One splendid thing among many about our Fourth of July Independence Day celebrations: most of them are free. Stands to reason. How can you charge money for fireworks displays visible from every hilltop in the city? Or parades on public streets?
But there’s more to Independence Day than fireworks. So here’s a list of some of my favorites. Some free, some will cost, maybe to remind us that the Declaration of Independence was issued when independence itself was far from being won.
-- Neighborhood parades. If you haven’t overslept from last night’s Kaboom Town pyrotechnics blowout in Addison, there’s still time to catch some of today’s local parades. My part of East Dallas has several to choose from. My favorite is the Lakewood neighborhood parade, beginning at 10 a.m. today at the intersection of Lakewood and Cambria boulevards and ending at Tokalon Park. This year’s theme is “Lakewood Loves the Beach,” but it’s one of those parades where you don’t really need a theme, or permit or a payment to join in. Bring yourself, vehicles, bikes, or dogs, and gather at the starting point by 9:15 a.m.
The last couple of years, I’ve found plenty of parking at nearby White Rock Lake Park. Wear comfortable shoes--you may have to walk a bit to find the best spots. For a complete list of area events, including city fireworks and parades, see www.neighborsgo.com/.
-- Butterflies for a buck. Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park, 3601 Martin Luther King Dr. Blvd., celebrate Independence Day by cutting admission to the gardens to $1 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 4. Arrive by noon to see the release of just-emerged tropical butterflies in the adjacent butterfly house. Enter at Gate 6 of Fair Park. You’ll still need to pay the $5 parking fee for Fair Park events, because of course you’ll . . .
. . . Stay for music, rides and fireworks. Live music and access to rides, games and concessions begin at noon at the park. Fireworks start at approximately 9:30 p.m., and the grounds close at 10 p.m. Pay the $5 per vehicle parking fee, or take DART’s Green
Line to the park’s front gates. For details, see
www.fairpark.org/.
--Or wind to the top of Flagpole Hill, Northwest Highway and Buckner Boulevard, north of White Rock Lake, for vibes and a free bird’s eye view of fireworks all over town.
--Or splurge on tickets to the GeO-Deck at Reunion Tower, $16 for adults, $8 for children, at 300 Reunion Blvd. East, in Dallas. The tower‘s viewing deck is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with the last elevator going up at 9:30 p.m. Adjacent parking is $6, or access the tower by DART or Trinity Railway Express through nearby Union Station. See www.reuniontower.com/the-tower/geo-deck/ for more information.
-- You can keep your feet on the ground July 4 at Dallas Heritage Village’s Old Fashioned Fourth, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The village’s collection of historic and vintage buildings is located near downtown at 1515 S. Harwood St. Circus-themed games for kids, parade, crafts. Concessions available or bring your own picnic. See www.dallasheritagevillage.org/.
-- And that Declaration of Independence itself? See one of the few surviving original broadsides printed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, at the Dallas Library’s Central Branch, 1515 Young Street. But you’ll have to wait until tomorrow. The library’s closed today for the holiday! For details and hours, see
http://dallaslibrary2.org/.
(Next Friday -- Can cardboard float? Check out the cardboard boat races at Dallas’ Samuell Grand Park.)
Showing posts with label Fourth of July in Dallas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fourth of July in Dallas. Show all posts
Friday, July 4, 2014
Friday, June 28, 2013
Totally Texas -- The glorious 4th -- bright & loud
Too many Fourth of July events this coming week to list -- so I’ll give a modest nod to my neighborhood’s favorite, the Lakewood parade, running for the 50th year from the intersection of Lakewood Boulevard and Cambria in East Dallas to the tennis courts at Tokalon and Winstead.
It boasts thousands of floats, vehicles, bikes, kid and dog paraders ( no need to register -- just gather at 9:15 Thursday morning at the starting to pick up a number) and thousands of spectators along the tree-shaded streets, while keeping the small town vibe that makes Lakewood one of Dallas’ best-loved neighborhoods.
This year’s theme is “Lakewood Makes History” -- the interpretation’s up to each participant, but please, no commercial or political advertising.
No parking along the parade route, but when I visited last year, parking space was surprisingly easy to find within a few blocks. Grand marshalls Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and his wife Micki head the parade starting at 10 a.m. For info, see www.lakewoodparade.com/.
In some ways, I think of the monthly First Monday Trade Days in Canton as the official start to July 4th festivities. This month’s trade days are in progress through Sunday, June 30 (actually Thursday through Sunday BEFORE the first Monday of each month). About an hour east of Dallas on I-20, Canton bills itself as the world’s oldest and largest flea market -- and at 450 acres, it no doubt qualifies for the “largest” part of that title. For details, see www.visitcantontx.com/.
Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the shopping grounds in Canton, you’ll be ready to head back July 4th for free fireworks on the west side of the grounds, at Highway 64 and FM 859. Fireworks begin at dark, approximately 9 p.m.
But you don’t have to wait for the 4th to experience fireworks. The Dallas-area suburb of Addison gets a head start with its annual Kaboom Town! Wednesday, July 3. The entertainment at Addison Circle Park, at Beltline Drive between Addison Road and Quorum Drive, starts at 5 p.m. with music, food, and fly-bys of historic warplanes from the nearby Cavanaugh Flight Museum. The party cumulates after dark with a thirty-minute fireworks show choreographed to music and a radio simulcast. See
www.addisontexas.net/.
Almost every town has its own fireworks displays. For more listings, check http://dallas.about.com/.
You can spend the entire day of the 4th in progressive celebrations, from:
-- 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dallas Heritage Village’s Old-Fashioned Fourth, ($10 for adults, free for kids age 12 and under),
www.dallasheritagevillage.org/
-- 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. for the Dallas Arboretum’s concert by the Dallas Wind Symphony ($25 for nonmembers -- some tickets still available when I checked yesterday afternoon, June 27; free parking for evening events),
www.dallasarboretum.org/
-- 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Dallas Fair Park from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. in the Cotton Bowl. The Fair Park event is free, but you’ll need to take DART or pay for parking.
And yes, I’m getting inquiries about where to buy fireworks. But even though I grew up in a rural area where do-it-yourself pyrotechnics were legal, I still recommend leaving them to the pros. Have a happy and safe Fourth!
It boasts thousands of floats, vehicles, bikes, kid and dog paraders ( no need to register -- just gather at 9:15 Thursday morning at the starting to pick up a number) and thousands of spectators along the tree-shaded streets, while keeping the small town vibe that makes Lakewood one of Dallas’ best-loved neighborhoods.
This year’s theme is “Lakewood Makes History” -- the interpretation’s up to each participant, but please, no commercial or political advertising.
No parking along the parade route, but when I visited last year, parking space was surprisingly easy to find within a few blocks. Grand marshalls Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and his wife Micki head the parade starting at 10 a.m. For info, see www.lakewoodparade.com/.
In some ways, I think of the monthly First Monday Trade Days in Canton as the official start to July 4th festivities. This month’s trade days are in progress through Sunday, June 30 (actually Thursday through Sunday BEFORE the first Monday of each month). About an hour east of Dallas on I-20, Canton bills itself as the world’s oldest and largest flea market -- and at 450 acres, it no doubt qualifies for the “largest” part of that title. For details, see www.visitcantontx.com/.
Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the shopping grounds in Canton, you’ll be ready to head back July 4th for free fireworks on the west side of the grounds, at Highway 64 and FM 859. Fireworks begin at dark, approximately 9 p.m.
But you don’t have to wait for the 4th to experience fireworks. The Dallas-area suburb of Addison gets a head start with its annual Kaboom Town! Wednesday, July 3. The entertainment at Addison Circle Park, at Beltline Drive between Addison Road and Quorum Drive, starts at 5 p.m. with music, food, and fly-bys of historic warplanes from the nearby Cavanaugh Flight Museum. The party cumulates after dark with a thirty-minute fireworks show choreographed to music and a radio simulcast. See
www.addisontexas.net/.
Almost every town has its own fireworks displays. For more listings, check http://dallas.about.com/.
You can spend the entire day of the 4th in progressive celebrations, from:
-- 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dallas Heritage Village’s Old-Fashioned Fourth, ($10 for adults, free for kids age 12 and under),
www.dallasheritagevillage.org/
-- 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. for the Dallas Arboretum’s concert by the Dallas Wind Symphony ($25 for nonmembers -- some tickets still available when I checked yesterday afternoon, June 27; free parking for evening events),
www.dallasarboretum.org/
-- 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Dallas Fair Park from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. in the Cotton Bowl. The Fair Park event is free, but you’ll need to take DART or pay for parking.
And yes, I’m getting inquiries about where to buy fireworks. But even though I grew up in a rural area where do-it-yourself pyrotechnics were legal, I still recommend leaving them to the pros. Have a happy and safe Fourth!
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