Independence Day Events

8 best things do on 4th of July in Austin, from boozy bashes to fabulous fireworks

Honor the red, white, and blue at water parks, picnics, boozy bashes, all-day concerts, and more during the eight best things to do on the Fourth of July in Austin. Whether you’re hosting out-of-towners or you want a quaint family-friendly celebration, we’ve got you covered.

Stunning and free firework displays are set to light up the Austin sky at several locations across the city. If the traditional pomp and circumstance isn’t your thing, opt for an evening at the drive-in movies or raise a glass of cold American beer at a local brewery. For a full list of events, visit our calendar.

Saturday, June 30

The Roundup Outdoor Music Venue presents Independence Celebration
The Roundup Outdoor Music Venue hosts a majorly patriotic party ahead of the holiday complete with fireworks and family-friendly fun. JR Herrera will perform live while guests explore the playground, food trucks, and more. Stick around after the show for a memorable fireworks finale. Admission is free.

Wednesday, July 4

City of Cedar Park presents 4th of July Parade and Celebration
Venture to Cedar Park to celebrate Independence Day at the traditional 4th of July Parade down Discovery Boulevard. Following the parade, the party moves to Milburn Park with carnival rides, bingo, a washer tournament, air castles, free watermelon slices, and a fireworks display. Musical guest Jake Gill is also slated to perform live. The 4th of July Parade and Celebration is free and open to the public.

NLand Surf Park presents Fourth of July Beach Bash
It wouldn’t be a summer holiday without a little tubing. NLand Surf Park is hosting a beach bash for all ages as the perfect way to stay cool all day long. Guests can enjoy cold beers, burgers, kid's crafts, music, and more. Sunbathe on the beach or catch a wave in the surfing area. Tubing is open to ages 8 and up.

The 4th at ABGB: Partyin’ and Bikin’ to the Fireworks
Get a workout in ahead of the fireworks at The ABGB. Guests are invited to a dance party featuring live music by The Soul Supporters. Enjoy pizza and beer while the music plays, and following the shindig, attendees can go for a group bike ride to Auditorium Shores to watch the epic fireworks display. Additional party highlights include a watermelon eating contest, cornhole games, and a bike safety check by the pros at Ghisallo Cycling Initiative.

Hops & Grain 4th of July Party
Raise a glass in the name of Uncle Sam at the annual Hops & Grain 4th of July Party. The brewery will offer 16 beers on tap and will provide attendees with a special glass that commemorates the holiday. Your $20 ticket includes three pours and a take-home glass to add to your collection.

Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic
Austin icon Willie Nelson hosts his annual 4th of July Picnic at Austin360 Amphitheater. The all-day event features two stages of nonstop musical performances for country and rock music fans alike. In between set changes, settle in at a picnic table to eat, drink, and watch your favorite artists in comfort. Attendees can also snag unique finds from a variety of Texas-based vendors in the shopping area. This year’s performers include Willie Nelson & Family, Asleep at the Wheel, Sturgill Simpson, Ryan Bingham, The Wild Feathers, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and many others. Tickets still available.

Blue Starlite presents Independence Day and Fireworks
Pay your respects to Team USA with popcorn, film, and fireworks at the Blue Starlite Drive-In. Movie fans can watch a screening of blockbuster hit Independence Day in the comfort of their own vehicles or seated on the lawn. Following the film, guests can stay for a digital onscreen fireworks show. Select tickets still available.

H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Concert & Fireworks
Austin's largest and most beloved Independence Day celebration returns to Auditorium Shores for another year. Don your red, white, and blue and bring a picnic blanket and portable chairs to soak up the sights and sounds of Independence Day. Enjoy a spectacular fireworks display and listen as the Austin Symphony Orchestra performs patriotic classics in front of an illuminated city skyline. Admission is free.

Austin's epic H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Concert & Fireworks returns for another year.

H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Concert & Fireworks/Facebook

Austin's epic H-E-B Austin Symphony July 4th Concert & Fireworks returns for another year.

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Movie Review

Strange decisions pay off in unusual movie musical Emilia Pérez

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Zoe Saldaña and Karla Sofía Gascón in Emilia Pérez.

Musicals have been used as a medium to convey all sorts of different stories, from the Old West, to cats, to one of the Founding Fathers. But it takes a certain kind of imagination to think that a cartel boss making a gender transition as she quits the drug business is a prime candidate for an original movie musical, as is done in Emilia Pérez.

The person with that unusual thinking is French writer/director Jacques Audiard, who in addition to making the film a musical, decided to do it almost entirely in Spanish, a language he doesn’t even speak. Adding to all the other atypical aspects, the main character of the film is not the one after whom the film is named. Instead, the main character is Rita Mora Castro (Zoe Saldaña), the lawyer hired by cartel boss Manitas Del Monte (Karla Sofía Gascón), to help her achieve her dream of becoming a woman.

Of course, that dream comes with consequences, most importantly how to separate the soon-to-be Emilia Pérez from her wife, Jessi (Selena Gomez), and her kids without arousing suspicion. The solution, as well as the “death” of Manitas, is elegant, but after a period of time Emilia finds herself longing for her kids again. Rita re-enters to set up the arrangements, setting in motion a series of events that are both predictable and unpredictable.

The musical sequences of the film are fascinating, mostly because they don’t adhere to the rules typically used in musical films. More often than not they pop up out of nowhere, with a character speaking normally and then deciding that the next line needs to be the start of a song. This allows Audiard to utilize all sorts of locations as the settings for the sequences, as well as the incorporation of unorthodox elements, such as the loading of guns as musical beats.

Even though 90 percent of the film is in Spanish with English subtitles, none of the feeling of the story is lost in translation. Several of the songs are certified bangers, with the repetition of phrases giving them a great rhythm even if you have to keep glancing down to understand what they’re singing. Each of the main three characters get a chance to shine even though none of the songs require the actors to belt them out.

Audiard does a subtle job of commenting on the experience of being a transgender woman in the position that Emilia finds herself. Her desire to live her life as she’s always wanted is in conflict with still wanting to see her kids, as she doesn’t want to reveal the person she used to be. Her personal life is also in conflict with a newfound urge to help families that were victimized by Manitas. The ever-changing story keeps both the characters and the audience on their toes.

Saldaña, whose time in the worlds of Star Trek, Marvel, and Avatar the past 15 years has been her biggest exposure, digs deep into this character, putting on a compelling performance. So too does Gascón, a Spanish transgender actor who embodies every aspect of her role in a manner only someone like her could. Gomez seems slightly miscast, but she has enough solid scenes to justify her presence in the film.

Emilia Pérez is a film that upends expectations at almost every turn. While it might have also worked as a non-musical, the music side of it supports the story in unconventional ways, drawing the audience deeper into a story that itself is out of the ordinary.

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Emilia Pérez is now streaming on Netflix.

movies film

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Movie Review

Strange decisions pay off in unusual movie musical Emilia Pérez