Where to see fireworks in Amarillo area for Fourth of July week and beyond
Those who love fireworks and Fourth of July festivities will have lots of options to see them in the area, starting this weekend and continuing into the next. Here are a few of the events coming up, among others, weather permitting.
June 30: City of Cactus 9th annual Fourth of July celebration
The City of Cactus is hosting its 9th annual Fourth of July celebration on Sunday. After the parade goes down Center Drive at 11 a.m., the gates will open at noon at Marquez Park for live music, food and games.
Performers will be the Roman Carbajal Band, Boyz of Kumbia and Grupo Innovacion de Durango. Two tournaments - volleyball (1 p.m.) and cornhole (6 p.m.) - will take place during the day with cash prizes. Fireworks are set to go off at dusk behind the Catholic Church. For more information, visit the City of Cactus Facebook page.
July 2-6: 'Texas the Outdoor Musical' fireworks finales
With its 58th season underway, the TEXAS the Outdoor Musical will have fireworks to cap off its shows next week, Tuesday through Saturday, July 2-6, at the Pioneer Amphitheater in Palo Duro Canyon.
The musical brings to life the stories, struggles and triumphs of the settlers of the Texas Panhandle in the 1800s through its fictional characters. The amphitheatre, box office and parking opens at 6 p.m. each night, with a BBQ dinner (must be pre-purchased) at 6:15 p.m., pre-show entertainment at 6:45 p.m. and the show beginning at 8 p.m. Amphitheatre seating opens at 7:40 p.m. Fireworks were also set off opening night and will return for closing night, Aug. 3.
Tickets and more information are available at texas-show.com or by calling the Box Office at 806-651-2181.
July 3: Independence Day Celebration at Hodgetown
As announced in its promotional schedule, the Amarillo Sod Poodles will be holding 18 fireworks shows, 14 giveaways, 15 specialty nights at Hodgetown throughout its current season. This includes the Independence Day Celebration, scheduled for Wednesday night, July 3.
The Soddies will have lots to celebrate at the ballpark in the heart of downtown Amarillo. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., and the team will be wearing specialty jerseys. In addition, Independence Day merch and specialty food and drinks will be available. A World War II planes flyover will take place during the national anthem, and Insufficient Funds will be providing live music, pregame and postgame. Fireworks will be presented by Bell Flight.
In addition, tickets are on sale for the Celebrate America concert in September at Hodgetown that will feature fireworks, food, fun and live music by the Amarillo Symphony, who will be performing a mix of patriotic classics, film scores, season previews, American favorites and a grand finale with the 1812 Overture.
July 3-4: Canyon's 4th of July celebration
Canyon's 4th of July celebration begins Wednesday, July 3 with a concert, Kickin' it in Canyon with Mike Ryan and Next To Kin. Doors open at 7 p.m. at the Lumberyard, located at 850 N. 23rd St., with the concert starting at 8 p.m.
Then on Thursday, July 4, the Canyon Lions Club Pancake Breakfast will be held 7-10 a.m. at the Cole Community Center with pancakes, sausage, coffee and juice to start off the day. Tickets are $7 for adults, and kids 5 and younger get in free. More than 100 vendors, food trucks and kids' activities will be downtown for the 4th of July Fair on the square from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and festivities also include the 4th of July Firecracker Mile. The Independence Day Parade starts at 10 a.m. at the east end of 4th Avenue at the First United Bank Center and travels west past the downtown square.
The day wraps up with the annual fireworks display. For more information, visit https://www.canyonchamber.org/canyons-4th-of-july-celebration/ or follow the Canyon Chamber of Commerce on their Facebook page.
July 4: FWC's 4th of July celebration
A family friendly event by Family Worship Center will take place 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4 at 11901 Interstate 27 in Amarillo. Admission is free, with limited parking. Food trucks will be on hand for attendees to purchase supper, and fireworks will start at dusk. Guests are asked to bring lawn chairs.
July 4: Party in the Park in Hereford
Deaf Smith County Chamber of Commerce will host a Party in the Park from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4 in Dameron Park, located at 700 N Main St. in Hereford. The event includes a parade, live music with Insufficient Funds, vendors, food and fun, with fireworks at dusk.
July 4: Red, White & Moo in Plainview
The Red, White & Moo Freedom Parade & Milk Fest is scheduled for Thursday, July 4, on the Courthouse Lawn in downtown Plainview. Activities begin with the parade at 10 a.m., followed by the festival from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Activities will include music, bouncy houses, a mobile dairy classroom, petting zoo, face painting, foam bubbles, food trucks and free ice cream, milk and cheese.
The event is organized by the Red, White & Moo Committee, consisting of local dairies and celebrated across the country in June for National Dairy Month. For more information, contact Downtown Plainview at 806-293-4000 or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/redwhitemoomilkfest.
July 4: 4th on Broadway in Lubbock
Lubbock's 34th annual 4th on Broadway festival begins with the parade at 9:45 a.m. Thursday, July 4, which will travel east on Broadway to MLK Jr. Boulevard. A Picnic in the Park follows at Mackenzie Park, with kids’ activities, live music, a fishing tournament, eating contests and more. Smash Mouth headlines the evening concert, with a fireworks extravaganza choreographed live to classic and contemporary patriotic music.
For more information, visit broadwayfestivals.com and also on Facebook and Instagram.
July 4-6: Will Rogers Range Riders Rodeo
The longtime running Will Rogers Range Riders Rodeo, which takes place every year on the Fourth of July weekend, is set to have its latest run offering unforgettable fun and entertainment Thursday through Saturday, July 4-6 at 313 W Loop 335 S in Amarillo. Performances start at 7:30 p.m., and festivities include mutton bustin and live music.
On July 4, 1938, the city of Amarillo commemorated the opening of the Will Rogers Memorial Highway US 66; that same year, a group of businessmen in the city decided to form a riding club called the Will Rogers Range Riders. Located on the northwest side of Amarillo, the club now has more than than 100 members representing various occupations. For more information and tickets, visit https://wrrangeriders.com/ or follow them on Facebook.
July 5: Celebrate Independence Day +1 at John Stiff Memorial Park
Celebrate the Fourth of July in unique fashion with the City of Amarillo Parks and Recreation Department and Outdoor Amarillo on Friday, July 5 with Independence Day +1. The free fireworks and drone show, complete with family-friendly and patriotic festivities, will take place at John Stiff Memorial Park.
The parking lot opens at 4 p.m., when shuttle service also begins. Free parking will be available on the north side of John Stiff Park off of 45th Avenue and on the south side off 54th Avenue. Accessible parking will be available at Southwest Public Library. Golf cart transportation will be available from the accessible parking lot. Amarillo City Transit will run shuttles every 15 minutes from Randall High School and Amarillo High. Parking is not recommended in retail lots.
At 4:30 p.m., Independence Day +1 begins. Events include a Kids Zone, food trucks, Pump Parade-Strong Man/Woman Competition and live music. At 6:30 p.m., Next To Kin will open the show, followed by Randall King at 8 p.m. Then at 9:45 p.m., the Fireworks/Drone Show will begin with Pixis Drones and fireworks by Western. KGNC-FM 97.9 will have a musical soundtrack for both shows.
July 6: Fireworks and movie at Lake Meredith
Friends of Lake Meredith and Alibates will host the annual fireworks show at Lake Meredith on Saturday, July 6. A movie showing at the lake of "Twister," to be screened at the Fritch Fortress Amphitheater, begins at 9:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit the group's page on Facebook.
What will the week's weather be like?
After this week's triple-digit temperatures, the highs will give a little reprieve but still leave some chances for cloudy or stormy skies to impact fireworks shows. According to AccuWeather's 10-day forecast, highs should be mostly in the 90s, with chances of storms possible Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with partly cloudy skies Thursday on the holiday.
Celebrate responsibly: Fire safety and travel safety precautions
As far as private firework shows go, fire officials and law enforcement agencies want to wish everyone a safe 4th of July but remind citizens that it is strictly prohibited to possess, manufacture, store, sell, or use fireworks within Amarillo city limits. The Fire Marshals, City Marshals, and Amarillo Police Department are authorized to cite for the offense and seize and destroy fireworks, officials said on social media.
Both Potter and Randall counties are not currently under a burn ban, with both areas considered "abnormally dry" according to the Texas Drought Monitor Map as of June 27. However, officials are urging caution with any use of fireworks to celebrate the holiday.
Potter County Fire-Rescue and Randall County Fire Department emphasize the following to those who chose to set off fireworks in the county: It is illegal to shoot fireworks from any county roads, ditches or right of ways, and you must have landowner permission to be on or use fireworks on private property.
Follow these few safety tips: Have materials available to extinguish any fires like water hoses, bug sprayers with water, or towels in a trash can or bucket filled with water. Only use fireworks in areas free of combustible materials like driveways and dirt areas. Be aware of where the fireworks or sparks will fall and provide space in case they malfunction. Do not hold fireworks in your hand. Follow manufacturer's instructions, and do not point fireworks at people, property, animals or vehicles. Dispose of used fireworks by submerging them in water before placing them in the trash. Call immediately if a fire starts; it can double in size every minute.
The Potter County Sheriff's Office also notes that another concern this time of year is people shooting off not only fireworks, but guns. "People shooting in the air or just being careless with a firearm is especially dangerous. If you’re shooting in the air, you have no idea where it might come down," a Facebook post notes. "It could result in striking someone watching the fireworks, enjoying the night air, or falling and hit a car. This is dangerous and could be catastrophic. Like fireworks, guns are not allowed to be shot in the city limits. In the county, it must be done in a safe manner on your property with a backstop."
In addition, local and state law enforcement agencies will have increased patrols for traffic watching out for impaired drivers over the July 4 holiday weekend. The Texas Department of Transportion (TxDOT) Amarillo office said that in 2023 in Texas, there were 372 DUI-alcohol related traffic crashes during the July fourth holiday, resulting in 22 fatalities and 45 serious injuries.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Fireworks, Fourth of July fun set for various Independence Day events
