Star-spangled entertainment

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

There will be fireworks shooting into the air all over Fort Worth on the Fourth of July weekend.

Photo courtesy of Trinity River Vision Authority

Although there were still some fireworks displays on the Fourth of July in 2020, the pandemic muted the celebratory feel, with almost all events going virtual or very socially-distanced. But what a difference a year makes, as the Dallas-Fort Worth area has no shortage of events from which to choose this Fourth of July season. Some even start a weekend early.

Interestingly, the city of Dallas is not represented on this list, as neither Fair Park Fourth nor Red White & Boom on the Bridge will take place this year. Fort Worth, on the other hand, is going all in.

We've rounded up the biggest and best events for your oohing — we mean viewing — pleasure.

Friday, June 25

City of Colleyville presents Stars & Guitars
The next event on the list lays claim to the title of "First to the Fourth," but this one has them beat this year. Colleyville’s annual patriotic celebration will feature food trucks, attractions like face painting, balloon & caricature artists, pony rides, a petting zoo, and more on the south lawn at Colleyville City Park, a free concert by country star Jo Dee Messina, and a fireworks show.

Saturday, June 26

Market Street Allen USA Celebration
Centered around the theme of being "First to the Fourth" (oops), Market Street Allen USA serves as the city of Allen's annual Fourth of July celebration, held on the last Saturday of June every year. The event will include food trucks, music performances by Eli Mosley and Emerald City Band, and a fireworks finale.

Klyde Warren Park presents Independence Day Celebration
Visitors can celebrate Independence Day early at Klyde Warren Park with live music and fun family activities. The evening will wrap up with a spectacular pyrotechnic display on the Park’s East Lawn, beginning at 9:30 pm.

Friday, July 2

City of Granbury presents 4th of July: Freedom and Fireworks
Granbury's annual 4th of July celebration is a three-day affair, featuring shopping with vendors on Granbury Square on July 2, vendors and a parade on July 3, and vendors and fireworks over Lake Granbury on July 4.

Saturday, July 3

City of Arlington presents 4th of July Celebration
It might seem strange, but Arlington's 4th of July Celebration does not actually include a celebration on July 4th. Instead, the city will put on a fireworks display in the heart of Arlington’s Entertainment District just north of Globe Life Field on July 3, followed by the annual Independence Day parade on July 5 in downtown Arlington. For the fireworks show, the Globe Life Field, AT&T Stadium, and Esports Stadium Arlington & Expo Center parking lots will be open to the public so that families can set up chairs or tailgate.

City of Irving presents Independence Day Celebration
The City of Irving will present a weekend-long celebration for Independence Day. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department kicks off the festivities on July 3 with the traditional parade in downtown Irving followed by live music by Alex Aguilar and Downtown Fever, a variety of food trucks, beer garden, kids’ fun area, and a fireworks show on July 4 at Levy Event Plaza. Guests can also enjoy the live music and fireworks celebration via a live simulcast at the Texas Lottery Plaza at Toyota Music Factory, where a post-celebration featuring the Rockaholics band is also planned. For individuals who prefer to celebrate from the comfort of their home, the event will be livestreamed on the City of Irving's YouTube page.

City of Keller presents Keller Lights
The City of Keller will present Keller Lights, where visitors can enjoy more than 40 vendors and food trucks, live music, the Light Up Keller parade, and more to celebrate Independence Day weekend. The evening will feature a beautiful display on the Keller Town Hall pond thanks to thousands of glowing water lanterns decorated by community members. The night will be capped off with a fireworks show.

Lone Star Park presents Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Festival
Many Fourth of July events feature similar activities, but there's only one where you can watch some horse racing as an appetizer for the main event. The Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Festival will feature live music with Vegas Stars, family fun activities, and a 20-minute fireworks show choreographed to music taking place shortly after the last live race at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie on both July 3 and 4.

Addison Kaboom Town
The celebration of Addison Kaboom Town! is city-wide, with a limited-capacity party in Addison Circle Park, watch parties at many of Addison’s restaurants, hotels, and the Addison Airport Freedom Flyover, which can be seen from anywhere in town. The 30-minute long fireworks show is among the best in the nation; for anyone who can't make it to view the fireworks in person, the fireworks display will be livestreamed on the Town of Addison's YouTube Channel.

Liberty by the Lake
The Colony will celebrate the birth of America’s freedom at the 24th Annual Liberty By The Lake festival. They'll kick off the celebration with the Liberty 5K/10K/1M race on July 3 at The Old American Clubhouse, followed by a concert, food vendors, and fireworks at The Colony Five Star Complex on July 4.

Sunday, July 4

Panther Island Pavilion presents Fort Worth’s Fourth
Fort Worthians can celebrate Independence Day with an evening of festival food, drinks, live music, and the largest fireworks show in North Texas. Attendees are encouraged to enter the festival grounds as early as 6 pm for the fireworks show to claim a spot. The public is allowed to bring their own tube and float from 6-8 pm. Local food and beverage vendors will be on site with multiple stands throughout the festival grounds. There will also be live music from The Ray Johnston Band and the Party Machine Band before the 29-minute fireworks show starts at 9:30 pm.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents America Strong
In lieu of their annual Old-Fashioned Family Fireworks Picnic, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will present this concert at Dickies Arena. There may not be actual fireworks, but concertgoers can expect more than 60 minutes of music from the orchestra and world-renowned opera singers Latonia Moore and Morris Robinson, conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya in his final season with the orchestra. Selections will include the “Star Spangled Banner,” “Lightspeed – Fanfare for Orchestra” by TCU composer Kevin Day, and more works by leading Black and Latin American composers like Adolphus Hailstork and Jimmy Lopez. The concert will also be broadcast live on WFAA Channel 8.

City of Grapevine presents 39th Annual July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza
Visitors can celebrate America’s birthday at the 39th Annual July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza, complete with spectacular fireworks set to patriotic music. Viewing locations include some of Grapevine’s lakeside parks, including Oak Grove Park, Lakeview Park, Meadowmere Park, and Rockledge Park. Parking or entry fees may apply.

Dallas Heritage Village presents Old Fashioned Fourth of July
Independence Day will kick off relatively early with Dallas Heritage Village's Old Fashioned Fourth of July. A joint fundraiser with Vogel Alcove, the event will have food trucks like Smokey Ray’s Barbecue and Mr. Sugar Rush, and families can bring bikes, trikes, and scooters for a day of fun in Old City Park, where the museum will have an "All Join In" parade.

Frisco Freedom Fest
The Frisco Freedom Fest includes Party in the Plaza at Simpson Plaza at City Hall, featuring an array of activities including the Children’s Expo, a Community Stage featuring local entertainers, Hometown Hero Exhibit showcasing the police and fire departments, the Taste of Frisco with Frisco restaurants serving some of their most popular menu items, and the Patriotic Vendor Village. The event comes to a close with one of the largest fireworks finales in the area following the conclusion of the FC Dallas match at Toyota Stadium.

Castle Hills presents July 4th Freedom Festival
The annual July 4th Freedom Festival at Castle Hills Village Shops & Plaza in Lewisville is a community tradition for more than 20 years. The event will feature activities such as bounce houses, carnival games, and music. Concessions will be available for purchase from several Village Shops’ restaurants and several food trucks. The highlight of the evening, a fireworks show, will start at dusk.

City of Plano presents All American 4th
Plano's All American 4th & Fireworks will be held both in-person and online for 2021. The in-person event, to which guests can bring blankets, coolers, and lawn chairs, begins at 6 pm at Red Tail Pavilion at the Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve, with fireworks beginning at 9:30 pm. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. The show will also livestream on The City of Plano's YouTube page, PTV, and Plano Arts & Events Facebook page.

City of Carrollton presents 4th of July Community Fireworks Display
The City of Carrollton will host a fireworks show to celebrate the 4th of July. Residents are encouraged to view the 15-minute fireworks display from surrounding neighborhoods or from one of the available parking areas. There will be no on-site event.

music kids event-planner families holidays

Movie Review

Video game film sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 3 seems sure to please fans

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Sonic the Hedgehog (Ben Schwartz) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3

The first Sonic the Hedgehog movie in 2020 was one of the few video game adaptations that managed to appeal to both fans of the Sega game and those who just want to watch a fun movie. As the series moved into a second and now third film, though, it’s become increasingly reliant on giving the video game fans what they want, with not as much attention paid toward simply telling a good story.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) continues to live with human friends Tom (James Marsden) and Maddie (Tika Sumpter), as well as Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba), who stuck around after the events of the second film. Dispensing with any kind of narrative coherence, the trio is called away by an undefined military force to help with the escape of Shadow (Keanu Reeves), another alien hedgehog who has been locked away off the coast of Japan for many years.

Suffice it to say that the trio does not initially fare well against the powerful Shadow, forcing Sonic to do the unthinkable: Ask his nemesis, Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey), for help. What Sonic doesn’t anticipate is that Shadow has a history that left him with a grudge against most of human society, and he’s intent on using his powers - with a little help from his former mentor, Gerald Robotnik (also Carrey) - to exact his plans for revenge.

Made by the same team of director Jeff Fowler and writers Pat Casey, Josh Miller, and John Whittington from Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the film is a combination of manic action, jokey sequences, and a dash of heart. The addition of Shadow ups the mayhem considerably, and the filmmakers rarely slow things down (although, oddly, the super-speed of Sonic and company feels lessened this time around).

The initial casting of Carrey gave the comic actor permission to indulge in whatever wackiness he could imagine, and giving him two roles in this film means double the nonsense. Ivo and Gerald (who’s Ivo’s grandfather, for the record) face off in a number of silly scenes, none more absurd than a dance sequence aboard a space station threatening to explode Earth (yeah, this movie is a lot).

Does the plot make a lick of sense? Absolutely not, but the filmmakers seem to acknowledge that fact, throwing anything and everything at the screen to try to entertain kids and/or fans of the video game series. It should come as no surprise that the end credits tease yet more characters from the video games joining the franchise, making it abundantly clear who is expected to get the most enjoyment out of the series going forward.

In addition to Carrey, the voice actors continue to make the characters fun. Schwartz and O’Shaughnessey provide the cartoon-style acting, while Elba and now Reeves give a nice counterbalance with their deep and serious voices. Marsden and Sumpter aren’t given much to do this time around, and Krysten Ritter shows up as Director Rockwell, a character who’s mostly there to move what little plot there is further along.

A four-quadrant movie is one that appeals to all ages and genders; Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a one or maybe two-quadrant movie at most. But it’s more fun than the other family-friendly offering this Christmas season, and fans of the video game will likely love the depiction of their favorite characters on screen, so it’s doing something right.

---

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is now playing in theaters.

movies film