- Free Admission to UMLAUF – Friday, July 3, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5, from 12-4 p.m. Visit the UMLAUF this holiday weekend! Enjoy FREE admission all summer long! Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, 605 Robert E. Lee Rd, Austin.
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5, from 12-5 p.m. The Ransom Center celebrates 150 years of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with an exhibition for the curious and curiouser of all ages. This is the final weekend to view this exhibition, which closes on July 6. Read about Katey’s experience here. FREE! Harry Ransom Center, 300 W 21st St, Austin.
- Texas Military Forces Museum – Friday, July 3 – Sunday, July 5, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Celebrate Independence Day with a visit to this FREE museum. Read about visiting this museum with kids here. Bring photo ID for entrance to Camp Mabry. Texas Military Forces Museum, 2200 W 35th St, Austin.
- Fireworks at The Quarries – Friday, July 3 at 7 p.m. Fireworks begin at sundown. FREE! The Quarries Church, 11400 N Mopac Expy, Austin.
- Friday Night Films at South Shore District: Sleepless in Seattle – Friday, July 3 at 8 p.m. South Shore District, in partnership with Alamo Drafthouse, is excited to announce the 90s-themed Friday Night Films movie series. Food trucks will be on site. Rated PG. FREE! South Shore District, 1333 Shore District Dr, Austin.
- Free Admission at the LBJ Library – Saturday, July 4, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The LBJ Presidential Library is one of thirteen Presidential Libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. Admission is FREE on select holidays, including July 4th. It houses 45 million pages of historical documents which include the papers from the entire public career of Lyndon Baines Johnson and those of his close associates. In addition to the permanent exhibits, you can now see Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles!, a traveling exhibit curated by the GRAMMY Museum® and Fab Four Exhibits that explores the impact The Beatles’ arrival had on American pop culture, including fashion, art, advertising, media and music, from early 1964 through mid-1966 – when the British boy band was at its peak. On display will be more than 400 pieces of memorabilia, records, rare photographs, tour artifacts, video, and instruments from private collectors and the GRAMMY Museum, including the original Ludwig drum head Ringo played on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” It even includes an oral history booth where visitors can leave their own impressions of the timeless group. The LBJ Presidential Library, 2313 Red River St, Austin.
- H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Concert & Fireworks – Saturday, July 4 at 8:30 p.m. Spend this Independence Day with 100,000 of your closest friends! Tens of thousands of families will be decked out in red, white, and blue and heading down to Vic Mathias Shores for this FREE event, complete with a fireworks display over the city skyline backed by symphonic patriotic classics. The orchestra will perform at 8:30 p.m., followed by “mile-high” fireworks at approximately 9:30 p.m. Lady Bird Lake at Vic Mathias Shores (formerly Auditorium Shores) in front of the Long Center for the Performing Arts, 800 W. Riverside, Austin.
- Public Art Tour: The Meaning of Color – Sunday, July 5 at 10 a.m. It’s America’s birthday and time to celebrate Old Glory! Colors, like the red, white and blue of our nation’s flag, have strong symbolic meaning and are carefully chosen by artists. Join Landmarks, the public art program of The University of Texas at Austin, for a docent-led tour and explore how and why artists use color in monumental outdoor sculpture. Meet at 10 a.m. on Sunday at Peter Reginato’s “Kingfish” on Whitis Avenue, between 24th and Dean Keeton Streets, in the Walter Cronkite Plaza. FREE and open to the public. Sunday walking tours commence rain or shine. Please dress accordingly. Walter Cronkite Plaza, 2504 Whitis Ave, Austin.
- First Sunday at the Bullock Museum – Sunday, July 5, from 12-5 p.m. Enjoy FREE exhibit admission all day during Free First Sundays, held the first Sunday of every month. Families can explore the Story of Texas through three floors of exhibits that showcase artifacts from around the state, plus special family programs from 12-3 p.m. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Avenue, Austin.
- Magik Theatre Presents Jack and the Beanstalk – Sunday, July 5 at 2 p.m. Would you trade your best friend for three magic beans? When Jack does, he gets high-altitude adventure and more gold than he could ever spend. Even so, Jack is unhappy. Find out what happens when Jack learns that a true friend is the greatest treasure in the world in Jack and the Beanstalk. Suitable for all ages. Faulk Central Library, 800 Guadalupe St, Austin.
Click on the image for our full list of 4th of July celebrations in the Austin area.
Bonus fun in the ‘burbs:
- Pfirecracker Pfestival (Pflugerville) – Friday, July 3 from 3-11 p.m. This annual festival honors the nation’s Independence Day with a day of PFUN featuring two stages with live music, a children’s area on both the north and south shores of the lake, dozens of food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, and businesses on display — all before the pfantastic fireworks show. A movie throwback to 1965, Beach Blanket Bingo, will be shown after the fireworks on the North shore. There is no onsite parking. NEW in 2015, shuttles only run from Hendrickson High School, so hop on any bus to be taken to the event. After the fireworks show, buses will load continually until everyone has left the lake at 11:30 p.m. FREE! Lake Pflugerville, 18216 Weiss Ln, Pflugerville.
- Chalk It up Art Contest (Elgin) – Friday, July 3 from 6-7:30 p.m. Children’s sidewalk art contest with chalk provided and awards for winners. Concessions available for purchase. FREE! Veterans’ Memorial Park, 109 Depot St, Elgin.
- Red, White and Buda (Buda) – Saturday, July 4, from 9 a.m. – noon. and 7-10 p.m. Bring a picnic, a blanket or your lawn chair to Buda City Park and enjoy a children’s parade at 9 a.m. followed by children’s activities and a magician. In the evening, come back to City Park from 7-10 p.m. to enjoy a spectacular fireworks show. FREE! Buda City Park, 121 Main St, Buda.
- Cedar Park 4th of July Celebration (Cedar Park) – Saturday, July 4. Parade at 10:00 a.m. Festival from 4-10:30 p.m. Come celebrate and enjoy live music, bingo, a washer tournament, bounce houses, FREE watermelon and a fireworks display. Fireworks will be followed by an “After Glow” Dance. Fees apply for food concessions, face painting, carnival games, hamster balls, super slide, quad jump, spinner ride and rock wall. Milburn Pool will be open from 1-8 p.m. with daily pool admission rates applying. Milburn Park, 1901 Sun Chase Blvd, Cedar Park.
- July Fourth Frontier Days Celebration (Round Rock) – Saturday, July 4, from 12-11 p.m. At Round Rock’s annual July Fourth Frontier Days Celebration, enjoy a parade, fireworks, carnival rides, jalapeno pepper eating contest, Swifty Swine Pig Races, children’s games, Sam Bass Shootout, Movies in the Park and skydivers are all part of the City of Round Rock’s July Fourth Frontier Days Celebration. Independence Day festivities will begin with FREE watermelon at the Lakeview Pavilion in Old Settlers Park and include music from the Austin Symphonic Band. Be sure to stick around for a free screening of Jurassic Park, following the fireworks. Old Settlers Park, 3300 Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock.
- Hill Country Galleria Independence Day Festival (Bee Cave) – Saturday, July 4, from 4-10 p.m. Enjoy live music all day by Vallejo (4:15 p.m.), Dawn & Hawkes (5:45 p.m.), T Bird & the Breaks (7 p.m.), and Austin’s Uncle Lucius (8:30 p.m.). Shop over 75 art vendors, enjoy festival food and barbecue, cool off in the kid’s water zone and enjoy fair rides and games! End the day with “the best firework show in Central Texas” at 9:45 p.m. Admission and parking are FREE. Concessions, rides and games cost extra. Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Blvd, Bee Cave.
- Kyle’s Independence Day Celebration (Kyle) – Saturday, July 4, from 6-10 p.m. Hays CISD Performing Arts Center will host FREE live music by The Blue Water Highway Band at 7 p.m. followed by The Starlight Symphony Orchestra and Community Choir at 8:30 p.m. There is also a live music show at the Plum Creek Golf Course Clubhouse from 6-9 p.m. that is FREE to the public (with parking available by donation). Both locations offer a great view of the fireworks, which are launched from Plum Creek Golf Course. Plum Creek Golf Course, 750 Kohlers Crossing Rd and Hays CISD PAC, 979 Kohler’s Crossing Rd, Kyle.
Military freebies:
- Cedar Park Pools – Saturday, July 4. Show a military ID for FREE admission to Veterans Memorial, Elizabeth Milburn, and Buttercup pools.
- Hawaiian Falls – Sunday, July 5 – Friday, July 10. Military, firefighters, police and emergency medical personnel will be admitted FREE with a valid ID card and a coupon, which can downloaded here. The heroes’ family members can purchase discounted tickets for $19.99 each (regularly $26.99) at the front gate.
You may also be interested in:
