summer sounds

The top music-centric Fourth of July events actually taking place on the Fourthof July

Though some of you may celebrate our nation's independence a few days early by attending an event or two this weekend, there are a smattering of events taking place on Wednesday — Fourth of July proper.

While we encourage you to head over to our events page for a full listing of everything taking place on July 4th, we've pulled out a few strong, music-centric events going down within city limits.

Dale Watson Fourth of July BBQ Bash

For four years, rockabilly silver fox Dale Watson has hosted a late night Fourth of July barbecue for Americana lovers. He will play two sets while guests (Just $5 to get in!) nosh on meat treats from the Sahara Smokehouse BBQ trailer.

Bob Schneider's 7th Annual Fourth of July Festival

People just can't fall out of love with Bob, can they? If you want a guaranteed seat to his well-attended event, you're going to have to buy a table. Otherwise show up with a small folding chair and some money for concessions.

Black Red Blue

Austin-based jazz phenoms Ephraim Owens, Red Young and Brannen Temple transform into the explosively eclectic trio Black Red Black at the Highball Wednesday night. Collectively, these guys have won countless awards and appeared on the likes of the Tonight Show and Soul Train, as well as worked with stars such as Dolly Parton and Tanya Tucker.

The Austin Symphony July 4th Concert and Fireworks

You can't get more traditional or nostalgic than this. Bring the family, a blanket and a picnic spread to Auditorium Shores and take in a patriotic performance by the Symphony, cape up with spectacular fireworks over Lady Bird Lake.

Since the above is only a sampling of what our radical city has to offer, feel free to leave what events you'll be attending in the comments — maybe we'll see you there.

Hey, all you employers out there: Can you guys just go easy on us Thursday morning?

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This week's hot headlines

Wurstfest waltzes into this week's 5 hottest Austin headlines

Photo courtesy of Wurstfest

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Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.

1. New Braunfels sausage and beer extravaganza Wurstfest returns for 2024. German culture is on display in many subtle ways throughout Texas' historic towns; Wurstfest is not one of those ways. This oompah-driven, battered-and-fried, lederhosen-clad beer and sausage festival is coming back to New Braunfels for its annual festivities November 1-10.

2. Sixth Street icehouse branches out with posh, old-school sports club. There’s no shortage of spots to grab a drink in East Austin. But despite the area’s wide range of bar offerings — from cocktail lounges to dives — it comes up surprisingly short on sports bars. Enter Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (WTF) Sporting Club, which is taking over the giant East 7th space vacated earlier this year by Easy Tiger.

3. Austin's famous Katz's makes a comeback in the same location. There is good news this week for all Austinites pining for a simpler — and if you ask them, better — Austin of the past. The beloved West 6th Street eatery Katz's is making a comeback more than 10 years after it famously closed. Someone in the Katz family has re-purchased the original location and is hoping to bring back the good old days.

4. Popular Austin hospitality group stirs up sunny new daytime cafe. Since debuting in 2009, Jack Allen’s Kitchen’s weekend brunch has been a staple of Austin’s many best-of lists. Now, owners Jack Gilmore and Tom Kamm are upping the ante. The restaurateurs have founded a new concept, Day Maker Half Day Café, to bring that AM magic seven days a week.

5. Spectacular Austin Trail of Lights gets even more festive with weddings. Locals who feel sentimental about the 60-year-old Austin Trail of Lights now have a shimmering new way to make it part of their personal stories. Surely many have proposed to partners at the Christmas installation, but now they can get married there, too.