Uncle Sam Jam is how Lincoln does the Fourth: the city’s free Independence Day celebration at Oak Lake Park, and the largest free annual event the Parks and Recreation Department puts on. The park opens in the evening, live music starts — past years have featured Raptor, the U.S. Air Force Heartland of America band — there’s a flag-lowering ceremony, and then the fireworks: a professional J&M Displays show choreographed to music broadcast across four local radio stations, going off at 10 p.m. over the lake.
It’s resolutely old-school and free — bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks, spread a blanket, and watch the sky. Thousands of people do exactly that every year, which is the whole point: it’s the rare event where the entire city shows up in one place.
The logistics matter: arrive early, because traffic around Oak Lake gets serious, and use the free StarTran shuttle from the Haymarket garages. Parking fills at the park lots and spillover lots at Haymarket Park and Bowlin Stadium. Check lincoln.ne.gov/unclesamjam as the holiday nears for the year’s schedule and parking map.