Fireworks

• 47th Annual Austin Symphony Orchestra July 4th Concert and Fireworks | 4-10 p.m. | Auditorium Shores | Free | The almost five-decade-long tradition returns to the shores of Lady Bird Lake.
• Hill Country Galleria Independence Day Festival | 4-9:30 p.m. | Central Plaza | Free | Take in an all-day live music lineup before a stellar fireworks show at 9:15 p.m.

Pool parties

• BBQ + Pool Party | 2-6 p.m. | Carpenters Hall | $55 | Your ticket grants you entry to the pool party with live music and a plate of BBQ with all the fixins’.
• 4th of July BBQ Bash | 12 p.m.-2 a.m. | Kitty Cohen’s | Cost of purchase | Eat barbecue from Micklethwait Craft Meats and sip on drink specials.

Eats

• 4th of July Party + Hot Dog Eating Contest | 6 p.m.-1:30 a.m. | Hotel Vegas | $10 | The 21+ glizzy-eating competition is hosted by comedian Avery Moore.
• Launderette’s Sixth Annual Lobster & Friends | 12-8 p.m. | Launderette | $75 | Have a Fourth of July feast with a seafood boil featuring lobster, shrimp, crab, and more.

Celebrations

• Party in the USA! Y2K Night | 10 p.m.-2 a.m. | Barbarella | Cost of purchase | Jam to hits of the 2000s with $3 happy hour running until 11 p.m.
• 4th of July Brain Bash | 7:30 p.m. | The Continental Club | Cost of purchase | See the same lineup that performed at the South Congress music venue four decades ago on this day.

• Red, White, & Blue Owl | Thursday, July 4 | 2-8 p.m. | Blue Owl Brewing, 2400 E. Cesar Chavez St., Ste. #300, Austin | Cost of purchase | Watch a watermelon eating contest, go head-to-head in a putt-putt challenge, and enjoy red, white, and blue frozen slushies at this indoor bash.
• Surfs Up! First Thursdays | Thursday, July 4 | 5-9 p.m. | Austin Motel, 1220 S. Congress Ave., Austin | Cost of purchase | Hang ten at this summer celebration, featuring hot dogs, live music, pop-up shops, and shaved ice.

• “Dirty Dancing” + “Footloose” | Friday, July 5 | 7 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave., Austin | $12 | See two films that will make you dance in your seat at this double feature.
• Brick Rodeo | Friday, July 5-Sunday, July 7 | Times vary | Renaissance Hotel Austin, 9721 Arboretum Blvd., Austin | $15 | LEGO® fans — gather round to see unique models, participate in workshops, play games, and celebrate all things brick.

• Brewksies and Baddies Drag Brunch | Saturday, July 6| 2 p.m. | The ABGB, 1305 W. Oltorf St., Austin | Free | What’s better than brunch, baddies, and a cold beer? We’ll wait.
• Slide In The DMs: A Comedy Show About Shooting Your Shot | Saturday, July 6 | 10-11 p.m. | Fallout Theater, 616 Lavaca St., Austin | $18 | This monthly show is dedicated to social media direct messages: the funny, the creepy, and the ugly.

• CapMetro rides on all services are free today after 5 p.m. Expect a Sunday-level bus service, Saturday-level rail service, and delays due to detours. Here’s everything you need to know.

• The Dead Rabbit opens today in Downtown Austin — but its team has more up its sleeve than the Irish pub’s opening. A new collaboration with Neighbourhood Café will bring its signature coffee drinks + dishes to Austin, marking the Belfast, Ireland brand’s US debut. (Culture Map Austin)

• Austin Animal Center has temporarily closed its animal intake due to critical capacity issues. Exceptions include emergencies such as life-threatening injury or illness. All adoption fees are currently waived, and intake will reopen when kennel space becomes available.

• Frisco-based chain Layne’s Chicken Fingers is coming to ATX. Franchisee Shahroz Khan plans to open 15 restaurants from Austin to Waco over the next nine years — the first will be a Leander location with a spring 2026 opening. (Austin Business Journal)

• Milky Way Shakes, 2324 E. Cesar Chavez St., will close at the end of October after seven years in business. The vegan milkshake truck’s owners are moving back to their hometown in North Carolina to pave a new path in the vegan candy business.

• Did you shop at H-E-B for today’s barbecue? If so, check your mustard potato salad before digging in. The grocer announced a recall for a batch of the Hill Country Fare product, which could contain “pieces of hard plastic.” (KVUE)

• If you notice lower air quality in Austin in the coming days, it’s likely due to tonight’s fireworks. A hazy fog sat over the city on New Year’s Day 2023, and experts say it could happen again if there’s a lack of wind tomorrow. (KUT)

• What can Spurs fans expect from rookie guard Stephon Castle? Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the San Antonio Spurs with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
  

• 50% said they’d definitely try it
• 37% were still on the fence and said maybe
• 8% weren’t sure, and that’s okay too
• 5% said absolutely no, not for me