Communities celebrate life, liberty and pursuit of happiness

Across Caldwell County this weekend, communities, volunteers, patriots and party-goers will gather to celebrate freedom. In recent years, Fourth of July festivities have grown throughout Caldwell County until now, when four unique celebrations will be held in four separate communities.

Weekend celebrations start on Saturday, when both Martindale and McMahan residents

will trot out their red, white and blue and celebrate the birth of a nation.

In Martindale, the annual Fourth of July Parade will wind its way down Main Street beginning at 10 a.m. What the Martindale Fourth of July Parade lacks in big-city glamour, it makes up for in honest, hometown fun.

While people line Main Street under the shade of live oaks and pecans, parade participants will strut their stuff in any manner of vehicles – from floats to flatbeds, golf carts to Radio Flyers.

Unlike parades that focus on gowns and glitter, the Martindale Fourth of July Parade has no Grand Marshal, no contests or prizes, and no set route. Although the parade officially starts at 10 a.m., don’t worry if you get to Martindale a little late. It is not uncommon for the parade to take two or three twirls through town before the end of the entertainment.

Residents of the eastern corners of Caldwell County might not want to travel to Martindale for a day of pre-Fourth of July fun. The residents of the McMahan area have put together the perfect solution.

Beginning at 10 a.m., “Whizzerville” will unite for the annual Fourth of July celebration in downtown McMahan. After the Whizzerville Fourth of July parade, a variety of vendors will set up at Whizzerville Hall, which is playing host to a day full of fun, games and live music, with fundraising activities including a raffle and auction for the McMahan Volunteer Fire Department.

At the end of the day, after night falls, visitors will be treated to a fireworks display.

If Saturday’s festivities don’t satisfy your inner patriot, Sunday, July 4, will also be a day full of family Fourth of July fun.

In Lockhart, the Annual Fourth of July Family Picnic will be held in Lockhart City Park. The City Pool will be open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. for a free swim day.

After taking a dip and cooling off, the celebration will move to the pond area for the Lockhart Chamber of Commerce’s Family Picnic, beginning at 4 p.m.

Residents and visitors are invited to gather under the pavilion, or set up a picnic blanket or barbecue pit in the ample City Park Lawn to enjoy an afternoon of fellowship and community building, leading up to the pinnacle of the evening.

At 8:40 p.m., skydivers from Skydive San Marcos will descend into City Park to signal the beginning of the county’s largest professional fireworks show, which is each year carefully choreographed and set to patriotic music.

However, if you prefer a smaller, but no less engaging, celebration, the Dale Community will host their annual Fourth of July Parade and fireworks show, beginning at 8 p.m.

The parade, a veritable hodgepodge of walkers, bikers, hay-riders and cyclists will leave the Dale Volunteer Fire Department on FM 1854 at 8 a.m. sharp, and proceed to the Dale Community Center, where an all-volunteer, donation-funded fireworks display will dazzle even the most discerning of tastes.

Although Caldwell County is presently not under a burn ban, and consequently the Caldwell County Commissioners have chosen not to enact a ban on fireworks this year, county residents and visitors are reminded to be cautious when using fireworks of any type.

Fireworks should only be ignited in areas where the grass has been cut and recently watered, and those using fireworks should keep a hose or water bucket handy for accidental fires that might be caused by sparks.

Fireworks are prohibited in all incorporated areas (cities) of Caldwell County, including the City of Lockhart.