Jammin' July 4th Published July 7, 2006 By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Williams 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- The sweet smell of carnival food, laughter of children, live music and an overwhelming sense of patriotism filled the air. The Jammin' July 4th celebration at Dillon Park Tuesday was a big hit with the Shaw and Sumter community. Thousands of people showed up for the festive and patriotic gathering, said Pat Curran, 20th Services Squadron director of marketing. "We had a great time," said Kristen Bruening, wife of Master Sgt. John Bruening, 9th Air Force. "I love seeing the flags and patriotic shirts. The 4th of July always fills me with American pride." One of the most noticeable changes was the cost for rides, which required one or two 50-cent tickets each. "Because of the outstanding sponsorship this year, we were able to bring down the cost significantly from last year," Mr. Curran said. "My kids had a wonderful time and went on most of the rides," Mrs. Bruening said. "It only cost me $5." Another change that a lot of people took advantage of was the free shuttle service to Dillon Park. "The shuttle to and from the mall was a great idea," Mrs. Bruening said. "Last year, it took us two hours just to get out of Dillon Park after the fireworks. This year, the shuttle got us back to our car and we were home by 10:40 p.m." With the lessons learned from last year and the improvements made, this year's Jammin' July 4th celebration provided a good time for everyone, Mr. Curran said.