Evitt Bartels and Jace Miller brace themselves during the anvil firing. The Seward Volunteer Fire Department puts gunpowder between two anvils, lights a fuse and the resulting explosion blows the top anvil into the air. The tradition has led off the Fourth of July for decades.
Eliza Rohda
Dancers from Artistry in Motion perform at the bandshell during the July 4 celebration.
Stephanie Croston
The crowd fills the shade at the Seward Municipal Band concert July 4.
Stephanie Croston
Jared Schreiner shows his Fourth of July spirit as he plays in the Seward Municipal Band concert July 4.
Stephanie Croston
Kids wait for judges to decide who has the best decorated bike.
Eliza Rohda
Unfortunately, you can’t use your hands to clean your face in the bubblegum-blowing contest.
Eliza Rohda
Jill Beisel assesses the competition as the bubbles get bigger and bigger.
Eliza Rohda
The competition heats up in the kids’ division.
Eliza Rohda
The bigger the bubble, the bigger the pop. Just ask Elsie Schneider of Isante, Minnesota.
Eliza Rohda
Contestants in the adult division patiently wait for their bubblegum to pop.
Eliza Rohda
Carter Lees of Des Moines, Iowa, gives a grin as he works on his gum during the finals of the bubble gum contest July 4.
Stephanie Croston
Jana Hughes smiles as the bubble gummers compete at the apple pie and bubble gum contests July 4. Hughes was one of the event judges.
Stephanie Croston
Jill Beisel of Seward concentrates on maintaining her bubble during the prelims of the bubble gum contest July 4. She was the event winner.
Stephanie Croston
Jill Beisel of Lincoln defended her bubble gum blowing champion title from last year in this year's contest.
Doug Carroll
Al Geis of Gilbert, Arizona, celebrates for a cheering crowd.
Eliza Rohda
Four-year-old Greta Foor of Seward pins her ears back and dives into the pie eating contest.
DOUG CARROLL
Pie eating champion Kayla Arneson of Lincoln celebrates after being announced the winner July Fourth. "I've been trying to win this contest ever since I was four or five years old," she said afterward.
DOUG CARROLL
The spray from the water fights can't completely obscure the courthouse dome July 4.
Stephanie Croston
Teams of firefighters face off in the annual water fight.
Eliza Rohda
Kids race toward the finish line in the Big Wheel/Hot Cycle contest.
Eliza Rohda
Visitors scale the rock climbing wall on Seventh Street.
Eliza Rohda
Brenda Parry of Lincoln shows her Fourth of July spirit during the Freedom Run July 4.
Stephanie Croston
Seward's Max Wake gives a thumbs up as he approaches the finish line of the 10K Freedom Run.
Stephanie Croston
Henry Hanseling of Oregon, grandson of Arlyn and Vicky Hanseling of Seward, cools off with a glass of water taking part in the Seward's Fourth of July activities.
Doug Carroll
The 1975 Vega from the time capsule was on display at the Seward Fourth of July Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show.
Courtesy photo
One of 260+ cars leaves the show to make way for the parade.
Eliza Rohda
Clark Kolterman looks for contestants for the apple pie and bubble gum contests at the Seward bandshell.
Doug Carroll
Dancers from LUXE Dance Academy of Lincoln strike a pose.
Eliza Rohda
Dancers from LUXE Dance Academy in Lincoln took the Seward bandshell stage for their annual July 4 show.
Stephanie Croston
Ike Schmekpeper of Gretna East High School free falls after a successful vault.
Eliza Rohda
Visitors to the World's Largest Time Capsule July 4 look inside the now-empty vault before entering the former House of Davisson to look at the items removed from it. The capsule was buried in 1975 and opened this year.
Stephanie Croston
Mark Suhr of Seward shows off his "I was there" button from 1975 when the time capsule was buried. He said he'd forgotten about it until a few days ago.
Stephanie Croston
Children wave at passing trucks in hopes of getting candy.
Eliza Rohda
Trish Johnson (center) rides through the July 4 parade with her daughters, Ann and Kathryn, and granddaughter Addy. Johnson and her family were named the grand marshals of the parade.
Stephanie Croston
The Defenders Detachment Professional Star Wars Costuming received the Dessalee Rousselle Memorial Award for the people's choice.
Stephanie Croston
The Lincoln Wolves rugby team strides along the parade route July 4.
Stephanie Croston
This parade entry from H&S Plumbing, Heating and Air won the Best in Show award for 2025.
Stephanie Croston
This entry from Fibreglass Animals and Objects LLC in Seward tied for the Chairman's Award in the July 4 parade.
Stephanie Croston
The Seward American Legion Post 33 color guard carries the colors along the parade route July 4.
Stephanie Croston
Lawson Luebbe, left, and Clark Kolterman were the emcees for the 2025 July 4 parade.
Stephanie Croston
Fourth of July fireworks explode over top of a large flag hanging on the Duane Miner house in Seward.
DOUG CARROLL
Fireworks light up the Seward sky as thousands of people enjoy the city's annual Fourth of July fireworks display.
DOUG CARROLL
Fireworks light up the Seward sky as thousands of people enjoy the city's annual Fourth of July fireworks display.
