Independence Day festivities set for July 3

From staff reports

Fireworks and parades will return to Caldwell County this Fourth of July weekend in a pair of community celebrations scheduled for Saturday, July 3.
In Lockhart, the Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza co-hosted by the City of Lockhart and the Lockhart Chamber of Commerce returns after a one-year hiatus on Independence Day Eve, as is tradition.
Fireworks begin at dusk, but the music will start and the vendors will be open at Lockhart City Park beginning at 5 p.m.
The skydivers will also make their return, making their grand entrance from the sky at approximately 8:15 p.m.
There is no charge to watch the show from the park, although parking is expected to be tight. Those interested in attending are invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs to watch the show.
Earlier that day, you can catch an Independence Day weekend parade in Martindale, which gets underway at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Parade participants will line up on the river side of NW River Road. Additional staging for the parade will take place in the field in front of the Holy Ground Church. Numbers will be assigned as participants arrive, and participants will be asked to write down one or two sentences they would like the announcer to read about their entry.
Children who want to participate in the parade, whether it is walking, riding a bicycle, or walking their dog, will start at the front of the parade, right behind the lead vehicle. As children arrive, they can wait on the grass of the Three Rivers Church. The children will only walk from Lockhart Street to Gonzales Street and then they will move to the right side of Main Street where their parents can pick them up if they are not walking with them.
Parade participants are asked to arrive no later than 9 a.m.