4th of July News

The Sound at Cypress Waters in North Dallas throws innovative July 4th

It'll be a 4th of July you can see but don't have to hear.

Three very quiet cheers for The Sound at Cypress Waters, who are taking a new approach to celebrating 4th of July at that every city should follow.

They're calling it a "Sensory Sensitive Independence Day Celebration" — a long way of saying two wonderful words: silent fireworks.

At this North Dallas destination, they're replacing traditional fireworks with a colorful patriotic laser light show at dark.

The celebration will take place on Sunday, July 3, at the Rogers-O’Brien Amphitheater and will provide a fun and safe alternative to people and pets who deal with noise sensitivity.

"For this celebration we have taken detailed consideration to make this event sensory-friendly and accessible to those who have Autism Spectrum Disorder, noise aversions, sensory processing issues, and even our four-legged family members who want to participate with us," their release says.

Finding alternatives to traditional fireworks has not yet become a big trend, but that's only because people are unaware of the repercussions. Some cities on the West Coast and in Europe, as well as animal advocates, have lobbied for their use.

Fireworks are brutal for animals, generating fear and anxiety and an urge to flee. According to the ASPCA, more dogs get lost on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year, making July 5 the busiest day of the year at animal shelters across the U.S.

Recent years have seen an increasing awareness of the effect fireworks can have on people with autism, and combat veterans suffering from PTSD.

Alternatives range from nearly silent displays with sparklers and roman candles to light shows where noise is not a factor.

Lucy Billingsley, Partner at Billingsley Company, says they hope to make it a tradition. Go Lucy!

"We are extremely excited to bring this special event to the DFW Metro, and we hope this starts a tradition of creating a comfortable and festive setting for families and friends who are challenged with these sensitivities," Billingsley says. "With ample green space, reflections of the lake and retail areas for dining, we felt like The Sound at Cypress Waters was the perfect backdrop for this unique event."

The Sound is set on 300-acre North Lake in North Dallas, and has been designed to bring together a multi-faceted neighborhood, including multifamily, commercial, retail and event spaces.

Other elements of the 4th of July celebration will include:

Replacing fireworks with a very patriotic laser light show to celebrate our Independence
Training on best practices being provided to the restaurant staff by The Autism Society of Texas
Creating calming zones for event participants to use for a break from the activities if needed
Distributing sensory friendly items to show patriotic spirit and have fun

The event will start at 6 pm and run until 10 pm, and will include a concert by Chicago tribute band Windy City, animal education from Creature Teacher, picnics on the lawn, face painting, balloon artist, and more.

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Racket sports

Trendy Austin padel club Padel39 lobs first DFW location into Carrollton

Photo by Juan J Valdes

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A popular padel club from Austin is serving up its first location in Dallas-Fort Worth: Padel39 has purchased and taken over the existing Dallas Padel Club, at 3000 Belmeade Dr.

According to a release, multimillion-dollar renovations are underway and are expected to be complete by summer 2026. The revamp includes:

Seven new outdoor courts are being added to the current three indoor courts (with completion expected by March 2026).
Full food and beverage capabilities for a premium sports bar that is open to the public.
A fitness area for members that is affiliated with HYROX, recovery areas, wellness facilities (sauna, cold plunge, etc.), upscale locker rooms.
Upscale lounging and coworking space.

For those not up on their racket sports, padel is a cousin of pickleball, tennis, and racquetball. The sport has been wildly popular in Spain and Latin America for decades and is one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. Like pickleball, it's a doubles game played on a small court, and players hit off glass walls.

Padel was invented in Acapulco, Mexico, by Enrique Corcuera; Padel39 bears the first two numbers of all Acapulco ZIP Codes.

Padel39 co-founders Will and Naomi Boyce.Photo by Juan J Valdes

The company was founded in 2024 by husband-and-wife William Boyce and Naomi Boyce; William played tennis for the University of Texas at Austin.

Padel39 currently has two locations in Austin, with a third opening in March. They say they aim to open 12 to 15 Padel39 clubs in Austin, Dallas, and Houston by 2028. After Carrollton, a location will open in central Dallas in late 2026/early 2027, they say.

“We currently introduce 200+ new players to the sport each month, while maintaining a core group of repeat clients who return for the fitness, competition and vibrant community,” William Boyce says in the release. “Each new location fulfills our vision to put Padel39 and Texas at the epicenter of the padel community.”

In addition to offering courts to play on, Padel39 features on-court programming, tournaments, social events, and physical wellness opportunities such as courtside Pilates and morning yoga.

Padel39 Padel39 courts and lounge areas at a location in Austin. Photo by Josh Graziadei

While Padel39 offers memberships, all guests are welcome to play, they say. According to the website, each club is priced differently. At the flagship location in Austin, Padel39 memberships start at $89 per month or $890 per year, but players can also rent courts as needed for 90 minutes at $30.

“We set out to create a modern take on a country club; a place where members and guests could ‘play and stay,’” Boyce says. “We’ve built that and more. We work to improve the experience for our guests each day.”

Outdoor construction on the Carrollton club is expected to be completed by March. Indoor food and beverage, fitness and lounging renovations will be finished by summer, they say. The club will remain open during renovations.

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