Good morning, Bastrop County! 👋
Happy Fourth of July week! The big day lands this Saturday, and Bastrop County does it right, parades, live music, free hot dogs, and fireworks over the Colorado River. We pulled together every celebration we could find across the county into one guide, so you can map out your day and stake out the best spot for the fireworks. Screenshot it, print it, share it with a neighbor.
Your full week of events lands Thursday as always. Today is all about the 4th.
Let's dig in.
👥 Join the conversation
Our Bastrop Current Community Group on Facebook keeps growing, with neighbors posting events, photos, and local finds every day. Got a 4th of July photo or a backyard cookout to share? Come post it with us.
🎆 The Bastrop County 4th of July Guide
🎨 Friday, July 3 | Warm-Up Night
🔓 United We Escape: A Revolutionary Escape Room | 6-9pm (6:00, 6:45 & 7:25 crews) | Bastrop County Museum & Visitor Center, 904 Main St, Bastrop | Crack the clues and save American history in this Revolutionary War escape room. $10 general, $15 members. Bastrop County Historical Society
Elgin Chalk It Up & Lighted 4th of July Parade | registration 5:30pm, chalk art and music into the evening | Veterans Memorial Park, downtown Elgin | Draw on your own or as a team to decorate the park for the 4th, with a DJ, snow cones, a raffle at 7:30pm, and a lighted parade to close the night. Free, all ages. City of Elgin
🇺🇸 Saturday, July 4 | Bastrop | Big BANG!
Bastrop's marquee celebration runs all day downtown and ends with fireworks over the river.
🎶 The Honor Choir | before the parade | downtown Bastrop | The Honor Choir opens the morning in song, then leads everyone down Pine Street onto Main Street to the Opera House playing their kazoos. The Honor Choir
🐾 Pet & Pedal Parade | registration 8am, parade 9am | Bastrop County Courthouse | Decorate your pet or anything on wheels (no motors) and roll through downtown.
🛴 Freedom on Wheels Play Street | 10am-12pm | South Main St (Chestnut to Pine) | A car-free street for bikes, scooters, and skates.
🐸 Toads & Treasures: Stars & Stripes Hunt | 11am-6pm | downtown shops | A scavenger hunt for hidden toads, with prizes.
🎪 North Main Games | 5-7pm | North Main St (Chestnut to Spring) | Sack hops, water balloon toss, and cornhole.
🎆 Big BANG! Celebration & Fireworks | 6-9:30pm, fireworks at dark | Fisherman's Park, 1200 Willow St | Music, food and market vendors, bounce houses, water slides, a ninja course, and fireworks over the Colorado River.
🛶 Fireworks on the River (Bastrop River Co.) | July 4 evening, advance reservations required | launches from Fisherman's Park, Bastrop | Skip the crowds and watch the Big BANG fireworks from the seat of a kayak on the Colorado River. A one-of-a-kind view, limited capacity, and offered just once a year, so book ahead. Bastrop River Co.
🎉 Saturday, July 4 | Smithville | Americana & Texas 250th
An all-day celebration that doubles as a Texas 250th birthday bash.
🚲 Kids' Bicycle Decorating Contest | 9:30am | James H. Long Railroad Park | Decorate your bike with patriotic flair before the parade.
🎉 Americana & Texas 250th Parade | 10:30am | Main St | Floats, golf carts, vintage cars, and patriotic bicyclists.
🌭 Free Hot Dog Meal, Cake Walk & Games | from 11am | downtown & the VFW | Free hot dogs, chips, and a drink at the VFW, plus food vendors, a cash bar, and games for the kids.
🎆 Evening Celebration & Fireworks | afternoon through 9pm fireworks | Smithville VFW grounds | Live music and dancing, then a fireworks finale at 9pm.
🎇 Saturday, July 4 | Cedar Creek | Hyatt Regency Lost Pines
4th of July at Hyatt Lost Pines | all day | 575 Hyatt Lost Pines Rd, Cedar Creek | A festive parade, kids' foam party, and a fireworks display out in Cedar Creek, geared to resort guests and day-pass holders. Hyatt Lost Pines
🥃 Saturday, July 4 | More Around Bastrop
Open on the 4th at Copper Shot | 11am-10pm, Rock House live 6:30-9:30pm | Copper Shot Distillery, 809 Main St | Texas-made spirits, cocktails, and classic rock on the patio. Copper Shot
Alex Henley & The Exchange | Live Music | 6-9pm | Neighbor's Kitchen & Yard, 601 Chestnut St | Blues, rock, and soul in the yard before the fireworks. Neighbor's Kitchen & Yard
🎇 Where to Watch the Fireworks
Three big shows light up the county Saturday night: Bastrop over the Colorado River at Fisherman's Park (at dark, around 9pm), Smithville at the VFW grounds (9pm), and Hyatt Regency Lost Pines out in Cedar Creek. Pick your spot, pack the lawn chairs, and get there early.
🔮 One More Thing
Looking past the holiday, the McDade Watermelon Festival rolls in next weekend (Friday and Saturday, July 10-11) with a street dance, parade, and the free watermelon feast. We will have full details, plus the whole week of county events, in Thursday's issue.
🎁 July Referral Prize | $50 to a Local Favorite
Share your unique referral link below with one friend who'd love a weekly dose of Bastrop County. Every referral is an entry to win a $50 gift card to a local Bastrop County business, with our winner drawn at the end of July.
How Did We Do?
Before you go
However you celebrate this week, we hope it's full of family, good food, and a little awe when the sky lights up. Have a happy and safe 4th out in the county.
See you Thursday,
Marilyn - The Bastrop Current