Star-spangled celebrations

The official list of top 4th of July events and fireworks around Dallas in 2023

Fair Park Fourth is just one of many Fourth of July events in the Dallas area.

Photo courtesy of Fair Park

The Dallas area, as always, will feature no shortage of Independence Day-related events in the days leading up to July 4th and, of course, on the day itself. Below are the biggest and best Fourth of July celebrations taking place this year all around the Dallas area, in chronological order. For a list of Fort Worth-area events, see this list.

Saturday, June 24

Market Street Allen USA
Market Street Allen USA, presented by Credit Union of Texas, is a summer party featuring music from Emerald City Band and Audacity, food trucks, and one of the best fireworks shows in Dallas-Fort Worth. It will take place at Celebration Park in Allen.

Ennis Freedom Fest
Freedom Fest at Veterans Memorial Park in Ennis features activities like paddle boats, slides, bounce houses, an obstacle course, and rock climbing wall; live music from Even It Up - The Ultimate Heart Tribute Band; food vendors, with the first 500 visitors receiving a free In-N-Out burger meal; and a fireworks display to end the night. There will also be a colorful bike parade through downtown Ennis on Saturday morning, a Main Street Midway Carnival throughout the weekend (June 22-25), and more.

Saturday, July 1

4th of July Weekend in Denton
4th of July Weekend in Denton is a two-day event, starting with the Yankee Doodle Parade on July 1, featuring a variety of floats, organizations, and more, starting in Historic Denton Square and finishing at Denton Civic Center. On July 3, the July Jubilee in the Historic Denton Square features live music, food from local vendors, inflatables, games, rock climbing, face painting, photo opportunities, a hot dog eating contest, and drone shows sponsored by Denton Noon Kiwanis.

The Colony Parks & Recreation Department presents Liberty by the Lake
The Colony Parks & Recreation Department's 26th annual Liberty by the Lake kicks off in the morning with the Liberty 5K, 10K & Mile Fun Run at Stewart Creek Park and a parade from Peters Colony Elementary to The Colony Five Star Complex. That will be the location of the main evening event, featuring games, rides, food, live music, and more. The night will end with an Independence Day fireworks show set to patriotic music.

Monument Realty PGA District presents Fireworks on The Fairway: Independence Day Celebration
Omni PGA Frisco Resort will present the official Grand Opening of the Monument Realty PGA District with Independence Day festivities. The evening will be filled with music by Emerald City’s Limelight group, food, carnival games, face-painting, and finishes with a high-tech drone show followed by fireworks.

Klyde Warren Park presents Independence Day Celebration
Klyde Warren Park's Independence Day Celebration will feature summer treats from a variety of food trucks, live patriotic music, family-fun games, and the grand finale — a city-wide pyrotechnic display synced to a curated playlist by Dallas native and fan-favorite, DJ Lucy.

Sunday, July 2

Star Spangled Spectacular: A Firewheel Town Center Celebration
Star Spangled Spectacular: A Firewheel Town Center Celebration, sponsored by the City of Garland, will feature a plethora of family activities, food vendors, photo moments, live entertainment, inflatables, lawn games, a fireworks show, and more. The event takes place at Firewheel Town Center.

Monday, July 3

The Sound at Cypress Waters presents 2nd Annual Sensory Sensitive 4th of July Celebration
The Sound at Cypress Waters' 2nd Annual Sensory Sensitive Fourth of July Celebration is an Independence Day event that provides a fun and safe alternative to people and pets who deal with noise sensitivity. Traditional fireworks will be replaced with a colorful patriotic laser light show at dark. The event will also include a concert by 1999 The Legacy of Prince, animal education from Creature Teacher, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra Petting Zoo, Disc Dog Demonstrations on the lawn, face painting, and more.

Lone Star Park presents Lone Stars & Stripes Celebration
Lone Star Park will celebrate America on both July 3 and 4 with live racing, live music on the Courtyard of Champions Stage from 3-9 pm, featuring Vegas stars; and family activities like a petting zoo, pony rides, face painters, airbrush tattoo artists, inflatable slides, obstacle course, and games. After the last race, there will be 20-minutes fireworks show, choreographed to music.

Addison Kaboom Town!
Addison Kaboom Town! features an official watch party at Addison Circle Park with food and drink vendors, musical entertainment, and family-friendly activities. As a town-wide celebration, the festivities extend beyond the park with watch parties hosted by many of the Town’s 200 restaurants. As has been the tradition for decades, the fireworks show will be preceded by the Addison Airport Air Show, an aerial spectacle that can be seen from miles away. The show will begin at 7:30 pm, two hours prior to the fireworks show.

City of Arlington presents Light Up Arlington
Light Up Arlington includes live music on four stages around Downtown Arlington, vendors, food trucks, and kid-friendly fun. The fireworks display, set to music on 95.9 The Ranch FM, will be shot from the roof of City Tower, which is located east of City Hall. The next morning on July 4 will be the Arlington Independence Day Parade, featuring 120 entries and traveling around downtown Arlington.

City of McKinney presents Red, White, and BOOM!
The City of McKinney celebrates the Fourth of July at Red, White and BOOM!, a two-day event. On July 3, festivities at Gabe Nesbitt Community Park include music, food, kids’ activities, a concert, and a fireworks display. On the morning of July 4 will be a Parade and Block Party in Downtown McKinney.

City of Carrollton presents Independence Day Fireworks Display
The City of Carrollton will present a 15-minute fireworks show over Josey Ranch Lake. Residents are encouraged to view the fireworks show from surrounding neighborhoods or from one of the available parking areas. There will be no on-site event; however, viewing from the grassy area around the site is allowed.

Tuesday, July 4

City of Irving presents Sparks & Stripes
The City of Irving's annual Independence Day celebration features a morning parade starting at 9 am throughout the Irving's Heritage District, with the Watermelon Social immediately following at Heritage Park. The evening starts at 6 pm at Levy Event Plaza, featuring live music, fireworks, a drone show, and more.

Dallas Winds presents "Star-Spangled Spectacular"
Dallas Winds' "Star-Spangled Spectacular" is a red, white, and blue musical salute to mom, apple pie and the American way, Dallas Winds style. There will be hot dogs, ice cream, and indoor fireworks at the concert at Meyerson Symphony Center.

Old City Park presents Block Party at the Park
Old City Park in Dallas will host Block Party at the Park, a Fourth of July event featuring games spread out throughout the park, water gun mayhem on Main Street, and a raffle contest with a surprise prize. The event is also BYOB.

Plano Symphony Orchestra presents Patriotic Pops Concert
The Plano Symphony Orchestra's annual Patriotic Pops concert includes a tribute to all the branches of the armed forces. The concert at Eisemann Center for the Performing Arts in Richardson will include traditional favorites "The Star-Spangled Banner," "America the Beautiful," "God Bless America," and "Salute to the Armed Forces," as well as a celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Gershwin’s "Rhapsody in Blue."

Frisco Freedom Fest
Frisco Freedom Fest features Party in the Plaza, including dancers, music, a Children's Expo, and the Taste of Frisco with Frisco restaurants serving some of their most popular menu items. The fest ends with one of the largest fireworks finales in Dallas-Fort Worth, a 20-minute show following the conclusion of the FC Dallas match vs. DC United at Toyota Stadium.

Little Elm presents July Jubilee
July Jubilee, Little Elm's annual Fourth of July event will feature two simultaneous fireworks shows - one from Little Elm Beach and the other at Little Elm High School. Little Elm Park will be open all day with vendors, live music from Empire 6, and more.

Fair Park Fourth
Fair Park Fourth will feature hands-on activities for kids, live music, photo opportunities, food trucks, and other concession offerings. As the sun sets, a spectacular firework show will light the sky. Guests can experience the show inside Cotton Bowl Stadium or across Fair Park. In addition to Fair Park Fourth activities, guests can visit some of Fair Park’s cultural institutions and attractions, including the African American Museum, Children’s Aquarium, and Texas Discovery Gardens.

City of Rowlett presents Fireworks on Main
The City of Rowlett's Fireworks on Main will feature a dazzling fireworks display, performances by Summer Dean, Live 80, and Emerald City Band, a children's area, food trucks, and more. The event takes place at Pecan Grove Park.

The Castle Hills Community and The City of Lewisville present 25th Anniversary Freedom Festival
The Castle Hills community and The City of Lewisville's 25th annual Freedom Festival at Castle Hills Village Shops & Plaza will feature face painters, balloon artists, caricature artists, a bounce house/water slide combo, an ultimate bungee ride, a ninja tower, food trucks, live music, and more. The highlight of the night will be a spectacular fireworks display, scheduled to begin at dusk.

The City of Plano presents All American 4th
At Plano’s All American 4th, taking place at Collin College Plano Campus, visitors can enjoy the free kids’ zone, parade by Rotary Parades of Plano, and a fireworks show. Vendors will have food and beverages available for purchase.

Grapevine presents July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza
Grapevine will celebrate America’s birthday with the annual July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza, featuring spectacular fireworks set to patriotic music. Viewing locations will be around Grapevine Lake, including multiple spots at Oak Grove Park.

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Movie Review

The life of an actor is far from rosy in dramedy Misty Green

Photo courtesy of A24

Rosalind Eleazar in Misty Green.

For every well-known/successful actor in Hollywood, there are thousands of others whose lives are more tenuous as they struggle to find work. The new film Misty Green is about one such actor who, after a period in the limelight, now finds herself on the outskirts of the industry, just hoping to find her way back in.

Misty (Rosalind Eleazar) won an Emmy for a 2000s-era TV show that still gets her recognition, but not much work. Still living in the apartment of a recently-deceased man with whom she was having an affair, Misty spends her days sleeping in and her nights getting blitzed on alcohol and drugs. She seems to be heading nowhere fast until a few things coincide to break up her routine.

The man’s wife (Amy Landecker) shows up and tells her she has seven days to vacate the apartment; Misty’s brother, Jay (Daniel Kaluuya) — who is bipolar — arrives after being kicked out of his facility for non-payment; and Jordan (Chris Rock), a former colleague with whom she had a falling-out, reappears in her life, offering a possible chance to rehabilitate her image.

Written and directed by Rock (his first feature since 2014’s Top Five), the film is a funny and excruciating look at how the entertainment industry might actually work. Misty is her own worst enemy thanks to late nights fraternizing with unsavory characters like Zach (Adam Driver), who deals in drugs and women in equal measure, but her frustration proves warranted when her agent, Randy (Topher Grace), and casting directors like Rhonda (Tracie Thoms) hardly give her the time of day.

Misty tries her best to stay positive, but when jobs like singing in a bar are the best she can do, the mountain seems insurmountable. Rock does an effective job of demonstrating the elements that are within and without Misty’s control that affect her ability to regain her position in the industry. The chip on her shoulder is almost as big as the bias some have against her, and other negative circumstances don’t help matters much.

There are many small touches that Rock and his crew put in the film to give it an air of authenticity. Filming in Los Angeles (a rarity these days), Rock uses both subtle and overt shots of homeless people in the city, suggesting that the line between the haves and have-nots is a fine one, especially with Misty on the verge of not having a place to live. He also has cameos from a few of his funny friends, including a bit of meta-casting of Anthony Anderson (who has faded a bit after starring in Black-ish) in a bit part as a cop.

Eleazar, a British actor best known for appearing on the Apple TV show Slow Horses, is a magnetic presence as Misty. The character herself is somewhat cringey in her decision-making, and Eleazar sells every bit of her righteous indignation and self-defeating actions. The supporting cast is great across the board, including Rock, Driver, Kaluuya, Thoms, Grace, Anna Kendrick, and Rich Sommer.

Misty Green makes you rage against the Hollywood machine, laugh at the various ways different people deal with its maddening quirks, and hide behind your fingers as Misty chooses options that don’t help, either voluntarily or because her back is against the wall. It’s a powerhouse of acting that gives a unique angle on the inner workings of Hollywood, one that ironically might be competing for awards at year’s end.

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Misty Green is now playing in theaters.

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