Things to Do in Tulsa This Weekend, 4th of July Edition

Looking for the 2010 list of 4th of July events here on TDT? Get it here.

If you thought last weekend was chock-full of things to do here in T-Town, just you wait. It's Fourth of July weekend, and everyone from here to miles and miles west of the Arkansas River will be out waving flags and setting little bits of paper and gunpowder on fire and eating their weight in grilled dogs and burgers.

Just in case you missed this morning's rundown on the KRMG Morning News with Joe Kelley, or in case you did catch it and yet have an insatiable appetite for goings-on, keep reading:

Get Your National Pride On

• Fourth on the Third. One of Tulsa's two symphonies - Signature Symphony - will delight onlookers at the southeast campus of Tulsa Community College at the VanTrease PACE on Friday night with a selection of patriotic tunes. It all starts at 7:30. Adults, bring $12; kids, $6. Seniors are $8 and students are $6.
• Rhythm on the River. The Fourth of July festivities get started a little early this year with live music on Friday night at the new 41st Street Plaza along Riverside Drive. Pull in at 6:30 for some live music from Ladd Smith. Price of admission is free; just remember to bring a blanket and some lawn chairs along.
• Fleet Feet Firecracker 5K. If you can say that five times fast, or if you just really enjoy sweating your patootie off in the Oklahoma heat and humidity, register for this family 5K/fun run event by Friday afternoon. The races start bright and early Saturday morning at 7:30 by the Fleet Feet store, in King's Pointe Village at 61st and Yale. Stay tuned after the run for food and prize drawings.
• Fourth of July Bike Parade. Feeling a little nostalgic this year? Head to New Haven United Methodist Church (between Yale and Harvard and 51st and 61st Streets) for a parade of decorated bikes, trikes, wagons and strollers. Feel free to bring your own wheeled thing and slide into the parade. Enjoy also some music, sno-cones, a Jupiter Jump and a water slide. This event is free, and it all gets started Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
• Tulsa Barn Dance. Get back to your Okie roots with a little square dancing Saturday night. Look for the outlandishly dressed crowd on Cherry Street at Evanston, and don't forget to bring $5 - twice that much if you bring a date along. My bet is you'd be able to catch a glimpse of the big River Parks fireworks show (more about that below) from this event, which lets loose at 7:30 p.m.

Fireworks Shows

• Red, White and BOOM. Hit US 169 North to Owasso to catch free seating at a spectacular event. It all goes down Thursday night at the Owasso High School football stadium. The gates will open at 7, and fireworks start at dark, about 9:45.
• ONEOK Freedom Fest. Show your support for this purportedly short-of-cash event by heading to one of the three viewing locations for a helluva 9:30 p.m. fireworks show on July 4: RiverWest Festival Park, 18th and Jackson. Live music starts at 6 p.m. with Eric and the Blasters and then on to Brian Lee Dunning and the Rock and Roll Trio at 8:30. Parking is paid at $5 per vehicle near the park and West Bank Arbor Park. Veteran's Park, 18th and Boulder. Live entertainment at 6 with Cindy Cain and Jennifer and Pete Marriot. Concessions will be available all day from 3-9:30, and kiddos get free inflatable toys.
• 19th and Riverside. Check out Susan Herndon at 6 and 106.9 KHITS at 7. Concessions will be around starting at noon and ending at about the time the sky will explode in a fit of fire and color and things that go boom.
• Los Cabos Fourth of July Firework Fiesta. If you're out south near the Los Cabos location in Broken Arrow, or if you find yourself a little further down the river than 19th Street (ahem, Jenks), head to Los Cabos Land for live music and fire shows on July 4. The Broken Arrow location will feature Sextion 8, and Jenks is gonna rock the river with Travis Kidd Band and f-16 fly-overs. There's nothing like stupid-fast planes flying overhead to make a person really feel like an American. Start heading toward either location starting at 3 on Saturday.
• Freedom Fest at Liberty Park. Find Liberty Park in east Sapulpa, at the west end of that little stretch of road we cool kids like to call Route 66. The park will be hoppin' bring and early starting at 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on July 4. The famous America Celebrates America fireworks show will start near the Sapulpa Golf Course (drive toward the lights of Wal-Mart on the west side of S-town) at 9:45.
• Keystone Lake. Who out there can get enough lake time at this time of year. Not I, said the Okie. Work in even more time on the water by heading to K-Lake for some fireworks this year on the 4th. The show will start at 9:30, and the best way to see it is by getting on the water near Derick Island in some type of sea-worthy watercraft. Land-bound fireworks hunters can park in the open area across from Freddie's Steakhouse and Steer Inn in Mannford.

Everything Else

• A Little Night Music. There's nothing like a little romantic comedy, especially if everyone in the production is singing at the top of their lungs. For such a creamy affair, head to the John Williams Theater at Tulsa's PAC at 8 p.m. on Thursday or Friday night and spend a little time with Light Opera Oklahoma. Tickets start at $25.
• Crayons! Improv. Ever been to the Agora Coffeehouse, in the Fontana Shopping Center at 51st and Memorial. Hip little place, it is. It's even hipper when it's full of local improv comedians. One of times will happen Friday night starting at 8 p.m. Bring $5 or risk being the butt of one of the players' spur-of-the-moment jokes.
• Films on the Lawn. What's more relaxing than kicking back with some dinner and a movie? Kicking back with some dinner and a movie under real, live stars, that's what. Get your fill Friday night on the north lawn at Philbrook Museum with the Academy-Award winning Forrest Gump. Gates open at 7:30, and the movie starts at about 9. Cost is $5 for members, $7 for not-yet-members. Bring a picnic dinner, a blanket and a few lawn chairs.
• Wine & Jazz. If you're still kicking after all of these patriotic doin's, head to RiverWalk Crossing in Jenks Sunday evening for plenty of wine, food and live entertainment. Bring $20 to the amphitheater, and be sure to be there by 6.