independence day fun

Where to celebrate the 4th of July throughout the Houston area in 2025

A country only turns 249 once. To celebrate Independence Day, cities around the Houston region have a host of entertainment options for all ages — including, of course, fireworks to light up the night sky. Happy 4th of July!

Thursday, July 3
Houston Symphony: Star-Spangled Salute
This annual concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is free for everyone, and offers a selection of patriotic songs to celebrate the holiday. 8pm.

Friday, July 4
Freedom Over Texas
Houston’s annual July 4th bash returns to Eleanor Tinsley Park along Allen Parkway with local, regional, and national entertainment, headlined by Ashley McBryde and Lee Brice. Attendees also have access to a beer garden; a sponsored area with representatives from local sports teams; the "Red, White & Play Kids Zone" with games, face painting, and entertainment; and "Liberty Park," which salutes the military and includes pictures with military assets. The grand finale of the celebration is a “Texas-sized” fireworks display. This year’s event will donate a portion of the entrance fee to the Houston Food Bank. Gates open at 4 pm. The cost is $10.

Bubbles and Fireworks
Buffalo Bayou Partnership hosts this event, which sets sail from Allen’s Landing at 8 pm. Hop on a boat and head into the bayou for a sensational view of fireworks over downtown, complete with bubbly, wine, beer, and light bites. The cost is $150 per person. Space is limited and this event is for ages 13 and older. Reserve online.

City of Baytown 4th of July Celebration
Beginning at 4 pm, the event includes live performances from groups like the Spazmatics and The Zydeco Outlaws, among others, food and craft vendors, and children’s activities. The evening is capped off with fireworks. The event is free to attend.

City of Bellaire Celebration of Independence Parade & Festival
This free event at Loftin Park kicks off with a parade at 9 am. A festival, held from 9:30 am-12 pm, includes music, food, and other family fun.

City of Friendswood July 4th Celebration
The day begins at 10 am, with a parade on Friendswood Drive, followed by a festival in Stevenson Park with rides, games, music, and entertainment. At 7 pm, a celebration will be held in Centennial Park, with live music and other entertainment, capped by a fireworks show around 9:10 pm.

City of La Porte 4th of July in Five Points
After a parade down Broadway, there’s a party at Five Points Plaza, featuring free hot dogs while they last, live music, and a fire truck that will spray water in the street. All festivities are free. The fun starts at 10:30 am.

City of Pasadena 4th Fest
Pasadena's party features a live DJ, Pasadena Idol performers, and a host of other activities celebrating the nation’s birthday at the Pasadena Fairgrounds. The festival starts at 4 pm, with a fireworks display at 9:15 pm. The event is free to attend.

City of Pearland Celebration of Freedom
Live music, kids activities, strolling entertainment, giveaways, and a photo booth top the list of fun on the 4th in Independence Park, beginning at 6 pm. The evening finishes with an 18-minute fireworks display. It’s free to attend.

City of Seabrook Fourth of July Parade
The parade begins at the Miramar Shopping Center and ends at Rex L. Meador Park. Kids are encouraged to decorate bikes, scooters, wagons and other non-motorized vehicles for a special children’s parade. Look for a bounce house, hayrides, hotdogs and other Fourth of July-themed fun. Festivities begin at 9:30 am.

City of Sugar Land Red, White, and Boom
Gather at Constellation Field for this epic celebration with music, food, vendors, and a grand fireworks finale. Admission is free. The event kicks off at 5 pm.

Dueling Pianos and Fireworks
Katy’s Home Run Dugout hosts this bash, headlined by dueling piano duo Joilux. Guests can request their fave tunes, and enjoy a killer fireworks show. The event is free, and those attending can order bites and drinks off the gathering spot’s regular menu. Celebrations kick off at 8 pm.

Einstein’s Fireworks Cruise on Lake Conroe
Depart from Einstein’s Surf & Boat Shop at the Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake Conroe for this three-hour cruise, which includes music, snacks, and a great vantage point for seeing the fireworks on Lake Conroe. BYOB. The cost is $75.

Fourth of July in The Woodlands
An array of activities are happening all day long, beginning at 8 am with festivities that precede the 49th Annual South County 4th of July Parade, which winds through The Woodlands Town Center and Market Street, featuring fire engines, military units, and marching bands.

From 10 am to 6 pm, Woodlands townships have a host of Red, White, and Pool activities in their pools (fees vary). Finally, the Red, Hot & Blue Festival and Fireworks Extravaganza kicks off at 6 pm with food, live entertainment, and family fun at multiple locations throughout The Woodlands.

Houston Symphony: Star-Spangled Salute
The Symphony’s free July 4 concert at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park is a Houston tradition. Expect songs like “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and “America the Beautiful,” followed by a grand finale fireworks display. The concert begins at 8:30 pm.

Kemah Boardwalk July 4th Celebration
The popular entertainment zone has live music beginning at 2 pm, with multiple bands taking the stage. A fireworks show starts at 9:30 pm. The fireworks show is free. Those wishing to hop on a boat and catch the show from the water need to pay $40. Boarding begins at 9 pm.

Missouri City Fourth Fest
Taking place on the Houston Community College - Southwest College campus, this free party includes carnival games, live performances, food from local vendors, and a fireworks display. Festivities begin at 5 pm.

Valley Ranch 4th Fest
Cover band Dunn & Brooks and ZZ Tex highlight this day-long celebration, which also features yard games, a kids’ zone, train rides, a shopping boutique, July 4th swag, food trucks, and a Red, White, and Brews cash bar. It’s all capped off with Montgomery County’s largest fireworks display. The fun starts at 5 pm and admission is free.

Saturday, July 5
Stars, Stripes, and Swing
The Jazz Connection Orchestra performs at Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake Conroe’s Del Lago Ballroom. There’s a cash bar with offerings such as tacos, hot dogs, and other snacks. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance. The concert is at 7:30 pm, with a fireworks show immediately following at 9:20 pm.

Courtesy of Freedom Over Texas

The Freedom Over Texas celebration takes place on the Fourth of July.

Movie Review

New horror film M3GAN 2.0 turns up the campy fun of the original

Photo by Geoffrey Short/Universal Pictures

M3GAN in M3GAN 2.0.

When a studio releases a movie in January (aka Dumpuary), the general rule of thumb is that they’re trying to get rid of a movie that isn’t very good. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, as M3GAN was in 2023, which rode the comedy of a killer AI robot who likes to dance to over $180 million worldwide.

A sequel was a given, and now with a built-in fanbase, M3GAN 2.0is a prime summer release. After running into trouble with her robot invention, Gemma (Allison Williams) has seemingly seen the error of her ways, now focused on creating things like a mechanical exoskeleton that can benefit society. Little does she know that the code she used to create M3GAN (aka Model 3 Generative Android) has been co-opted to create AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno), a new robot which is being used for nefarious purposes.

Naturally, the only thing to do is to bring M3GAN (played by Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) back from the “dead,” which is easy to do because — surprise! — she has been lurking inside the smart house in which Gemma and her niece Cady (Violet McGraw) now live. The inevitable showdown between the two robots is alternately helped and hindered by people like billionaire Alton Appleton (Jemaine Clement), fellow tech entrepreneur Christian (Aristotle Athari), co-worker Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez), and others.

Written and directed by Gerard Johnstone, who also directed the first film, M3GAN 2.0 doesn’t stray from the original formula, delivering way more laughs than scares. Because there’s a familiarity with the character, Johnstone leans into the campy side of things, essentially winking at the audience for much of the film. Whether it’s temporarily imprisoning M3GAN in an innocuous desktop robot or a number of one-liners, there is a lot of comedy to be found.

The film is a type of horror, though, and it delivers in the mild, PG-13 way that won’t offend non-horror fans. AMELIA (aka Autonomous Military Engagement Logistics and Infiltration Android) gives off Terminator vibes, and she lays waste to virtually all challengers. M3GAN doesn’t get to show off her skills as much as she did last time, which might be a tad frustrating for some, but she gets in enough punches and kicks for the experience to be worth it.

The story itself starts off strong before devolving into an overly complicated mess. The arc of AMELIA is particularly strange, as the strength of her powers and the level of her autonomy seem to change at will in the second half of the film. Gemma develops a rivalry with another character that might have worked better if it had been hinted at early in the film instead of being dropped in as a surprise.

Davis’ voice performance as M3GAN is once again fantastic, as she delivers sarcasm and menace equally well. Sakhno isn’t asked to do much but look terrifying, and she accomplishes that job. Williams is up and down in her role, stronger in the moments when she’s not being asked to prove her tech bona fides. Clement is his usual over-the-top self, which suits his character.

As with the first film, if you go into M3GAN 2.0 not expecting anything more than some goofy violent robot action, you’ll walk away satisfied. The unlikely breakout hit for Blumhouse Productions may not be able to support a good story, but it entertains in the way it’s supposed to do.

---

M3GAN 2.0 is now playing in theaters.

movies film