freedom!

Country star Clay Walker comes home to Houston for Freedom Over Texas' explosive return

Want a better seat for the fireworks? There's an app for that.

Courtesy photo

Houstonians who have waited for the return of the city’s annual Fourth of July spectacle need wait no longer. After two years of COVID-pivoted celebrations, the Shell Freedom Over Texas summer event will take place on July 4 from 4 to 10 pm at Eleanor Tinsley and Sam Houston Parks, the Mayor’s Office of Special Events announced.

Houston-area native, Clay Walker is this year’s musical headliner, while fellow country act Sawyer Brown, rapper Blanco Brown, country sister duo Walker County, and Step Rideau and the Zydeco Outlaws will open for the platinum-selling star.

Attendees who show up downtown to both Eleanor Tinsley and Sam Houston Parks can expect the Walmart All-American Kids Zone, a children’s entertainment area with a stage featuring performances for young and old; the Bud Light Seltzer Summer Sizzle, for sunny fun; the Dr Pepper Cool Zone, featuring Houston professional sports teams, live music, and food; Liberty Park, featuring tributes including Symbols of Freedom the Space City Experience, and a salute to all five branches of the military; and, as always, the grand fireworks finale, per a press release.

Admission to the event is $10 per person online and at gates, children 5 and under admitted free. Tickets are available online. Volunteers are also welcome and will receive the official event t-shirt, free parking, complimentary food, and drink. (Register to volunteer here.)

Those not camping out downtown can watch the entire event on ABC13, which will broadcast the festivities in their entirety.

Walker has sold over 11 million albums and boasts 11 No. 1 singles and four RIAA Platinum and two Gold certified albums. His fans can delight in a setlist that promises hits such as “Live Until I Die,” “Rumor Has It,” and “She Won’t Be Lonely Long.” Walker will also perform his newest single, “Need a Bar Sometimes”; the tune has nearly 20 million on-demand and video streams.

“Shell Freedom Over Texas is one of my favorite signature events, and we are thrilled to announce the return of the popular family-friendly celebration,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner, in a statement. “I invite everyone to come and enjoy the entertainment lineup, followed by the spectacular fireworks.”

Houston-born Clay Walker comes home for the Fourth.

Clay Walker

Houston-born Clay Walker comes home for the Fourth.

holidays festivals families downtown kids music

that's slick

Affordable indoor amusement park slides into The Woodlands this spring

The indoor park at Slick City The Woodlands

Render courtesy of Slick City Action Park

Slick City offers all the fun of a park without the heat.

Any parent in Houston knows the four sweetest words in the English language are "affordable, indoor, air-conditioned playspace." Slick City, a brand-new dry slide indoor playground, is slated to open in The Woodlands next month to the delight of all sunburn and heat stroke-adverse families in north Houston.

“The Woodlands is a community built around families, and Slick City creates the kind of experiences that bring people together,” said Mandy Bush, co-owner of the Slick City The Woodlands franchise. “We were drawn to the innovation behind the park and the opportunity to create a space where kids, parents and friends can unplug, be active and make lasting memories together.”

Slick City Action park is a relatively new player in the indoor playspace industry. Founded in Denver, Colorado in 2021 by CEO Bron Launsby and Gary Schmit, the playgrounds focus on their patent-pending big slide designs rather than the trampolines and virtual reality games that seem to make up most other major indoor parks. The company has been rapidly expanding into the Texas market, including opening a Denton location last August, as well as parks in Willowbrook, Webster, and Katy.

The Woodlands' location at 3905 FM 1488, Suite 100, will have 35,800 square feet of playspace, with 14 large-scale slides using the company's latest designs. This is also the first Slick City to include a soccer air court, perfect for kids afflicted with FIFA Fever ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Attractions include Riptide, Mega Launch, Cowabunga, Avalanche (V2) and Turbo Twin, as well as a near-vertical thrill slide that rivals theme park coasters in intensity. Admission prices range from $25 to $34 for 90–120 minute sessions, with mandatory $3–$5 CitySocks required

With Houston's hot summers, families sometimes struggle to find places for kids to play away from the unrelenting heat. Playground architects have been steadily adapting their designs for newer parks to account for heat, but nothing beats the power of air-conditioning. Getting to watch the kids fly through the air off of massive slide ramps is a bonus.

Render courtesy of Slick City Action Park

Slick City offers all the fun of a park without the heat.

amusement parks family friendly