Arkansas fires up the Fourth of July with dozens of community and state park celebrations, and naturally so.
This red, white, blue and green state includes the towns of Jefferson and Old Lexington, and Washington, Independence and Pulaski counties.
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In fact, what better place to start the festivities than Pulaski County? -- named for the Revolutionary War hero Casimir Pulaski, who is credited with having saved George Washington's life in the Battle of Brandywine, 1777.
Billed as the state's largest gathering and fireworks show, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette-sponsored Pops on the River makes a day of it, noon-10 p.m. at First Security Amphitheater and in and around downtown Little Rock's River Market District.
Monday will be the 33rd annual boom for this free event that typically ignites a crowd of about 30,000 -- moms-the-bombs, big pops, little poppers and all.
Attractions include the Kids' Pavilion and Salute-the-Troops Program, along with performers, a car show, food concessions,"Oh Say! Can You Sing?" contest and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra with Philip Mann conducting. Fireworks start around 9:30 p.m., shot off the Main Street Bridge over the Arkansas River. More information is available at pops.arkansasonline.com.
July Fourth bang-ups elsewhere around the state range from fireworks to water balloons and ice cream, readings of the Declaration of Independence and cardboard boat races, including these:
BOOM TOWNS
• Frontier Fourth of July music and old-time games, watermelon and lemonade, 2-4 p.m. at Historic Arkansas Museum, Little Rock. Details at historicarkansas.org.
• Fourth of July Spectacular with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, games and fireworks at Walmart AMP, Rogers. Family activities at 4 p.m., AMP gates open at 6 p.m., fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Details at amptickets.com.
• Declaration of Independence readings and copies to sign, 10:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. at Historic Washington State Park near Hope. Details at historicwashingtonstatepark.com.
• Fun on the Fourth water-balloon volleyball and tug-of-war, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pinnacle Mountain State Park near Little Rock. Details at arkansas.com.
• Freedom 5K Fun Run in patriotic costumes, 9-11 a.m. at DeGray Lake Resort State Park near Bismarck. Details at degray.com.
• Cardboard Boat Race, 5:30 p.m. at Lake Willastein, Maumelle. Details at maumellechamber.com.
• Independence Day Parade and Celebration with ice cream social and flotilla on Crown Lake, fireworks over Turkey Mountain, Horseshoe Bend, north central Arkansas. Details at horseshoebendarcc.com.
ASSORTED CRACKERS
• At the movies, Independence Day: Resurgence rockets into the weekend, a sequel to the 1996 alien invasion. The outer space baddies resurge, but only to find Jeff Goldblum back from the original to kick their ooky tails again, with Liam Hemsworth's brawny help this time around.
• On cable TV, Turner Classic Movies shows a July 4 marathon of flag-waving flicks the likes of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Yankee Doodle Dandy and 1776. Details at tcm.com.
• At the ol' ball game, the Arkansas Travelers take on the Midland Rockhounds at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Dickey-Stephens Park, North Little Rock. Baseball fans can stay on base after the game to watch Pops on the River fireworks from the stadium. Details at milb.com.
Style on 07/03/2016