he State College community will be celebrating the 240th birthday of the United States on Monday, July 4, with the annual —and much anticipated 4th Fest. By Jimmy Madden THE DAILY COLLEGIAN Fireworks, carnival events, amusement rides, and a human cannon all await those who plan on attending 4th Fest this year. The annual 4th of July celebra- tion has been rated one of the top fireworks displays in Pennsyl- vania and the country, and this year the festivities are looking to be the largest, longest, and most ambitious in recent years, ac- cording to 4thfest.org. The event estimates to draw somewhere between 60,000-80,000 people to the State College area, mak- ing it akin to Blue and White weekend in terms of popular- ity, first year 4th Fest Execu- tive Director Karl Libhart said. The biggest change this year will be the starting time of events, as the festival has been extended to a two-day occasion. Beginning at approximately 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 3, there will be amusement rides and live entertainment at the east- ern fields near the Bryce Jordan Collegian File Photo Center and Beaver Stadium. Alex Johnson, 4, of State College, takes a popsicle from a member of State College Area Roller Derby during 4th Fest’s Parade of Heros on Friday, Sunday evening will feature a July 4, 2014. cross-promotion between with the State College Spikes, dur- as 8:30 the morning of the event. will be a women’s roller derby According to Libhart, the ing which time viewers will get However, for the first time this match featuring the State College Central Pennsylvania Conven- their first look at the newest ad- year there will be a sister 4-mile Rollers, appearing at 4th Fest for tion and Visitors Bureau, the Sunday dition to the 4th Fest schedule. run happening at the same time. the first time in the event’s his- Centre Daily Times, Restek, David “the Bullet” Smith, a pro- Both races will begin in front tory. During halftime, Smith will and WJAC are among some fessional human cannonball, of the BJC, while their courses be performing his first launch of of the chief contributors. When: begins at 5 p.m. will be firing himself from a can- will veer in opposite directions the day at approximately 5:30 pm. Wegman’s, Penn State Health non during the game, the first of around campus and the sur- Smith’s final launch is sched- and Benjamin’s Catering were Where: Fields by Bryce three scheduled launches over rounding State College area. uled for 8:30 pm, just before the also among the notable names the festival, according to Libhart. The next major event will be fireworks are set to begin at 9 donating for the 4th Fest cause. Jordan Center According to his website, Smith the Heroes Parade at 2 pm. Start- pm. The 4th fest fireworks were Chiarkas remarked on just how has been a human cannonball for ing at the State College Borough deemed one of the best displays much planning goes into getting all Details: Rides, carnival 11 years and has performed over Building, the parade will con- in the world by the Travel Chan- of those businesses to participate. attractions, and live 5,000 cannon shots around the tinue up toward College Ave., nel a few years ago, and the gran- “The amount of outbound world. His estimated launch path where the grandstand will take deur has not decreased since. calls to potential sponsors is the entertainment will all be will take him around 60 ft. in the place, before making it’s way The only statistic, which is most challenging part,” Chiar- air and 120 ft. across the street. through campus via Shortlidge slightly lower than previous years, kas said. “We begin trying to featured. Libhart described the Road and concluding in front of is number of volunteers, a sce- raise money for the event on Concurrent Spikes holiday’s events as follows: the BJC. Smith will also be mak- nario largely determined by the July 5th [of the previous year]. The Monday events will kick ing an appearance at the pa- day on which the festival lands. There are so many volunteers game later in the off with the annual Firecracker rade, but will not be firing from Libhart suspects that the conve- who devote their free time to 4k run at 9am. Registration for the cannon until later at night. nience of last year’s Saturday hol- raise money for this event.” evening. the run will be open till as late Later in the afternoon, there iday date contributed to increased With so many individuals volunteer numbers, while this and businesses participating year’s Monday slating may cause in 4th Fest, it is no wonder how difficulty for some schedules. significant the event is to the local Libhart remains confident in economy. In addition to Monday the planned festivities, and de- being comparable to Blue spite slightly lower volunteers, and White weekend, the new 4k/4-mile: begin at 9 is thoroughly satisfied with the two-day schedule was conceived job those involved have done. in order to further boost the a.m. “There have been no major ob- economic value of the festival. stacles so far,” Libhart said. “Last “Our idea this year was to Parade: begins at 2 p.m., year we gave VIP parking passes try and put more people into starting at the Borough to volunteers, so that may have local hotels and to stick around,” been an incentive to volunteer,” Libhart said. “When people Building and Libhart said. “But as of right stay overnight, they dine out grandstanding on now, we’re ahead of schedule.” downtown, they buy souve- Libhart said that the typical nirs, etc. It’s one of the things College Ave. 4th Fest draws in approximately that keeps State College pop- 550-600 volunteers, and ping over the summer months.” Afternoon: Carnival rides by the weekend those Student Tyler Snider (se- and festivities will re- numbers should be met. nior-psychology) comment- But it’s not just the individuals ed on the sheer amount of sume, with State College of Central Pennsylvania who get events planned for the holiday. Rollers playing a match involved; the majority of revenue “I won’t even be here for for 4th Fest comes from local busi- the weekend, but that is around 4:30. David “the ness sponsorships, according to seriously impressive,” Snider said. Bullet” Smith will perform their website. Peter Chiarkas, the Information regarding park- volunteer in chage of Fundrais- ing, race and parade route maps, during halftime. ing and Sponsorships, stated that and general history of 4th Fest, Fireworks: display begins the festival has 80 local business visit their website at 4thfest.org. Collegian File Photo sponsors this year, with a few com- at 9 p.m. Professional lumberjack Nate Greenberg performs for a crowd during panies and organizations in par- Email reporter at [email protected]. 4th Fest, on Friday, July 4, 2014. ticular carrying the heaviest load. Follow him on Twitter at @madden_95. PAGE 2 | FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2016 LOCAL/NATION THE DAILY COLLEGIAN WEATHER Today Tonight Tomorrow Sunday Monday Extended forecast High 74 campusweatherservice.com Low 59 High 75, Low 58 High 80, Low 59 High 81, Low 65 Courtesy of Campus Weather MY VIEW | JIMMY MADDEN Ignoring your gut at the voting booth My least favorite part about Democratic Party, being an adult American so far but I still is the gross feeling you get registered to vote when leaving a voting booth. in its primary. I envy those who hold Gross because conviction for candidates. The more than a few of ones who proudly flaunt their the things that “Make America Bernie offered Great Again” sounded like hats, or the not-the-best ideas Bernie to me, but I still supporters who officially declared get tattoos of his that he was who I hairline on their wanted to run the arms. How fulfill- country. Gross ing it must be to because I didn’t Madden cast your vote vote for the person truly believing, in I saw as the best your heart, that you were align- candidate, but ing with the good guy. instead the least- Myself, and many others, fail bad candidate. to capture that sense of Perhaps it’s conviction. I voted for Bernie semantics to But we do it anyway. We will “I just wish Sanders in the primaries not differentiate between “best” and still vote, because we believe we because I agreed with all of his “least bad,” but I think it’s a have to. And it’s probably true ‘loathsome’ was policies — because a few of critical understanding of per- that we do. Abstaining changes them were absurd — but spective. Many people will cast nothing. Removing yourself not a because I genuinely think he is their votes in November truly from the process doesn’t an honest, if naive, person. I believing that they backed the alleviate the gripes you have quality of the understood what he would try to right person, that they helped with it. So we’re asked to person my ballot do were he elected, and a prevent the catastrophe, which swallow our doubts and pick decent amount of those things would be the who we think will lead us down has checked. ” the least terrible path. Scan the QR code to download the sounded like good ideas to me. alternative administration. official Daily Collegian app for iOS There are limited alternatives So I registered for that party Whether they are right or wrong Jimmy Madden and Android smartphones.