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Fireworks for the Fourth!

Fireworks! That’s what we’re waiting for on the Fourth of July. The parades, the cookouts, even the speeches are fine, but for us, they play second fiddle to the main event of the day: pyrotechnics lighting up the night sky. Here’s a quick look at some of the firework displays we look forward to every year in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.

Austin

In Austin, you can celebrate with 100,000 of your closest friends at Vic Mathias Shores (formerly Auditorium Shores) for the Austin Symphony’s 42nd Annual July 4th Concert.  The concert begins around 8:30 with the fireworks around 9:30. In Austin, there’s live music for just about any occasion, so there’s no surprise that the Symphony will accompany the fireworks with the 1812 Overture and patriotic songs. If this sounds a bit crowded for your taste, an alternative site for viewing the city’s fireworks is Mount Bonnell. It’s the highest spot in Austin and has a great view of downtown.  It’s a different fireworks experience, but a very beautiful one.

Houston

A favorite Fourth of July celebration in Houston is the Star-Spangled Salute at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park. It’s a family-friendly, drag your coolers in and sit on the hillside type of event.  You can enjoy patriotic music played by the Houston Symphony Orchestra including the 1812 Overture complete with cannons and fireworks! Tickets for the event are always free and if you claim your tickets early, you may be able to get covered seating. Otherwise, it’s open seating on the hillside. Free tickets are available (4 per person over the age of 16 while they last) at the Miller Outdoor Theatre box office on July 4th between 10:30am and 1:00pm. If there are any tickets remaining, they will be distributed at the box office one hour before show time which is at 8:30 pm.

Dallas

Just to the north of Dallas you’ll find the town of Addison. Their Fourth of July fireworks displays (happening this year on Wednesday, July 3rd) have been winning national awards for over three decades. But there’s more to the Addison Kaboom Town celebration than just fireworks. There’s also an airshow, live music, a carnival and lots of good eats. This is a free event, but capacity is limited so you’ll want to get there early. The gates open at four and events begin at 5pm with fireworks around 9:30pm.

San Antonio

Woodlawn Lake Park is the place to be for the City of San Antonio’s Official Fourth of July Celebration, complete with fireworks. The event is sponsored by the San Antonio Parks Foundation and includes live music and dancing, carnival games and rides, children’s activities and food trucks to keep hunger at bay. The free festivities begin at 11 am with a fireworks extravaganza at 9 pm.