America celebrates its 250th birthday!
This week, the United States of America celebrates 250 years of independence, and groups across Williamson County are hosting patriotic activities, fireworks and more.
Old Town Neighborhood Parade
The Old Town Neighborhood Fourth of July Parade — hosted by City Council Member Amanda Parr — will return this year, taking residents from First United Methodist Church to San Jose Park.
Neighborhood residents can participate in the parade by walking, driving or biking in the parade. The community is also welcome to watch and cheer along the parade route.
Parade lineup starts at 8:45 a.m. at First United Methodist — 410 East University Avenue — and will begin at 9 a.m. Participants will travel to San Jose Park — 1707 San Jose Street — where there will be coffee and donuts.
All are welcome to join. There is no fee or sign up required.
Georgetown Sertoma Club’s July 4th
The Sertoma Club’s 43rd annual Independence Day celebration takes place July 4 in San Gabriel Park. Activities at the park start at 10:30 a.m. Evening fireworks can be viewed from San Gabriel Park, VFW Park and other areas in Georgetown.
The fun includes games and rides, inflatables, arts and crafts, an auto show and a variety of food trucks. The first official event — the Kiddie Parade featuring residents on bikes, tricycles, wagons and more decorated in patriotic styles — starts at about 11 a.m. at the low water crossing. Participants will be recognized with awards for their costumes and decorations at the park’s pavilion at 11:30 a.m.
That’s followed by an afternoon of music and activities. Here’s the day’s schedule:
- 10:30 a.m. - Opening
- 11 a.m. - Kiddie Parade at the low water crossing bridge
- 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - The Best Of Band (1960s and 1970s covers)
- 1:45-3:45 p.m. - Aviator (rock, blue grass and funk influences)
- 4:30-6:30 p.m. - Rob and The Renegades (classic rock and country)
- 7:15 p.m. until the fireworks - Flashbacks (classic rock)
- 9:30 p.m. - Fireworks
Event attendance is free. However, some rides and activities do require tickets, which can be purchased at the event. Food and products are available for purchase.
Sertoma will invest proceeds back into the community.
Visit https://georgetown4th.org for more information.
Georgetown VFW festivities
Georgetown’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8587 at 1000 North College Street will host a family-friendly event celebrating the county and its veterans.
The Post will be open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., starting with an arts and crafts fair and ending with a close-up view of Georgetown Sertoma Club’s fireworks display in San Gabriel Park.
Opening ceremonies are set for 11 a.m., with a presentation of colors by the Round Rock High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC. Navy veteran J.J. Golden of Georgetown will sing the national anthem.
VFW volunteers will be serving up a free picnic with hamburgers and hotdogs, starting at 11:30 a.m. until supply runs out. Water, soft drinks, beer and margaritas will be sold. A food truck will also be on site.
Family activities will include cornhole, plus a chance to see horses the Ride on Center for Kids is bringing from noon to 1:30 p.m. The Georgetown Police and/or Fire departments will also have displays outside.
At about 1 p.m., District 31 U.S. Representative John Carter will speak, followed by remarks from District 20 State Representative Terry Wilson. Retired Army General Robert Halverson is the keynote speaker.
On the entertainment stage, musical acts are scheduled as follows.
- 11:15 a.m. – Ciehara Dust (rock, blues and country)
- 2 p.m. – Truth and Consequences (country and rock)
- 4 or 4:30 p.m. – Tyee Miles and the Hard Times (rock and blues)
- 7:30 p.m. – Frendz (classic rock and country)
Those attending should park in the VFW’s lot. However, keep in mind that because of the fireworks display, the Georgetown Fire Department will close College Street between 8-10 p.m.
Others activities around Wilco
Leander and Liberty Hill both host their Independence Day celebrations one day early, on Friday, July 3.
Liberty Hill’s Independence Day Spectacular is from 6-10 p.m. at Liberty Hill Middle School, 13125 Highway 29. All activities and contests are free, and food and beverages available for purchase. Activities include a kids zone, music, watermelon seed spitting contest, apple pie contest, hot dog eating contest, fireworks and more. Parking is $20 (cash or Venmo only) and available at the middle school or Louine Noble Elementary School. Proceeds benefit LHISD’s education foundation.
Leander’s Liberty Fest is the city’s largest annual event and includes live music, food, children’s activities and a fireworks display at Devine Lake Park, 1807 Waterfall Avenue, Leander. The fun starts at 6 p.m. Admission is free for all ages. Parking opens at 5 p.m. at Glenn High School, 1320 Collaborative Way, Leander.
Round Rock Frontier Days starts bright and early Saturday, July 4.. First, gather on Mays Street between Mays Crossing and Sunset Drive for the patriotic parade through downtown at 8:30 a.m. Then, head to Lakeview Stage and Pavilion in Old Settlers Park, 1501 Harrell Parkway, for Frontier Days, including music, festival food, vendors, family activities, Swifty Swine Racing Pigs, the pepper eating contest and fireworks after dark.
Taylor and Dale Watson’s American Legion Fourth of July Picnic is an annual partnership between the city and American Legion Graham D. Luhn Post 39 at Murphy Park. A parade starts Saturday, July 4, at 9 a.m. and runs from Seventh Street and Davis to Murphy Park. Then there’s an ice cream social at 10 a.m. at the Murphy Park Pavilion. That afternoon, live music starts at 4 p.m. at the Pavilion, featuring Dale Watson and special guests Amber Digby and Not Past 11. Finally, the fireworks will be set off after sunset over the Murphy Park duck pond, around 9:45 p.m.
Jarrell’s fireworks display takes place Saturday at about 9 p.m. at the Sheriff Posse Rodeo Arena at 1600 County Road 305. Parking is also available at the Jarrell Memorial Park.
Two chances to listen to a Declaration of Independence reading
The criminal defense attorneys of Goddard & Hoing, P.C. will publicly read the Declaration of Independence on the Williamson County Courthouse steps at noon on Friday, July 3.
The reading will be paired with the presentation of colors by Georgetown ISD’s color guard, and a performance of the national anthem.
The event is part of a larger effort by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Defense attorneys in every county across the state have read the Declaration of Independence at noon on the same day every year since 2010 to honor the country’s birthday.
The July 3 event is open to the public, and all defense attorneys are invited to volunteer to read.
A similar but separate event is also being held at the county courthouse July 8 at 5 p.m. As part of America’s 250th birthday and “Sharing the Spirit of America,” this reading of the Declaration of Independence will take place at the same date and time as it did 250 years ago in Philadelphia. Other readings of the document will take place around the U.S. and the world at the same time on July 8.
County, city offices close for Independence Day
Williamson County offices will be closed Friday, July 3, in observance of Independence Day. Normal county business hours will resume Monday, July 6. There will be no Commissioners Court meeting on Tuesday, July 7.
The City of Georgetown’s offices will be closed on Friday, July 3. Facilities that have Saturday hours will be closed as well.
The buildings that will be closed July 3 include:
- Airport Terminal, 500 Terminal Drive
- Art Center, 816 South Main Street
- askGTX and Customer Care call centers
- City Hall, 808 Martin Luther King Jr. Street
- Council and Courts Building (including Municipal Court), 510 West Ninth Street
- Georgetown Municipal Complex, 300-1 Industrial Avenue
- Grace Heritage Center, 817 South Main Street
- Parks and Recreation Administration, 1101 North College Street
- Planning Department, 809 Martin Luther King Jr. Street
- Public Library, 402 West Eighth Street
- Public Safety Operations and Training Center, Police Records, and Fire Support Services offices, 3500 D.B. Wood Road
- Visitors Center, 505 South Austin Avenue
There will be no GoGeo paratransit service on July 3. Residents are invited to use rideGTX to get discounted Uber rides within the Georgetown service area.
These facilities will be open on July 3 but closed on Saturday:
- • Recreation Center, 1003 North Austin Avenue – open Friday, July 3, closed Saturday, July 4
- Tennis Center, 400 Serenada Drive – open Friday, July 3, closed Saturday, July 4
- Transfer Station, 250 W.L. Walden Drive – open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, July 3, closed Saturday, July 4
- Village Pool, 370 Village Commons Boulevard – open Friday, July 3, closed Saturday, July 4
These facilities will be open both days:
- Garey Park, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Williams Drive Pool, 3201 Williams Drive, from 1-7 p.m.
- Splash pads at Garey Park, San Jose Park, Rabbit Hill Park and Ninth and Main Streets
There will be regular solid waste and recycling collection on July 3.