metroMagazine • The Spirit of Omaha
celebrating SARPY COUNTY
Are you smarter than a fifth-grader when it comes to arithmetic? Let’s use the hottest months of the year to bone up on the coldest of sciences by running through the numbers on what lies ahead for Sarpy County fun this summer.
sarpycounty DOING THE MATH ON SUMMER FUN tempor invidunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquyam erat, sed diam voluptua. At vero eos et accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet clita kasd gubergren, no
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM AIR SHOW
406,276
The attendance figure for the Omaha Royals’ final season at Rosenblatt Stadium. With a new name and a glistening new park, the Omaha Storm Chasers look to draw even larger crowds in 16 remaining home games at Sarpy County’s newest crown jewel, beautiful Werner Park.
1,400
The number of acres encompassing the Fontenelle Forest Nature Center (1111 N. Bellevue Blvd.). Fall colors are right around the corner amid the scenic bluffs overlooking the Missouri River. The forest offers spectacular scenery and an educational view into the area’s wildlife and natural habitat. www.fontenelleforest.org
500
The number of pennies you’ll need to pinch to pay the cover for the Friday Night Music Series at Soaring Wings Vineyard (17111 S. 138th St). Editor’s Pick: Swine on the Vine, the vineyard’s annual pig roast, is August 21st. Also check out Smooth Jazz Saturdays and Acoustic Sundays at what is perhaps the area’s premier vintner. www.soaringwingswine.com
75
“Numbers don’t lie,” she continued, “but what really makes Sarpy County such a special place is the spirit of cooperation and collaboration between the public and private sectors: the business community, schools, non-profit organizations and government entities working together for the greater good of those that choose to live, work and play here.”
3
“All those numbers above are no accident,” explained Linda Revis of Sarpy County Tourism. She’s the tourism director of the group that last year had over 10,000 people sign the organization’s guest book, even as the bureau exhausted a print run of 50,000 visitor’s guides. Maybe that helps explain why the number of hotel rooms in Sarpy County has doubled in the last five years alone.
1 ZILLION
“Around every city corner and along every country road,” Revis added, “there’s music, adventure, history and entertainment waiting for you in Sarpy County.”
The number of years the Sarpy County Fair has offered up bronco-ridin’, demolition derby-crunchin’, BBQslathered fun for all ages. This year’s fair runs August 3rd – 7th at the Sarpy County Fairgrounds in Springfield. www.sarpyfair.com
As in Toy Story 3, the August 12th Starlight Movie offering at the Sumtur Amphitheatre (11691 S. 108th St.). From swing to rock and from symphonic to ballet, this al fresco venue promises an eclectic array of under-the-stars delights all summer long. www.sumtur.org
The estimated decibel level at the August 27th – 28th Offutt Air Force Base Defenders of Freedom Air Show. Also the number of people expected to be in attendance and the recommended SPF level of sunscreen to bathe in that day. www.offuttairshow.com
For more on planning a Sarpy Summer, visit www.gosarpy.com. m
And let’s not neglect a different, equally important set of numbers, those that measure dollars being counted in cash registers all over Sarpy County. “Our population growth rate is twice that of Douglas County’s and three times that of the state overall,” said Jane Nielsen in pointing to recently released 2011 Census data. Nielsen is president of the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce and understands that tourism can be an important economic driver.
FONTENELLE FOREST
18
metroMAGAZINE • AUG 2011