Sno-cones, personal coolers and a new cooling station were just some of the ways those attending Salute to America beat the heat throughout the holiday weekend.
As temperatures raced into the mid-90s Sunday and Monday, thousands turned out for the Capital City's annual Independence Day extravaganza. Jefferson City residents and visitors showed up in droves Sunday and Monday for live performances, carnival rides and games, community vendors and more.
Nicole Slusser, vice chairwoman of the Salute to America Board, said 10,000-15,000 people were expected to attend the Fourth of July festival at some point during the course of its two days.
"For me personally, I think it looks like numbers are kind of up this year just from watching the crowds and stuff," she said Monday afternoon.
Slusser said she was happy the festivities were back in full swing after a somewhat slow return last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut the festival down in 2020.
"I love looking out in the crowd and seeing so many different people from so many different facets and from so many different places come together as one to celebrate our great nation," she said.
Jodie Helming and her children, Greg Cole, 4, and Georgia Cole, 1, cooled off with sno-cones and a shady bench Monday before navigating their way to the carnival rides on Capitol Avenue. Greg, who had only scraped the top of his cone, was eager to take his first spin on the carnival rides.
Helming said she brought the children and her mother, Lola Helming, to check out the Salute to America festivities and explore. She said she didn't expect to last long with two young children.
In addition to Sno-cones, they stopped inside stores and were planning to play with water toys at home to stay cool.
Elijah Kissock and his family found relief from the heat with Salute to America's cooling center, a Lincoln University bus with A/C on full blast and free cold water.
"We love having this air cooling station," his wife said. "That was amazing. We love that idea."
The Kissocks said they're usually drawn out to Salute to America by the Scholastic Books giveaway and this year was no different with nine children in their family group.
Elijah said they had watched a couple firework shows prior to Monday and were planning to watch the Missouri Credit Union's firework show as part of the Salute to America celebration Monday night. During the day, he said, they were trying to stay cool while visiting various exhibits and booths.
"The heat's going to take us out before we get to the rides, I think," he said.
Even without the rides, Elijah said, Salute to America is a fun way to celebrate the holiday with loved ones.
"It's nice to just spend time with family celebrating America and the freedoms that we have in America," he said.
Jefferson City has been celebrating Salute to America for nearly 20 years. This year, the two-day celebration began with carnival rides Sunday, followed by the opening ceremony and Busch's Florist's 50-part Red, White and Bloom parade early Sunday evening. Little Mr. and Miss Independence were crowned after the parade Sunday and live tribute bands capped off the night.
The carnival picked back up Sunday afternoon as the Route 66 Car Cruise got under way on Broadway. In front of the Governor's Mansion, the Kid's Zone began to take shape with pony rides, face-painting, inflatables, a petting zoo and the Scholastic Books giveaway.
Dan and Della DeGroff made a trek downtown to see the Route 66 Car Cruise before hosting family for a barbecue in the afternoon.
Dan, who is originally from Topeka, Kansas, had never been downtown for the Salute to America celebration and wanted to explore what it had to offer, he said.
They were staying cool with seats in the shade and "lots and lots of water."
Rhonda Detienne and Mark Mullen, both of Paris, Missouri, were also drawn to Salute to America for the first time by the classic car show. They had plans to supplement the experience with visits to local antique shops while in town.
"I've never been downtown," Detienne said. "I may have to come back and check out the shops."
Detienne said they followed shaded sidewalks while milling around the festival and they were stocked up on lemonade and water to stay hydrated.
"We're catching the shade wherever we start going," she said with a laugh.
Food trucks and vendor booths with information, games and crafts kept High and Madison streets buzzing throughout the day Monday.
Jes Klingensmith operated the COMO Axe Attack, a mobile trailer offering participants the chance to throw hand axes into a wooden wall. The mobile trailer is part of the Columbia business with the same name.
"Today, people enjoy it, other than that we've had to go paperless so lack of cash has stopped a couple people," he said.
Klingensmith said axe-throwing is often a new experience to fair-goers, and the danger of throwing an axe and sinking it into a wall is appealing. The experience has been offered at Salute to America for years, he said.
"People that see us here at mobile events usually end up coming into the shop to throw again," he said. "Last year, we actually met a group of five or so people, and we ended up hiring two of them because they live in Columbia and wanted to work with us."
As they waited for the next axes to get tossed, Klingensmith said the Axe Attack crew was staying cool with a cooler of Gatorade and water.
As the scorching heat began winding down, sack races, marshmallow tosses and other children's games cropped up on the Capitol's south lawn and Tim Hadler, of Branson, performed a "Hank Williams Revisited" tribute.
The Capital City's Fourth of July celebrations culminated with the Missouri Credit Union's Red, White and Boom firework concert on the north side of the Capitol shortly before 10 p.m.
Doc Gue sat atop his dad Jack's shoulders as they navigated through carnival games and rides on Capitol Avenue for the Salute to America celebration on Monday, July 4, 2022. Doc carried a book from the Scholastic Books giveaway. (Photo by Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune)
Doc Gue sat atop his dad Jack's shoulders as they headed down Madison Street toward the Kid's Zone at Jefferson City's Salute to America on Monday, July 3, 2022. (Photo by Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune)
John Lucio and his wife Jennifer Su-Lucio enjoyed front row seats to the Show Me Talent Show on the Madison Street Stage at Salute to America on Monday, July 4, 2022. The couple congratulated the Itsy Bitsy Broadway crew after its performance in the talent show. (Photo by Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune)
Stacy Brown took a photo of her daughters, Calla and Clara, before they took a spin on the swing carnival ride at Salute to America on Monday, July 4, 2022. (Photo by Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune)
Ezra Flores, of California, practices his axe-throwing skills at the COMO Axe Attack mobile trailer booth on Monday, July 4, 2022, in downtown Jefferson City. Flores said he has thrown axes before but still gets a kick out of it every time. (Photo by Ryan Pivoney/News Tribune)