Fourth celebrations aim to be family affair in Katy
Looking for a way to celebrate Independence Day?
Plans for Fourth of July festivities in the Katy area offer plenty of family friendly entertainment and fireworks displays. Katy Freedom Celebration
The city of Katy is planning its annual Freedom Celebration, which includes morning activities, food and an evening fireworks extravaganza. The lineup of events begins at 9 a.m. with an opening ceremony by VFW Post 9182 at Katy Elementary School, 5726 George Bush Drive, and an open house at the city fire station, 1417 Ave. D.
The open house will include tours and the opportunity to meet the city’s firefighters.
“Life Flight is coming with their helicopter,” said Kayce Reina, the city’s director of marketing and tourism. “They make a big
landing. It’s awesome to watch.”
Firefighters will demonstrate how they use extraction tools to cut open cars to conduct emergency rescues of passengers.
Also planned is a traditional ceremony to mark the city’s acquisition of its newest fire truck, an event in which firefighters will push the apparatus backward into the station.
The site will feature a dunking booth, petting zoo, bounce house and games for the kids. H-E-B will provide free hot dogs for an on-site cookout.
At the elementary school, VFW officials will offer a silent auction and preview for a live auction at 10 a.m., with the live auction starting at 12:15 p.m.
The live auction will feature a football donated by Katy High School football coach Gary Joseph that was signed by members of the 2015 Katy High School football championship team. The team won its eighth state championship in December, tying a Texas state record.
Another auction item will be a ride in a 1943 Boeing Stearman World War II biplane.
Other items up for bid include gift baskets, quilts, paintings, tickets to Typhoon Texas and various eating establishments and three months of tuition and registration for Brazilian ju-jitsu.
Volunteers will serve a barbecue lunch at 11:45 p.m. as part of the fundraiser.
Proceeds from the auctions and barbecue dinners will benefit the post and its programs.
Tickets for the barbecue are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. For children age 11 and under, tickets are $8 in advance and $12 at the door.
Lunch is limited to 400 tickets, auction chairman Mike Mastrangelo said, and the number of to-go meals also will be limited.
To obtain tickets, call Betty Edmundson at 281391-8387.
Visit http://www. vfw9182.com/ for details.
“People go back and forth to the VFW (activities at the school) and the fire station,” Reina said. “They’ll get hot dogs for the kids and then parents grab barbecue and help raise money for a good cause.”
The Katy Heritage Museum, 6002 George Bush Drive, will serve ice cream for dessert.
A train engine named “The Katy” will be parked on the tracks at U.S. 90 and Pin Oak Road for the day, providing residents a chance to take photos beside it, Reina said.
The celebration’s finale is a firework show starting at 9 p.m. at Katy Mills Mall, 5000 Katy Mills Circle.
Fourth at LaCenterra
LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch is preparing for its 10th annual Fourth of July celebration.
The event drew 5,000 its first year and 25,000 last year, said Lindsay Kaye, the community’s marketing director.
The event begins at 4:30 p.m. with the Kids Patriotic Bike Parade at Central Green Park at LaCenterra, 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd.
Children gather around 4 p.m. at the LaCenterra’s Courtyard with bikes that are often decked out in red, white and blue, and they will proceed through the green space. First-, second- and third-place awards plus one for honorable mention will be given to the “Most Patriotic Bike.” No sign-up is required.
A children’s play area in Central Green Park will feature inflatables, a juggler on unicycle, stilt walkers, face painting, balloon art, a photo booth, musical entertainment and a performance by Move Dance and Fitness Center. The play area will be across from Fish City Grill and Restless Palate.
At LaCenterra, Katy VFW Post member Gary Drahos will be joined by a small group of his peers and their wives as they sell patriotic pinwheels and glow sticks at the Patriotic Outpost, which sits across from the entertainment stage.
“I’ve been doing it for four years. Each time I do it, it gets bigger and bigger,” Drahos said.
“There’s a neighborhood block party kind of feel,” Kaye said. “You can hang out with your family, make it a girls’ night out or spend time with friends.”
Live music begins at 5:30 p.m. when Sheila Marshall takes the stage. The Top 10 finalist on TV’s “Nashville Star” has a bluesy, roots-rock voice.
Chris Boss will follow her performance, playing from 7:30-9 p.m. The musician recently released his third album titled “Evolution.”
Fireworks are planned for around 9:15 p.m., and the musical background will be simulcast on Sunny 99.1.
“There will be lots of space for people to bring their blankets and set up to view the fireworks,” Kaye said.