Fireworks Aplenty

The official list of top 4th of July events and fireworks around Dallas-Fort Worth

Fireworks will light up the skies all over Dallas-Fort Worth between June 29 and July 5.

With the Fourth of July falling on a Thursday this year, Independence Day celebrations around Dallas-Fort Worth will last for almost a week, as different cities in the area will be holding events nearly every day between June 29 and July 5. We've rounded up the biggest and best ones for your oohing — er, viewing — pleasure.

Saturday, June 29

Klyde Warren Park presents Independence Day Celebration
Guests can celebrate Independence Day a few days early at Klyde Warren Park by sampling cold treats from more than a dozen vendors, and enjoying contests, live music, games, and other fun family activities. Wrap up the evening with a concert by the U.S. Army’s 36th Infantry Division Band and a spectacular pyrotechnic display on the Park’s East Lawn.

Market Street Allen USA Celebration
Allen usually gets the jump on the rest of the area by about a week or so, but they'll still be one of the first out of the gate with this event at Celebration Park. There will be live music, pop-up performances, a car show, activities like a Ninja Challenge obstacle course and football Combine Challenge, with fireworks set to music to finish the night.

Celebrate Freedom Festival
The Celebrate Freedom Festival will feature performances by Christian bands such as For King & Country, Mandisa, We Are Messengers, Micah Taylor, Austin French, and Pat Barrett. There will be a massive fireworks show at the end of the event. Tickets are free and available for download on the 94.9 KLTY mobile app beginning on June 17.

Sunday, June 30

Viridian presents Stars and Stripes Celebration
Viridian’s annual salute to Independence Day will feature free concerts by Lillly Harvey, The Shane Bell Band, and Live 80. Also planned are a pop-up market, bounce houses, food trucks, and a silent auction that will benefit Nehemiah Builds. The event concludes with fireworks over the lake.

Sunnyvale Fireworks Show
The City of Sunnyvale will present their 5th Annual Fireworks Show. The event, taking place at Sunnyvale First Baptist Church, will feature live music, food trucks, and bounce houses.

Wednesday, July 3

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents Concerts in the Garden: Old-Fashioned Family Fireworks Picnic
The combination of fireworks and patriotic music played live by an orchestra is one that can't be beat, and that's what you get at the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra's annual Old-Fashioned Family Fireworks Picnic at Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Luckily, you get two chances to experience the thrill, as the event takes place on both July 3 and 4.

Addison Kaboom Town
Every year, half a million guests celebrate at Addison Kaboom Town. The event is citywide, with the main party at Addison Circle Park; watch parties at many of Addison’s restaurants and 23 hotels; and the Addison Airport Air Show, which can be seen from anywhere in town. The 30-minute fireworks show is among the best in the nation, simulcast on 100.3 JACK-FM. Afterwards, while area traffic calms, attendees can stay in Addison Circle Park as Emerald City Band takes the stage to entertain the masses.

Light Up Arlington
Arlington's annual Fourth of July festival features live entertainment, fun for the kids, food and general vendors, and a ginormous fireworks display right in the middle of Downtown Arlington. There will also be a concert featuring Donovan Keith and The Voice finalist Hannah Kirby at Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts.

Red White & Boom on the Bridge
Red White & Boom on the Bridge, presented by the City of Dallas and 98.7 K-LUV, returns for another year. It features live music, family activities, and plenty of great food along the Ronald Kirk Bridge, The Felix Lozada Sr. Gateway, and the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. The evening will end with fireworks over the Dallas skyline.

Granbury Chamber of Commerce presents Granbury 4th of July
Granbury's Fourth of July celebration takes place over the course of four days, starting with the D&D Rockin' Rods Car Show on July 3. That's followed by a parade around the Historic Granbury Square, rodeo, concert, and fireworks on July 4, Battle of the Bands on July 5, and a free Concert in the Park on July 6. Vendors will be in the square all day long July 4-6.

Thursday, July 4

Liberty by the Lake
The Colony will present an entire day of family fun at Stewart Creek Park to celebrate the birth of America's freedom. The day includes a fun run, 5K, and 10K, live music, family fun zone, watermelon eating contest, fireworks finale, and much more. The run starts at 7:45 am, with the festival starting at 4 pm.

City of Irving presents Independence Day Celebration
The City of Irving will present its annual two-part celebration of America’s independence. There will be a wide variety of activities throughout the day, including an award-winning parade and community reception at Heritage Park from 9 am to noon, and an evening festival with fireworks display at Lake Carolyn from 6-10 pm.

Dallas Heritage Village presents Old Fashioned Fourth
Not every Fourth of July event includes fireworks. At Dallas Heritage Village's Old Fashioned Fourth, guests are encouraged to dress in red, white, and blue, and bring a picnic basket to celebrate our nation’s past. Guests can explore the Village and chat with costumed characters, and bring a wagon, decorate it at the craft station, and be a part of the All-Join-In-Parade at noon. They can also test their modern skills against a variety of Victorian era games, including the Junior Historian Carnival and its famous stick pony race.

Fort Worth's Fourth
Fort Worth’s Fourth is a full day of free family fun at Panther Island Pavilion on the Trinity River. The celebration also includes live music from Poo Live Crew and Party Machine Band, Hydroflight Team Show performances throughout the day, a kids zone, tubing, and more. Plus when the sun goes down, spectators are treated to the largest fireworks show in North Texas, coordinated with music on 95.9 The Ranch.

Fair Park Fourth
You can get some State Fair of Texas action by attending Fair Park Fourth, where rides, games, and concessions are open along the Midway. Visitors can also take in Fair Park's museums, historic art and architecture, family activities, concerts, and more. It all leads up to the fireworks display once the sun sets, viewable from the Cotton Bowl or anywhere in Fair Park.

Frisco Freedom Fest
Frisco Freedom Fest is composed of a variety of events, including Party in the Plaza at Simpson Plaza with local dancers, singers, and bands, a Children's Expo complete with jump houses, face painting, strolling entertainers and games, and the Hometown Hero Exhibit; Taste of Frisco, showcasing multiple Frisco restaurants; and a fireworks show. FC Dallas is also taking on DC United at Toyota Stadium that night, with fireworks following the match.

City of Plano presents All American Fourth
Plano’s All American Fourth will celebrate the U.S.A. with a festival and fireworks. The event includes live music, a free kids zone with bounce houses and rock climbing, a food and vendor market, and a fantastic fireworks display, which is simulcast on Radio 97.5 KLAK. Coolers are welcome, but alcoholic beverages are not allowed.

Firewheel Town Center presents Star Spangled Spectacular
Firewheel Town Center, in conjunction with the City of Garland, will celebrate the nation’s independence with a full afternoon of family fun during the Star Spangled Spectacular. There will be face-painting, bounce houses, caricature artists, balloon twisters, strolling entertainment, food trucks, and more. 92.1 Hank FM Party Patrol will be onsite, there will be a live performance by Hi Definition, and the event will culminate with a patriotic fireworks display at 9:15 pm.

Lone Star Park presents Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration
The Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration at Lone Star Park on July 4 and 5 features live horse racing, live music by Vegas Stars, and an expanded Family Fun Park with bounce houses, face painters, tattoo artists, pony rides, a petting zoo, and more. After the races conclude each night, there will be a world class fireworks show choreographed to music.

Castle Hills presents July 4th Freedom Festival
The annual Castle Hills 4th of July Freedom Festival celebrates its 21st year with a day of family-friendly activities, music, food trucks, and a fireworks display. Taking place at Castle Hills Village Shops & Plaza in Lewisville, it will feature a giant inflatable obstacle course, bounce houses, face painters, and a balloon artist, as well as a DJ at Lake Avalon. There is also a neighborhood parade earlier in the day.

Denton Kiwanis Club 4th of July Fireworks Show
Since 1972, the Denton Kiwanis Club has presented the 4th of July Fireworks Show. For the eighth year in a row, the event takes place at UNT's Apogee Stadium. Prior to the fireworks, there's a children’s activity area and live entertainment. Fireworks start at 9:30 pm. The event is technically free, but there is a $10 charge to park in the surrounding parking lots, with proceeds benefiting the youth services that the Kiwanis Club supports.

Grapevine presents 36th Annual July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza
The annual 4th of July celebration in Grapevine has a reputation as one of the best fireworks shows around. The show will be launching from Great Wolf Lodge due to high lake levels. Consequently, suggested viewing areas have changed from parks around Lake Grapevine to any public parking lot in Grapevine, including Great Wolf Lodge, Historic Downtown Main Street, The REC of Grapevine, and more.

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RIP Don

Don Nelson, legendary Dallas Mavericks head coach, dies at 86

Ronald Martinez /Allsport

Head Coach Don Nelson of the Dallas Mavericks points from the sidelines during the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Reunion Arena in Dallas on April 5, 2001.

Former Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history who won five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics, died Sunday, August 9. He was 86.

Nelson’s family confirmed the death in a statement that did not say where he died or provide a cause.

“On Sunday morning our beloved husband, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather Don Nelson peacefully went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving family,” the statement said. “Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.”

Nelson is one of two coaches in NBA history to have at least 250 wins with three different franchises — Milwaukee, Dallas and Golden State — also serving as general manager for all three franchises. He was a three-time coach of the year and made the playoffs 18 times in 31 seasons. He went to the conference finals three times with the Bucks and once with the Mavericks, never winning a title.

Nelson introduced what is now known as the point forward, and his up-tempo style of offense created a buzz. He said the idea of shifting from the dominant big men of the 1970s to an offense focused on speed and the fast break came from his playing days under Celtics Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach.

“The league really hadn’t seen an offense like the one we were running, and the results were undeniable,” Nelson wrote in 2016 in The Players’ Tribune.

Nelson said that “without Red Auerbach teaching me the mechanics of running the fast break, none of it would have been possible. He deserves all the credit for Nellie Ball, and for how fast the game of basketball is played today.”

Nelson played 11 of his 14 seasons in Boston and was on five Celtics championship teams under four different coaches. He became an assistant coach in Milwaukee after retiring as a player, then took over after coach Larry Costello resigned 18 games into the 1976-77 season. Nelson coached the Bucks for 11 seasons starting in 1976 and won seven straight division titles.

In Nelson’s second season, Milwaukee overcame a 29-point fourth quarter deficit to beat Atlanta 117-115 in regulation.

“I coached the team as though I was still playing for the Celtics, while implementing a few of my own strategies,” Nelson wrote. “I knew I wanted to play unconventional basketball and use speed to my advantage.”

His fast-paced offenses were probably best on display with Golden State in the “Run TMC” era featuring future Hall of Famers Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. Nelson said he wanted them on the court at the same time.

Nelson spent 11 seasons over two stints with Golden State. The first one was punctuated by a rift with rookie star Chris Webber, who was traded away a month into his second season. Nelson, demoralized by the trade, missed nine games that season due to illness and resigned under pressure three months later in February 1995.

In between, Nelson was fired after less than one season in New York in 1995-96, then coached in Dallas for eight seasons, missing 21 games with the Mavericks starting in December 2000 to recuperate from prostate cancer surgery.

Nelson’s son, Donnie, joined his father as an assistant coach with the Mavericks in 1998, later became general manager and remained with the organization until 2021. Together they persuaded 20-year-old German star Dirk Nowitzki to pass up European basketball and join the Mavericks. Don Nelson also developed Steve Nash into one of the NBA’s top point guards before Nash went on to win back-to-back MVPs with the Phoenix Suns in 2005 and 2006.

Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks Don and Donnie Nelson persuaded 20-year-old German star Dirk Nowitzki to pass up European basketball and join the Mavericks. Dallas Mavericks Facebook

“Don Nelson was a true innovator whose influence on the game of basketball is still felt today,” current Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “He consistently challenged conventional thinking, experimented with different lineups and styles of play and saw possibilities in the game that others often did not. So much of what is now commonplace in the modern NBA can be traced back to the way Nellie approached the game."

At Golden State, Nelson’s “We Believe” Warriors led by Baron Davis upset Nowitzki and the top-seeded Mavericks in the first round of the 2007 playoffs in one of the biggest shockers in NBA history. In his final season as a coach, Nelson mentored rookie Stephen Curry in 2009-10.

“One of the big reasons I was drafted by the Warriors was because of Don Nelson. The story is he never liked rookies, but from Day 1 he challenged me and gave me an opportunity to be my best self on the court,” Curry said in a statement released by the Warriors. “He taught me a lot during our one season together and I’ll never forget the night he became the winningest coach in NBA history in Minnesota. We were so happy for him. He had an immeasurable impact on the sport and will go down as one of the greatest minds in the history of the game.”

Davis added: “When I think of Nellie, I’ll always think of the ‘We Believe’ team and our incredible run in 2007. He understood what made us go and made us believe we could beat anybody, ultimately helping us make history as the first No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in a seven-game series. That time in my life and career was truly special, and Nellie was a huge part of making it possible.”

Nelson retired as the NBA’s career coaching wins leader with 1,335, just ahead of Lenny Wilkens’ 1,332. Nelson kept that top spot for nearly 12 years before close friend and now-retired San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich passed him in March 2022.

Nelson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2025, he received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association. Miffed that the Mavericks sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster trade, Nelson wore a pair of Doncic’s signature Jordan Brand sneakers to the awards ceremony. He called the trade a “tremendous mistake.”

Don Nelson was miffed that the Mavericks sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster trade Courtesy photo

Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Nelson attended high school in Rock Island, Illinois, and averaged a double-double in college at Iowa. He spent his retirement years living on the Hawaiian island of Maui and owned several short-term rentals on the island.Dallas

Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont issued the following statement on the passing of Nelson:

“Don Nelson was a true original whose impact on the Dallas Mavericks and the game of basketball will endure for generations. Nellie helped transform this franchise, bringing an innovative spirit, a belief in doing things differently and, most importantly, a winning culture to Dallas. His influence can be seen throughout Mavericks history and across the NBA today.

“On behalf of the entire Mavericks organization, our thoughts are with Don’s family, friends, former players and coaches, and the many people whose lives he touched. We are grateful for all he gave to the Mavericks and to the game he loved.”

Read the Mavericks' tribute to Don Nelson at mavs.com/news/don-nelson-one-of-a-kind.

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Stephanie Allmon Merry contributed to this story.

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