Arlington is gearing up for its annual "Light Up Arlington" event, also marking its Centennial celebration this year. Slated for June 29, the free showcase of pyrotechnics, live music, and family activities is expected to pull thousands into the heart of the city, according to the City of Arlington, Texas. The celebration has been a tradition for 16 years, with this installment promising added zest thanks to the involvement of the Arlington Parks and Recreation department, along with local businesses and vendors.
With a vast spread over 64 acres around City Hall and the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library, attendees will encounter live bands playing at four distinct stages beginning at 6 p.m., with restaurants and bars like Arlington Music Hall and Grease Monkey serving as backdrops. Not to be missed, according to the city's press release, are the 7 p.m. tunes at Levitt Pavilion Arlington, showcasing the vibrance of Kiara Mullins & Crash Through The Floor, succeeded by Donovan Keith's spirited R&B/soul aromas at 8:30 p.m.
Kids' programming is stacked with face painting, a bubbling bus of joy, and vendors catering to preferences sweet and savory in the Downtown Arlington sphere. Additionally, inside the Downtown Library, the Children’s Area will thrill with a scavenger hunt tailored for Independence Day, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., while creativity blooms in the reBrary rooms with themed activities.
The high note of the night will be a 20-minute fireworks fiesta, synchronized with melodies on 95.9 The Ranch FM, painting the sky at 9:50 p.m. off City Tower’s rooftop. In anticipation of the combustible excitement, parking lots and streets near strategic points like the City Tower will embrace closures as early as 3 p.m. on June 29. The city is encouraging guests to use the Waze app to navigate through road closures effectively. Vehicles left in the City Tower parking post at 5 p.m. the previous day are due for towing and barred from escape until the firework display culminates and the lot reopens around 1 a.m. the next day.
The revelry spills into July with the 59th Annual Arlington Independence Day Parade, taking off at 9 a.m. on the 4th, themed "Home Run for Heroes." In its grand tradition since 1965, the parade will feature floats, antique cars, and bands marking a spectacle of celebration. Preceding the parade at 7 a.m. is the Firecracker 5k, a chase that beckons the athletic and spirited alike. For those unable to attend, local channels will broadcast live, ensuring no one misses a beat of Arlington's homage to the Land of the Free.
