Summer Fun at Central Texas College

[Shotgun Jeremy]

There's events coming up at Central Texas College that I can share from time to time. Instead of popping up a bunch of posts, we'll just consolodate them all here.

June 24 / 4pm-10pm is Fort Hood Freedom Fest. CTC will provide firework viewing parking as always. No parking will be allowed on the grass. They've gotten better with getting traffic off the campus. If you're coming from Cove, there's a good liklihood that you'll be put in Killeen-bound traffic and have to turn around unless you exit via Clear Creek. https://hood.armymwr.com/calendar/event/freedom-fest/5597274/69292

July 30 / 10 am - 2 pm @ CTC Gym. The college is hosting a Community Field Day. There will be water Activities, Games, Food Trucks. Vendors include the Copperas Cove and Killeen Parks and Rec depts, Orange Theory Fitness and more. All proceeds will benefit the Dawn Green Mental Health Awareness and Kinesiology scholarships through the CTC Foundation.

[Shotgun Jeremy]

This isn't CTC, but it is Summer Fun so I'll include it here -

The City of Killeen is hosting an Independence Day Extravaganza Saturday, July 2nd. It's downtown, and fireworks will be at 9:30. Remember - only the government is allowed to host fireworks in city limits.

https://killeentexas.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6633/Independence-Day-Extravaganza_Artist-Slide-PDF

[sojourner truth]

And it seems Ft Hood is still trying to have the fireworks in June now. I'm sure the FDs and Fireworks stands love the current draught. I am somewhat surprised that Killeen is still having fireworks displays at all.

[gnatsum]

Killeen used to NOT have fireworks displays--they "piggybacked" on Fort Hood's fireworks!
Of course, that was when FH used to stage them at the OLD Pritchard Stadium, over by the rail yard. Now...IIRC...FH now 'does' the show over by the "new stadium" west of Clear Creek Road...too "far" for Killeen to "enjoy them".

Vaguely recall when...1981? '82?---when the display at Pritchard was terminated early--somehow, the fireworks caught on fire, and the display was cut short.

[fchafey]

Fort Hood 4th of July used to be packed, cars on 190 lined up to see the fireworks. attendance ahs been so dismal over the years, way prior to Covid, and yes the new stadium location has a ton to do with it, it will be tonight, the 24th. Looks more like "a do something and get it over with" mentality....

[Ludwig]

The "Command" said that they moved it to allow ALL to enjoy the 4th of July with their families. It takes over 600 persons to support the festivities and those workers, too, deserve to spend the 4th with their families. Sounds reasonable to me.

[Ludwig]

Fireworks at 21:30. Those interested in it could probably get a good view while parking at CTC, or if they can get on Post, park around the bank, class VI, S Commissary, and Post Exchange. I'm going to be asleep at home.

[sojourner truth]

There used to always be a mob in Willow Springs around the 7-11, and the small hill behind it and the credit union that was there. When we lived in that area, we could see the fireworks from our house. Even better when you crawled out onto the roof.

I used to take my wife, daughter, and assorted friends to the show when they had it by the old hospital. I can remember pieces of the fireworks coming down and landing on my car parked in the hospital parking lot area.

[kantwin]

I decided to watch from inside the old stadium one year. Parked in the Darnell parking lot.
We all kinds of ash from the fireworks falling on us.
It took close to 90 minutes just to get out of the ROW we were parked in. Another 30 minutes to get out of the parking lot.

[Shotgun Jeremy]

I was parked front and center at the college. I think it took me a whole 10 minutes to be on the road, and that was without me being pushy to get through traffic.

[TriciaH]

That was always a giant mess. I worked EMS for years on Fort Hood and worked the 11 PM to 7 AM shift. I hated going to work on the 4th. You couldn't get over there to save your life. Traffic left no room for people coming in to work or the ambulances trying to get out on a call.