Entertainment : All of Boomtown is a go; IPA finds new location for shooting largest shells

Area IPA member Scott Anderson holds one of the huge shells like those used during the Boomtown event. By Tamara Stark, Vinton Boomtown Committee It's official! The original Boomtown, as we've all come to know and love will GO ON in it's entirety; homemade shells, Junior Pyrotechnic show, Main show and all! After months of discussion and planning, the individual-hand crafted shell portion of Boomtown has a new location! Several members of the Iowa Pyrotechnic Association attended the April 13th Vinton City Council meeting to ask for permission to use an isolated section of a city ditch as the new home for the launch site of the I.P.A. members home built displays. These displays have included shells built by former Grand-Master champion, Jim Breitbach and lifetime Grand-Master Champion, Scott Anderson as well as several other multi-award winning members of the club, pyrotechnic displays that you will not see anywhere else. Club members come from several states away in order to shoot their hand built shells, which is not permitted in many of their home states ~ making Boomtown very unique for the opportunities it provides. After a brief discussion and a few questions, Vinton's Council unanimously agreed to allow the I.P.A. the use of the ditch requested and the closing of the road where the ditch is located. August 26th will be the 11th annual Boomtown Vinton and it's right on track to be our Biggest, Baddest and BEST yet! Mark the calendars, call the family, and make your plans to be there!! Live music, 17 food vendors, inflatables for the kids, and fireworks so big they'll set your car alarms off! This is not a show that words can describe; you need to be there to not just watch, but to experience Boomtown! Reserved seats are available in ½ rows of 11 or full rows of 22, just call 319-558-7476. See you all in August!