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July 4th fireworks roundup in the Highland Lakes

Marble Falls, Horseshoe Bay, Llano, Johnson City and Bertram light up the night with July 4th fireworks. Staff Photo

The skies above the Highland Lakes will alight with color when July 4th fireworks explode just after sunset from Marble Falls to Horseshoe Bay to Kingsland to Bertram and beyond.  Before picking you spot for a true Independence Day celebration, check all the details here.

Marble Falls celebrates with music

The July 4th fireworks don’t go off until dark (about 9 p.m.), but the entertainment starts up several hours prior with a lineup of live music beginning at 5 p.m.

The festivities are held on the banks of Lake Marble Falls at Lakeside Park on Buena Vista Drive.

Tough Cookie, a youth cover band, kicks things off at 5 p.m. The Hill Country Community Band, a group that’s performed at every Marble Falls Community Fireworks the past several years, takes the stage 6-7 p.m. inside the air-conditioned pavilion.

The members of the symphonic band will perform a number of popular and patriotic numbers.

At 7:30 p.m., an acoustic foursome featuring Zeke Hamilton, Emily Cousins, Denny Herrin and Chris Bell will keep the crowd entertained. They’ll also return after the fireworks.

Of course, the night wouldn’t be right without lighting up the sky. At dusk, probably sometime between 9 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., the fireworks erupt.

KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune will simulcast the choreographed fireworks show music.

For more on the program, go to www.marblefallscommunityfireworks.com.

Kingsland Aqua Boom a week of events

When Kingsland throws an event celebrating Independence Day, one day isn’t enough. This lakeside community stretches out the party for an entire week. The 2013 Aqua Boom started rolling June 29 with the Miss Aqua Boom Scholarship Pageant.

The actual Independence Day events July 4 start at 9 a.m. with the Kids Parade on RR 2900 just south of the RR 1431 intersection. The full land parade rolls along the same course at 10 a.m.

The water activities on Lake LBJ and at the RR 2900 bridge crank up about 4 p.m. Along with food vendors, people can enjoy the following:

• Wacky Raft Race at 4 p.m.,

• Rubber Ducky Race at 5 p.m.,

• Boat Parade lineup at Llanorado Resort at RR 1431 bridge over Colorado River arm of Lake LBJ at 5:45 p.m.,

• Malibu Boat and Ski Show at 7 p.m.,

• Brooks Crossing Band from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.,

• Sea Doo drawing at 9:15 p.m.

The July 4th fireworks take flight at dark.

Aqua Boom continues July 6 with a plethora of activities across the community. There will be arts and crafts as well as food vendors 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Prosperity Bank parking lot, 1801 RR 1431. Other events include a Flights of Fancy remote-controlled aircraft demonstration (9 a.m.-2 p.m.), a barbecue and chili cookoff (11 a.m.-3 p.m.), a poker run and even a street dance.

For a complete list of events, times and locations, go to www.kingslandchamber.org.

Horseshoe Bay parades on land and water

Coordinators of the Celebrate America’s Birthday and Honor Our First Responders will continue the traditions of parades by land and by water July 4.

The following is a list of activities:

7:30 a.m. — Balloon give-away at the Horseshoe Bay Fire Department, 1 Community Drive

9 a.m. — Assemble for land parade at 15th Green Drive and Hi Circle South (children in wagons or on bikes should assemble at Horseshoe Bay Boulevard and Harbor Light)

9:30 a.m. — Land parade from Clayton Nolen Drive to Horseshoe Bay Boulevard around the circle to Hi Circle North to Red Sail ending at Quail Point Lodge (floats will turn left at Free Rein)

9:30 a.m. — Boat participants assemble in Jonathan Cove

10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. — Food and family activities at the lodge

10:15 a.m. — Boats depart for the lodge

10:45 a.m. — Boat parade arrives at the lodge

11:30 a.m. — Patriotic programs featuring Wildflower Dance Troupe and “Honor our First Responders” at the lodge

9:30 p.m. — Fireworks launched from Horseshoe Bay Yacht Club

Johnson City reads constitution before lighting the skies

The 2013 Spangle Dangle Fourth of July Celebration combines the festivities of Independence Day with history lessons about the founding document of a nation.

Event coordinator Dale Hardy said he will continue the tradition begun last year of reading excerpts of the U.S. Constitution before the fireworks display.

“We believe people should understand what the Constitution says,” he said. “We believe some people have forgotten it.”

In its 11th year, the event features a parade, live music, a washer tournament, patriotic displays and community fellowship.

Activities include:

• 10 a.m. — Fourth of July with the parade; route starts at intersection of LBJ Drive and East Pecan Avenue, traveling west, then circling the Johnson City Courthouse square

• Noon — Registration at Blanco County Fairgrounds for the washer-pitching tournament; family activities, food and drink for sale on the grounds

• 5:30 p.m.-midnight — live music performed Nelson Browley Blues Band, Law by the Gun and Scooter Pearce

• 9:15 p.m. — July 4th fireworks display set to to patriotic music (30 minutes) at the outside pavilion facing the rodeo arena

Before the fireworks, there will be a reading of excerpts of the U.S. Constitution, a color guard presentation of the flag by Blanco American Legion Post 352, the Pledge of Allegiance, an invocation and a performance of patriotic music, including the “The Star Spangle Banner”

Co-sponsors of the event are the Johnson City Lions Club and the Blanco Lions Club.

For more information on the festivities, contact Hardy at (830) 992-0885 or visit the Spangle Dangle website.

Bertram spreads their blankets for ballpark fireworks

Residents in Bertram don’t have to travel halfway across the county to enjoy a July 4th fireworks show — they just have to head over to the local ballfields.

The Bertram Volunteer Fire Department hosts a fireworks display at the J.O. Wilson Ball Fields, 649 East FM 243, sometime around dusk. Officials anticipate the show will begin between 8:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome.

Llano celebration lights the night, gets down and dirty

The July 4th fireworks in Llano begin at dark (about 9 p.m.) along the Llano River at Badu Park. The park is located on the west side of Texas 16 on the north bank of the river.

Fireworks aren’t the only way you can celebrate Independence Day in Llano.

On July 5, people, big trucks, ATVs and other four-wheeled drive vehicles head to Toyland for the King of the Hill Mud Run. The facility is located just off Texas 16 on the north edge of the Llano city limits. Take the highway north from Texas 29 and look for the signs.

For those who have never heard of this event or attended, picture a stretch of mud and a line of vehicles waiting to race through it. Whether heavily modified or just off the showroom floor, you can see if your truck, 4×4 or off-road vehicle can handle the mud.

For more information, call the Llano Chamber of Commerce at (325) 247-5354.