It’s time to celebrate America’s birthday, y’all. And while July 4 happens to be on a Tuesday this year, and everyone knows middle-of-the-week birthdays can be a bit of a bummer, we prefer to look on the bright side: A Tuesday holiday means a four-day weekend of celebrations. We’ve rounded up all the parades, block parties, eats, fireworks, and more to enjoy your freedom fest, from Friday through the Fourth itself.
Parades, Parties, and Festivals
June 30
Pool Adolphus
The Adolphus is throwing a weekend-long rooftop patriotic pool party (say that five times fast). Day passes begin at $45 and cabanas start at $350 for six people (book here). There will be afternoon live music sets everyday through the Fourth and specialty cocktails available. June 30–July 4. The Adolphus, 1321 Commerce St. Details here.
Hilton Anatole JadeWaters
Book a day pass or a full-on hotel room and spend your holiday weekend at the Hilton Anatole’s water park. JadeWaters has a packed schedule through July 4, with snowcone happy hours, DJs, pool parties, barbecue, and a specialty Red, White and Blue-berries cocktail at SER Steaks and Spirits. June 30–July 4. From $110. Hilton Anatole, 2201 N. Stemmons Fwy. Details here.
July 1
Klyde Warren Park’s Independence Day Celebration
Enjoy an all-day block party at Klyde Warren Park. The park opens at 9 a.m., and food trucks, like Fletcher’s and Taste of Cuba, will start arriving at 11 a.m. The real show starts at 7 p.m., with stilt walkers, caricature artists, and more. There will be live music and fireworks at 9:40 p.m. And, as usual, the Nancy Best Fountain will put on water shows at the top of every hour noon to 10 p.m., this time to patriotic music. 9 a.m.–10 p.m. Klyde Warren Park, 1909 Woodall Rodgers Fwy. Details here.
Denton Yankee Doodle Parade
Denton’s patriotic parade tradition is easy to find—just head to the historic downtown square. The parade will feature plenty of floats, organizations, and more, playing music, dancing, and throwing out candy and treats. The parade starts at 9 a.m. at Austin and Hickory streets, and continues to the Denton Civic Center. 9 a.m. Downtown Denton Square. Details here.
Dallas Mimosa Walk: Fourth of July Weekend
Who doesn’t want to dress up in patriotic colors and drink away the afternoon? Head down to Deep Ellum for a three-hour mimosa walk. Wander into 16 stores along the route during the Sip & Shop event, and get a mimosa sampling. Keep your eyes peeled for celebrity lookalikes, like Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and Bruce Lee. noon. $40. Deep Ellum Outdoor Market, 101-199 N. Crowdus St. Details here.
July 3
Frisco Freedom Fest
The city of Frisco is celebrating America’s 247th’s birthday with a two-day festival of family fun. On Monday, pseudo-professional tailgaters can enter a cornhole competition, pet owners can enjoy the annual Dachshund Dash or the Yankee Doodle Poodle Parade, and end the evening with the “Hotter ‘N Fireworks” 5K glow run. On Tuesday, enjoy the best of local dining during Taste of Frisco, a party in Simpson Plaza, and fireworks from Toyota Stadium after the FC Dallas game. July 3–4. Simpson Plaza, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd., Frisco. Details here.
Sensory Sensitive 4th of July Celebration
Fireworks can be overwhelming, so The Sound at Cypress Waters is hosting a sensory-sensitive Independence Day party on Monday. The four-hour party will have animal education, face painting, arts and crafts, live music, a calming station, a petting zoo, and more. And instead of fireworks, the organizers have planned a laser light show at 9:40 p.m. 6 p.m. The Sound at Cypress Waters, 3111 Olympus Blvd. Details here.
Denton July Jubilee
Denton will host its July Jubilee starting at 6 p.m. The family-friendly event features local vendors with lots of food, live music, inflatables, games, face painting, a hot dog eating contest, and drone shows. 6–10 p.m. Downtown Denton Square. Details here.
Patriotic Pops in the Park
The Plano Community Band will be joined by the Custer Road United Methodist Church choir to present Patriotic Pops. Bring a picnic, spread out under the shade trees at Haggard Park, and take in some patriotic music. 7 p.m. Haggard Park, 901 E 15th St., Plano. Details here.
July 4
The 2023 Rotary Club of Park Cities Fourth of July Parade
The annual Park Cities tradition will start on Euclid Avenue near Highland Park Town Hall, then goes west down Euclid, north on Highland Drive, and continues west on Beverly Drive to Preston Road, where it will eventually hit University Boulevard and end at Goar Park. A picnic will follow the parade. 9 a.m., University Park and Highland Park. Details here.
Arlington Independence Day Parade
Floats from across Arlington are lining up for the city’s annual Independence Day parade. Now in its 58th year, the parade is one of Arlington’s longest-running traditions. Find your perfect spot during the Independence Day Parade Firecracker 5K beforehand, then plop down by 9 a.m. to see all the floats. 9 a.m. downtown Arlington. Details here.
Lakewood Parade
Lakewood’s annual 4th of July parade has a reputation for family fun, and now it’s in its Taylor Swift era … literally. This year’s fearless theme is “The Eras Tour” in honor of the pop star’s spring concerts in Arlington and the various eras of the neighborhood’s history. 10 a.m. Lakewood. Details here.
McKinney Parade and Block Party
Parades are fun, but once they’re over, what’s there to do? After its annual Independence Day parade, Downtown McKinney is hosting a Yankee Doodle Block Party, showcasing the district’s shops and restaurants. 10 a.m. parade, 11 a.m. block party. Downtown McKinney. Details here.
Block Party at the Park
The country’s birthday is an apt time to step back in time. Historic park and village Old City Park in the Cedars is throwing an all-afternoon block party for history and fun-minded Dallasites. The event promises games, water guns, giveaways, and more. 2 p.m. $10. 1515 S. Harwood St. Details here.
Plano’s All American 4th
The Rotary Clubs of Plano and the city of Plano will host a festival and parade near the Collin College campus. The festival begins at 6 p.m., with the parade beginning at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks at 10 p.m. There will be a free kids’ zone, vendors offering food and beverages, and more. 6 p.m., Collin College, 2800 E. Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano. Details here.
Fireworks and Drones
July 1
Monument Realty PGA District
Bring a blanket and check out the fireworks show at the new PGA District in Frisco. Enjoy live music, carnival games, and food and drink from nearby restaurants. Participants include Ice House, Lounge by Topgolf, Ryder Cup Grille, and more. Plus, there will be fireworks and a drone show. This event is free to attend but requires a ticket. 6 p.m.–10 p.m. 3255 PGA Pkwy., Frisco.
Liberty by the Lake
Head to The Colony for Liberty by the Lake, a night of fun that includes rides, food, live music, and games, and ends with a fireworks show set to patriotic music, all lakeside. 6 p.m.–11 p.m. The Colony Five Star Complex, 4100 Blair Oaks Dr. Details here.
July 2
Star Spangled Spectacular: A Firewheel Celebration
The city of Garland is hosting a 20,000-person Independence Day party on Sunday. There will be family friendly lawn games and activities, food trucks, inflatables, live music, photo ops, and a $500 Simon Amex gift card giveaway. At 9:15 p.m., the 15-minute fireworks show will blast off. 5 p.m. A Firewheel Town Center, 245 Cedar Sage Dr. Details here.
July 3
Red, White & Boom
Spread out your picnic blankets at Gabe Nesbitt Community Park for McKinney’s annual fireworks party. There will be games, live music, food trucks, and fireworks at 9:45 p.m. Pack a cooler with all your fave nonalcoholic drinks and snacks—just remember to leave your grills at home. 6 p.m. Gabe Nesbitt Community Park, 7001 Eldorado Pkwy., McKinney. Details here.
Light Up Arlington
The city of Arlington is taking over its downtown for Independence Day celebrations. All day, there will be family friendly events, like a scavenger hunt, imagination playground, face painting, and patriotic activities at the library. The real party begins in the evening. There will be a Children’s Entrepreneur Market at 5 p.m., live bands playing from four different stages beginning at 6 p.m., and plenty of food trucks. Fireworks begin at 9:50 p.m. 2 p.m.–10:30 p.m. Downtown Arlington. Details here.
Addison Kaboom Town
Stake out the area in and around Addison Airport for the 38th annual Kaboom Town. The festival is sold out, but the annual airshow, featuring historic warbirds, stunts, and parachute jumpers, takes flight at 7:30 p.m. (For your best views, set up chairs along Belt Line Road and the Dallas North Tollway.) Fireworks, which can be seen all over Addison, begin at 9:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Addison Airport, 4545 Jimmy Doolittle Dr. Details here.
July 4
Fair Park Fourth
Fair Park Fourth offers an entire evening of festivities that culminates with fireworks in the Cotton Bowl. Find hands-on activities for the kids, a local market, live music, food trucks, and other concessions all evening. Don’t want to deal with traffic? DART has a stop right in front of Fair Park. 4:30 p.m. Fair Park, 3809 Grand Ave. Details here.
Sparks & Stripes: Fourth of July Live Music & Fireworks
On July 4, the city of Irving promises a drone and fireworks show “unlike you have ever seen!” The party kicks off at 6 p.m., with food, rides, and live music at Las Colinas’ Levy Event Plaza, and the main show begins at 9:15 p.m. There’s $10 parking at Summit Parking Garage and at the 600 Las Colinas Parking Garage, plus free parking and shuttles from Williams Square Plaza. 6 p.m. Levy Event Plaza, 501 E. Las Colinas Blvd. Irving. Details here.
City of Mesquite Fireworks
A day at the races and fireworks? Sign us up. Head to Mesquite’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway Tuesday evening for dirt races and more. Get a pit pass to meet the drivers early, and stick around for fireworks when all is said and done. 8 p.m. $15 age 13 and up. Devil’s Bowl Speedway, 1711 Lawson Rd., Mesquite. Details here.
North Texas Butcher Shops for Your Fourth of July Barbecue
Staying in on the Fourth of July is an option, too, and that means you can grill up a storm at home with some of the best meats in the city. Check out these butcher shops for your Independence Day celebration.
- Sara’s Market & Bakery, 750 S. Sherman St., Richardson.
- The Meat Shop Butchery & Eatery, 4410 W. Lovers Ln.
- Kuby’s Sausage House, 6601 Snider Plz.
- American Butchers, 920 S. Harwood St.
- Hirsch’s Specialty Meats and Sausages, 1301 W. Parker Rd., Ste. 100, Plano.
- Evan’s Meat Market, 4266 Oak Lawn Ave.
Food & Drink Deals
For a list of the red, white, and blue food and drink specials, click here.
Authors
Bethany Erickson
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Catherine Wendlandt
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