have also participated by offering food, snacks, etc. Was that offer extended to them? And please...offer SOAP in the restrooms. I carry hand sanitizer, but just think of the hundreds who don't. Ok, just ew. Overall, minus the rides made before I was born (60's), I enjoyed the space and the ability to sit as far away or as close to the debris as you wanted. And Bravo on sectioning off the fields. Everyone I came across respected that decision. I do have to agree with Cracker. I would have enjoyed the fireworks with my teen girls so much more if there hadn't been the family of 20 behind us screaming at their kids to put on their f'ing shoes and sit the f down, and shut the f up. But we shared ipods and watched while cuddling and listening to tunes. Remember, any event is what you make it. And if you aren't happy, make sure to voice your opinion, and go somewhere else next time.

Newlywed- It's called a society based on "entitlement." It has what has been happening over the past 40 years. People want to be a part of the problem, instead of the solution. It's also easier to complain about the traffic or fireworks than take one minute to think about what the fireworks represent and all the people in the past who have sacrificed. They just worry about insignificant problems like bad traffic or fireworks that were not to their standards.

no body will ever be completely satisfied, these comments prove that. i wonder how our troops over in iraq enjoyed the fireworks...oh wait...

it just makes me sick to read all of the complaints. what is the USA coming to? Our troops are fighting for our right to complain about the location of fireworks, a little bit of traffic and not enough food venues???? wow.

I thought this year was better than all previous years, fireworks wise. I dont go to the carnival, so I can't say on that. But the "fake finale" was good, and then they really got going, that was incredible, i think that the finale was better than rhythm and booms finale, by far! Definatly like the location too, not as crowded

Do the Jaycees have a website or someplace to send donations? I haven't found anything by Googling... anybody have the answer?

I noticed the article said the police didn't respond to any fireworks complaints on Friday. I happened to be listening to the police scanner Friday night, and the dispatcher announced to everybody not to respond to fireworks complaints. This was because of other activities in Janesville, like a large gang fight gathering with knives and a gun. There were other incidents, too. Later it was reported a gun was fired several times into the air. These things don't seem to be reported by the Gazette very often.

This was the first year i took my family to Milton for their festivities as I did not want to deal with the traffic issues with Janesville's Sports Complex venue. It was a great experience. The carnival rides were good, there was a softball tournament and horseshoe tournament happening and a well policed beer tent and music stage. Traffic wasn't bad and the fireworks were great. Apparently they also had more fireworks on saturday night, too. It had a great family feel to the whole night. Well done Milton. We were impressed.

Fireworks were great and the location was good. Only thing that sucked was the large group of kids dropping the f-bomb every other word. We asked several times to please stop as we had our kids with us. Nice to see the white trash parents just sitting there doing nothing. What recourse do you have? I’m sure the cops had more important things to deal with and really what can they do. I hate to get in someone’s face especially in front of my kids but I had enough. My wife said I should have started that way then we would have had a better time. At least my kids got another example of how not to act.

Does anyone remember the falling debris from fireworks at Traxler? One year, my blanket got a huge hole burnt into it, and what 2 years ago my friend and his daughter were burned and had to go to the hospital for burns..I think that was in the gazette too..

mymaro-
OMG! You too, huh? They did the same thing about the spider ride..I made them stop the ride.they had my 4 year old in the middle and nothing was holding him in..i told the operator after we went around once, let us out now!! I was so scared he would fly out. I was on the cage ride with my sister in law and it was shaking and metal was grinding..I am really surprised that no one was seriousely injured over the weekend..

There's a simple solution to all of the problems mentioned here..
.
Next year, just stay home and light your sparklers.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the problem of falling debris from the fireworks. The spectators located on the northeast side of the park had lots of burned and burning remnants of the fireworks fall down on their heads. Before the grand finale, a worker came over and said that because the wind direction had changed, the spectators in that section might want to leave early because the problem was just going to get worse.

If the fireworks are located there next year, I assume that more of the park closest to the fireworks will be closed off.

tnimmo89 yeah we see milton and then look alot better then janesville i have 8 month old son and he could not stand to sit and watch them that how bad then suck the sad things is we would have been better off letting the church put the show on i think there show and rides where alot better then janesville and food wasnt that bad but on the 4th the food was high priced and the rides where so high priced too alest at the church the only thing you had to pay for was your food and then had alot for the kids to do and my son love the church fireworks. LETS HOPE THAT NEXT YEAR THE HAVE THEM BACK AT TRAXLER PARK IF NOT I THINK THIS WILL BE THE LAST YEAR WE GO TO JANESVILLE MIGHT HAVE TO START GOING TO MILTON.

Fireworks nearly put me to sleep, the ending though was engaging. The police were complete idiots in trafic routing, not that any more was expected of them. I ended up driving my literally brand new car over partially poured concrete and a field at a 40 degree slope! After waiting an hour to get there of course.

Did anyone see Milton's fireworks? From what I could see (at least i think it was Milton) they put on an amazing show...

hay may be the jaycees can pay there bills on this one

Biscuit5, when there's a 100-year flood one has to make accomodations. For a last minute venue change it seemed to go about as well as could be expected.
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I'd like to hear from anyone who "traveled the gravel" on Racine St. -- from what I saw, there was concrete partially laid on the north side of the street and the cars were coming out the south side (eastbound), but I'm not sure how they even got there!

nurse4u. totally agree about the rides. was in line with my kids for the tilt a whirl and the jump house for the little kids deflated with two kids in it. and we asked the operator of the spider ride if my youngest was tall enough and he said "oy yeah". well need less to say she wasnt and my oldest had to hold on to her so she didnt fly out. My youngest is fearless, rides everything she can(fairs, carnivals, and even six flags), but this experience made her cry. but the FIREWORKS WERE AWESOME! she forgot all about that ride soon as the fireworks started.

Thanks Jaycees. Good job!
Maybe you can alternate...one year at Traxler and one year at the Sports Complex.

First,I didnt like the idea of the jcs using the sports complex that area is not for that purpose.there are 1000s of children that play sports,the divits and such that the rides and the people make it dangerous to run on.
second,I may be wrong or I missed it but I didnt see any mention in the gazette about the fireworks display at freedomfest which in my opinion was better and safer I want to thank the churches for putting on a far better show.
B

LOVED the parking & location! Fireworks were awesome, I didn't feel crowded at all, my kids could run a little bit, but those rides!! I was seriousely worried about the safety of my kids..one ride, my son was on the motorcycle ride, & the tire was all the way sideways!!
My husband donated his time & was working the hot dog/hamburger stand that had the police dog donation box, and he said the complex wouldn't let them set up on the grass, so alot of rides had to stay off the carnival grounds, not so sure what that was about..
All in all, I spent ALOT of money at that carnival on Friday with three kids from 1-10pm, and I must say I preferred the New Life carnival-and it was almost free (Food cost me $20 all day)!!

One of those rides looked like it was blown up.

The fireworks always start off slow, but the finale these last 2 years were fantastic!!!!!! I love the location, unobstructive view from so many areas. Finding parking was awesome, even at 8:30pm. As for the downfall, the rides looked unsafe as did the operators, one of whom was sleeping in his ride. The rides were expensive. Not enough food venues to choose from. Took 45 minutes to get out of the traffic mess. But overall, I feel it was a huge success. I do hope they stay there every year.

Not to be ridiculous! All rides certified safe 1988 by former Soviet Socialist Republic!

I thought the location and fireworks were terrific!!! -- I did wonder tho about the safety of the rides (one ride wasn't working) a few others had missing lights, missing parts, loose cables, someone had to run and push the ride to make it go... my kids enjoyed the rides and the ride handlers themselves were pleasant -- however, I do think safety has to be a concern....

Jaycees, the fireworks finale ROCKED! Well done! My family rode our bikes to the fireworks. The only drawback was a *dark* bike path on the way home, but it was worth it to avoid the traffic.
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The sports complex was a good alternative location. My boys missed riding their scooters on a closed Memorial bridge, though.

Put it back in the center of town, Traxler on the river.

The Best Ending I Have Ever Seen!! WTG Joel And The Fireworks Team!!!!!! There was more than enough room there. Hope they get the same spot next year. Maybe they can get some kind of a shuttle for there but got to remember the Hwy 11 construction didn't help much either. Clear viewing no trees!! STAY SAFE!!!!

Maybe if they rotated every other year.