July 4, 2010

Texans love to celebrate holidays.  Usually, we get a day off from work and maybe a three-day weekend in the bargain. Add fireworks, music and a patriotic theme and you have a party. Below are some 4th of July celebrations around Texas.  Mostly these are the big events.  For a more complete list, check out the Events Page on Texas Highways website.

Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic

Sunday, July 4, 2010
Doors @ 11am | Show @ Noon
The Backyard at Bee Cave
3472 Bee Cave Parkway (off Highway 620), Austin, Texas

Come celebrate the 4th of July with a true native Texan, Willie Nelson. Willie has been holding these picnics on July 4 since the early197os.  You will love Willie and his special guests at the new Backyard venue.  General admission tickets and information on Backyard website.

Note: The United States Library of Congress has added the album Red Headed Stranger to the National Recording Registry.

Austin Symphony July 4th Concert and Fireworks

Auditorium Shores
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Austin, Texas

Each year, more than 100,000 people gather at Auditorium Shores for the Independence Day celebration, which consists of symphony music and fireworks over Lady Bird Lake. The Austin Symphony will begin performing at 830 pm.  The fireworks begin at 930 pm and finish at 10 pm.  When you hear the beginning of the 1812 Overture, cover your ears!  This last piece of  music is punctuated by 75-millimeter Howitzer cannons, courtesy of Texas National Guard Salute Battery.  This event is free.  More information at Austin Symphony website.

Freedom Over Texas

Eleanor Tinsley Park
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Houston, Texas

Texas singer-songwriter Pat Green will headline the annual event held from4 to 10 pm on Sunday, July 4.  Then the largest land-based fireworks show in the US will rock the sky. Admission to the event is FREE with the donation of one canned item per person to the Houston Food Bank.  Get all the details at the official website.

Celebrate Independence Day in Baytown

Bicentennial Park (Market Street / Lee Drive)
Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4, 2010
Baytown, Texas

Saturday night, there will be a performance by Blue Oyster Cult and Madigan. The annual July 4th Parade down Market Street and Lee Drive includes floats, military vehicles and classic cars. Local school bands and dance and cheer groups will march in red, white and blue! The Parade will kick-off the July 4th Celebration this year beginning at 530 pm. Enjoy music by C.C. Rider Band, Kyle Park and Joe Nichols and fireworks. See the Celebrate Baytown website for more information.  This event is free.

Friday Night Fireworks

Laguna Madre between Palm and Red Snapper Streets
South Padre Island, Texas

The Fireworks Capital of Texas celebrates summer with fireworks every Friday at 915 pm.  The displays can be seen throughout the area.

Dallas, Texas

Evidently, Dallas is having a little budgetary problem, so there will be no fireworks at Fair Park this year.  Do not despair. Many of the surrounding cities are holding their 4th of July celebration,  Find information on these events at the following links:  Grapevine |Farmers Branch | Frisco | Arlington |Fort Worth.

LakeFest

The basics of drag boat racing are very much like those of land-based drag racing. The race is between two high performance boats.  To start, the drag boats are slowly moving, holding before the starting line until given the green light. After this, you have to watch closely as each boat covers a quarter mile straightaway–in seconds.

Friday Night Fun

On Friday, August 7, drag boat race aficionados will converge on Johnson Park in Marble Falls from 6pm to 9pm for Show & Shine. Fans stop and swap stories, get autographs, and have their pictures taken with their favorite drag boat racers. At dusk, the top-fuel boats fire up their engines, shooting flames out the exhaust pipe. Once  you have heard the sound of  jet boats starting up and testing their engines, you will never forget it. Bring ear protection to reduce the decibel level for everyone, but especially for children and babies who may become frightened of the noise.

Prices

3-Day Adult (Ages 13+)  $40.00
3-Day Child (Ages 6-12)  $15

Top Eliminator Club Adult (Ages 13+)  $160
Top Eliminator Club Child (Ages 6-12)   $75

Get your tickets in advance here.

Rest in Peace

Jim Tucker from Kingsbury, Texas, a 20-year veteran of competition boat drag racing, died Saturday, June 20 on a lake near St. Louis, Mo. His boat, Say When, wobbled and then dipped bow first into the water. The water tore off the deck and the boat basically disintegrated going 140 mph. Tucker was ejected from the boat. He died later of internal injuries, broken bones and head trauma in the arms of his wife, Yvonne.  All his safety equipment worked perfectly.

Safety

Whether flat bottom, hydro or jet, the basic safety equipment is identical. Each driver must wear a flameproof driving suit, crash helmet and goggles or face shield. Life jackets are required and personal parachutes are recommended for non-capsule-equipped boats. The parachutes slow the drivers down during a crash and pull them away from the boats. Fuel and alcohol classes require flameproof boots, gloves and fuel masks.

Schedule

Friday August 7 ($5)

7:am     Gates Open
8 am     Test & Tune
7 pm     Show & Shine & Larry Salinas Concert

Saturday August 8 ($20)

7 am     Gates Open
8 am     Qualifying Races
8 pm     Concert featuring Rare Dog with Special Guest Jody Mullens, Emceed by Kerry Wallum

Sunday August 9 ($20)

7 am     Gates Open
8 am     Final Races
After final race     Awards Ceremony

Types of Drag Boats

There are many boat classes, but spectators usually come out to see the Top Fuel Hydro boats. These twin-propeller vehicles run on nitro methane fuel, reaching speeds of 250+ mph and finishing the race in less than 5 seconds! All these drag boats use cast aluminum racing motors developed for drag racing.

Hydroplane drag boats use a three point hull design. During acceleration, the hydroplanes ride on cushions of air, with only their propeller and two rear edges touching the water. Hydroplanes can reach speeds of 235+ mph.

Flat Bottom drag boats may be modified with a runner bottom and look like the family ski boat. The motors on flat bottom drag boats, from 1600-4500 HP, provide enough torque to rotate the boat around the shaft.

Jet drag boats come with many hull designs and use a jet pump as sole means of propulsion and steering.

Venue

Lakeside Park
307 Buena Vista Dr
Marble Falls, TX 78654

Link to interactive map.

RV Parks in Area

Hofbrau RV Park in Round Moutain

River View RV Park

Llano RV Park

Rio Vista Resort and RV Park

Big Bend Open Road Race (BBORR)

April 22-25
US Highway 285
Fort Stockton to Sanderson, Texas and back
59 miles each way/118 round trip

Have you ever wondered how fast your car will go with the throttle wide open?  Bring your vehicle to one of the most exciting open road races in the world–the Big Bend Open Road Race from Fort Stockton to Sanderson, in the Big Bend area of Texas.

From the course notes:

In the last 50 miles leading to Sanderson there are 59 turns, some blind, a great many elevation changes, and two lanes that turn into four lanes that turn back into two lanes. These are Texas roads – wide and smooth with wide shoulders.

Divisions | Classes

Street Rod (SR) | 85, 90 or 95 mph
Touring (T) | 100, 105 or 110 mph
Grand Touring (GT) | 115, 120 or 125 mph
Grand Sport (GS) | 130, 135, 140, 145 or 150 mph
Super Sport (SS) | 155 or 160 mph
Unlimited (UL) |Last record set was in 2007: 172+ mpg each way

Check the BBORR site for dining, motels and RV parks in Fort Stockton and information on Sanderson.

Friday
7:00am Gates Open
8:00am Test & Tune
6:00pm Texas Power Trio Concert
8:00pm Show & Shine
9:00pm Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison Concert

Saturday
7:00am Gates Open
8:00am Qualifying Races
7:30pm Redneck Jedi Concert

Sunday
7:00am Gates Open
8:00am Final Races
After final race Awards Ceremony

*Saturday and Sunday races end between 5:00pm – 8:00pm depending on weather, number of boats, etc.

Food, beverages and merchandise vendors will be available to visit between races. Coolers, pets, umbrellas and personal golf carts are not allowed on festival grounds. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tickets on sale now.  Visit the website for more information.

If you have been to a race track, multiply the noise by 100 and you have the sound of 120 jet boats warming up. Bring ear protection to tone down the roar of the large engines for everyone, but especially children and babies who may become frightened of the noise.

RV Parks in Area:

Hofbrau RV Park in Round Moutain
Sunset Point RV on Lake LBJ
Rio Vista Resort and RV Park

ROT Biker Rally

June 12 – June 15, 2008

Travis County Expo Center
7311 Decker Lane
Austin, Texas 78724

The Republic of Texas (ROT) Biker Rally The state’s largest motorcycle gathering attracts thousands of bikers for rides, parades and music. At the 2006 ROT Rally, the Guinness Book Record for the Longest Parade of Motorcycles in the World was broken as thousands of motorcycles cruised from the Expo Center to Congress Avenue!

• 70 bands, 4 stages, 3 days Big names are Charlie Daniels Band, Johnny Winters, Three Dog Night, Molly Hatchet, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Canned Heat, Ray Wiley Hubbard, Billy Joe Shaver, Joe Ely, Black Oak Arkansas.

EVENTS

Xtreme Fighting
2008 Celebrity Bike Builders
Austin Speed Shop Invitational
2008 Tattoo Contest
Art-fusion Experiment
Military Bike Give-Away
Big Texas Chop Off
Texas Roller Girls
Stand Up Comedy
World Famous Wall of Death
Biker Games by Buda
Ride – In- Bike Show
Motorcycle Parade
ROT BARS
Congress Ave. Party
Vendors Vendors Vendors

RVing Tip: On-site RV parking is sold out. View this page for local RV parks and maps.