Event Roundup: What to Look Forward to This Fourth of July Weekend

Happy Friday and happy holiday weekend! In addition to weekend happenings, today’s event roundup includes events taking place Monday and Tuesday. If you’re sticking around town for the Fourth, here are some ideas of how to celebrate and spend the weekend: 

Pop-Up Gallery Showcasing Winning Images from the 2023 Buzz Photo Contest
Today is the last day to visit The Buzz Magazines’ pop-up gallery showcasing winning photographs in the 2023 Buzz Photo Contest, in collaboration with River Oaks District. The gallery is located at 4444 Westheimer Road, adjacent to Ojo de Agua. Stop by to see winning photos in person and vote for a special People’s Choice award. The gallery is open from 12- 5 p.m. today. 

Sugar Land Space Cowboys vs. Oklahoma City Dodgers
Come cheer on the Sugar Land Space Cowboys as they take on the Oklahoma City Dodgers in a six-game series! Friday, 7 p.m. (plus post-game fireworks!); Saturday, 7 p.m., Sunday, 6 p.m., and Monday, 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $9 and all games will be at Constellation Field.  

Enjoy beloved works performed by outstanding members of the Houston Symphony during Summer Symphony Nights at Miller Outdoor Theatre. (Photo courtesy of Miller Outdoor Theatre)

Summer Symphony Nights Presented by Truist and Produced by Houston Symphony
Head over to Miller Outdoor Theatre for the second weekend of Summer Symphony Nights. This Friday and Saturday, enjoy internationally renowned Houston Symphony musicians as they perform a family-friendly concert showcasing works of the classical repertoire and rising stars of the classical world. All performances are free and begin at 8:30 p.m.! 

Movies Under the Stars: Moonlight
This Friday, head over to Market Square Park for a free movie screening of Moonlight. The 2016 rated-R film tells the compelling story of a young, Black man growing up in Miami and his epic journey to manhood. Make sure to bring a lawn blanket and grab takeout from a surrounding restaurant. The movie begins promptly at 8 p.m. and you can reserve a spot here. 

Family Movie Night: Moana
Family Movie Night presented by Texas Children’s at Levy Park takes place this Friday. Enjoy a free outdoor movie screening of Moana (PG), a film about an adventurous teenager who is inspired to leave the safety of her island on a daring journey to save her people. The movie begins at 8:30 p.m. and no outside furniture is permitted. 

July 4th at George Ranch Historical Park
Come down to George Ranch Historical Park on Saturday to enjoy a fun day of family activities while also being immersed in Texas history! The Ranch will be hosting this social from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. There will be fun games like sack racing and competitions, as well as arts and crafts and ice cream! Adult tickets are $15 and children’s tickets are $10.

Guardians of the Galaxy Blast Off!
Fans of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy should be sure to visit the Children’s Museum on Saturday. Gamora, Drax, and Starlord will be at the museum for a meet-and-greet on Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Guests are encouraged to dress like their favorite Guardians of the Galaxy character! The event will be held in the Kid’s Hall Alcove of the museum. There will also be a variety of ongoing activities like creating your own cluster of stars and building your own mini rocket! 

CONCACAF Gold Cup: Group Stage
Soccer fans! As part of the Concacaf Gold Cup, Guatemala will be taking on Canada for a game at the Shell Energy Stadium this Saturday, 9:30 p.m. Come down for a night of fun and intense fútbol. Tickets start at around $35.

Houston Astros vs. Colorado Rockies
The Houston Astros will face off against the Colorado Rockies in a two-game series at Minute Maid Park. The game on Tuesday begins at 3 p.m. Tickets start at $34. 

Galveston Fourth of July Parade
Galveston's annual Fourth of July festivities includes a glittering parade down Seawall Blvd. followed by a fireworks display over the gulf. The free parade will feature floats, decked out vehicles and performers and yes tons of goodies! The route will head down Seawall from 22nd to 45th streets. The festivities start at 6 p.m. and end at 8 p.m.

Houston Symphony: Star Spangled Salute
The Houston Symphony will be continuing its annual tradition of featuring a free show to commemorate the Fourth of July and celebrate it through music. The show will take place on Monday at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. The gates and pre-show will open at 6:30 p.m. and the show will start at 8 p.m.

Kemah Boardwalk's Fourth of July Celebration 
Head over to Kemah Boardwalk for live music and a patriotic firework show over Galveston Bay. Admission to the firework show is free and will be a great way to celebrate the Fourth with your family and friends! The celebration will start at 9:30 p.m., which will be enough time to walk around and ride the attractions.

The City of Houston is celebrating the Fourth with the Shell Freedom Over Texas event from 4-10 p.m. at Eleanor Tinsley and Sam Houston Parks. 

Fourth of July: 

City of West University Place Independence Day Parade
Celebrate the Fourth of July with a patriotic walk or bike ride through West U. The parade line-up will begin at 8:45 a.m. in front of West U Elementary School, so make sure you arrive with your bike and yourself decked out in red, white, and blue. The parade route will end at Colonial Park Pool, where the festivities will continue from 9:15 a.m.-12 p.m. Stay and make a splash in the following contests: water balloon toss, frozen t-shirt, kids cannonball splash, belly flop. At the pool, registration will be available to participate in the fun! 

Houston Symphony: Star Spangled Salute
Fourth of July at Miller is back this Tuesday! The program features a free show with patriotic favorites and fireworks as the grand finale at 10 p.m. The celebration begins at 8:30 p.m. and is open to all!

City of Bellaire Celebration of Independence Parade and Festival
The City of Bellaire will host their annual Celebration of Independence Parade and Festival on July 4th, kicking the day off at 9 a.m. with a parade down South Rice Ave. All bike-riding kids are invited to meet at South Rice and Evergreen with their decorated bikes or trikes for the Children’s Bike Parade. Note: The tradition of candy at the parade is back this year. Bring a bag and get ready to collect some sweet treats. Candy will be handed to attendees by parade participants, not tossed from vehicles. Following the parade, the festival at Bellaire Town Square will feature live music, food, and entertainment, 9:45 a.m.-12 p.m. 

Villages Independence Parade
The Memorial Villages will be hosting a Fourth of July parade! Residents of the Village are invited and encouraged to participate in the parade or come just to watch the parade. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the Memorial Church of Christ at Gaylord and Echo Lane. The Memorial Villages Police Department will also be hosting a fun run and bike ride before the parade starts at 9:45. The parade is free and there is no need to register.

Kidpendence Day at Children's Museum Houston
The Children’s Museum will be hosting a jam-packed day of celebration, crafts, and creation on the Fourth! Kids are encouraged to come dressed in red, white, or blue to commemorate the day. There will be a Captain America Interactive story time at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. as well as a 21-Mentos geyser salute for our troops from 2:30-4 p.m. There will be several other ongoing activities like making balloon rockets, creating patriotic glasses, as well as building rocket landers! There will be something for everyone to enjoy! General Admission tickets are $17.

Bayou Bend's Independence Day event features a life-size Declaration of Independence! (Photo: Bayou Bend).

Fourth of July at Bayou Bend
Houston’s home for American decorative arts is the perfect place to celebrate the country’s birthday in style. The Bayou Bend’s annual festival is an extravaganza of Americana, with performers, crafts, activities, and refreshments. It even features a giant Declaration of Independence for the whole family to sign. This celebration is from 1-5 p.m. and is free!

Shell Freedom Over Texas 2023
Mayor Turner and the Mayor’s Office of Special Events' signature event, Shell Freedom Over Texas, Houston’s official Fourth of July celebration, features six hours of festivities, tradition, and live concert stages, along Allen Parkway. On the Shell Main Stage will feature country artist Chris Young, Grammy nominee Yola, TMF formerly of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly who recently named their new lead singer Houston native Chris Walker. After the performances there will be a color filled fireworks display in the park! Admission is $10 and free for children under 5.

CityCentre’s Fourth of July Celebration
City Centre’s Fourth of July celebration will feature an evening of live music from 7-10 p.m. with a 10-minute fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. This event is free and perfect for the whole family! 

Editor’s note: See this month’s Buzz Baby for more fun, patriotic ways to celebrate with the whole family. Find all upcoming events here.