How to celebrate July 4th and America250 in San Antonio
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The Stars & Stripes on Houston Street Parade in 2024. Photo: Courtesy of Centro San Antonio
San Antonio is gearing up to celebrate this July Fourth with new offerings and traditions.
Why it matters: July Fourth fireworks will be back downtown for the first time in 15 years.
The big picture: This year also marks America's 250th birthday. America250 is a series of events stemming from Congress' U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission.
- The San Antonio area has several official events, including the Stars and Stripes on Houston Street extravaganza downtown.
- There are also offerings outside the July Fourth holiday, including an ongoing city exhibition about the influence of Texas women ranch owners during the American Revolution.
The latest: New this year is the Stars & Stripes Downtown 5K, starting at 8:30am.
- The Stars and Stripes on Houston Parade, and the food and music festival, both kick off at 10am.
- The event will culminate this year with a 9pm fireworks display at Civic Park at Hemisfair.
- All events are free except for the 5K, which has a $40 registration fee.
What they're saying: "We launched this celebration in 2024 with the goal of bringing a major Fourth of July parade back to downtown, something the city had not seen since 1898," Trish DeBerry, Centro San Antonio CEO, said in a statement.
- "But this year truly marks the beginning of what we always imagined it could become."
Plus: There will be a new fireworks show on the Northwest Side this year with the addition of a display from Signia by Hilton La Cantera Resort & Spa.
Other celebrations around town include:
- The annual free party at Woodlawn Lake Park kicks off with fitness activities at 8am. Fireworks begin at 9pm; lawn chairs are encouraged.
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas will host Star-Spangled Nights July 3-5. For the first time this year, there will be three distinct fireworks shows across the park on July Fourth, including the return of a 360-degree display visible throughout the park — what it's calling the largest in Texas.
- The Alamo will host a variety of programming throughout the day, including a Living History team dressed in period clothing, a musket firing demonstration and live music. The fun begins at 10am.
The bottom line: There's no shortage of July Fourth fun in San Antonio this year.