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A guide to the Fourth of July weekend in the Coastal Bend

The festivities began Friday, July 2, with a BBQ kick off sponsored by the Nueces County Brewing Company.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — UPDATE: Fireworks show on Bayfront moved up, to 9 p.m.

The Fourth of July weekend is among us in the Coastal Bend and we here at 3News want to ensure that you have the most up to date information with all that's happening this weekend.

Mayor's Big Bang Celebration

Downtown is filled with those celebrating the holiday weekend. Tonight, the Mayor's Big Bang Celebration will feature a firework show on the bayfront at 9:00 p.m. Click here for the full schedule. 

You can stream the firework show on our website on Sunday, July 4, at 9:00 p.m.

NAS-Kingsville Birthday Bash/Fourth of July Celebrations

The 4th of July is not only an opportunity for us to celebrate our nations birthday, but it also happens to be Kingsville’s Birthday (Est. July 4, 1904) and NAS-Kingsville’s Birthday (Est. July 4, 1942)!  

We will be celebrating with our traditional pet, bike and people parade at 10 a.m. July 3rd.  We will have a free gift for spectators and folks can still register for the bike and pet parade morning of.  

There will be prizes for winners and there are several different categories.  

After the parade, folks are invited to enjoy free hot dogs, cake and refreshments after the parade at our pavilion located on 6th street.  The Train Depot Museum will also be open for visitors to explore the very location Kingsville celebrated it’s birthday on the 4th of July when the first passenger train headed south, opening up travel to all of South Texas!  This event is **FREE** for both parade entries and spectators.

Then on July 4th at 3 p.m. the Kingsville Symphony Orchestra will host Memorable Melodies, A Patriotic Celebration at 3 p.m. with Guest Artist Dr. Melinda Brou, Soprano.  This event will take place at the Jones Auditorium.  General Seating is $15 and Premium Seating is $25.  Active Duty and Veterans are FREE, as are all TAMUK students.  Tickets can be purchased here: https://kingsvillesymphony.org/tickets.

 On July 4th at 5 p.m. we will be hosting a FREE Concert Downtown on Main Street (Kleberg Avenue between 7th & 8th Streets.  The concert will feature Las Fenix and Friends Lucky Joe and La Calma.  Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy a night of festivities with some merchants staying open, vendors and beverages available for purchase.  No outside food or drinks allowed. 

Come on out and celebrate our 117th birthday and NAS-Kingsville’s 79th this 4th of July weekend.  Hotel discounts and events can be found at Kingsville Visitors Center on Facebook and at www.KingsvilleTexas.com.

RELATED: SPID ramp reversal project paused for holiday weekend

Beach Safety

Know before you go. First responders are urging residents to be cautious at the beach, be aware of rip currents and pay attention to the flag warning system. Red flags mean water conditions are hazardous and swimming isn't recommended. 

Credit: 3News

RELATED: New safety measures will close jetties on Padre Island when waves crash over guard rails

RELATED: Father, son who drowned at Port Aransas beach identified

DWI patrolling and illegal fireworks

Call (361) 886-2600, NOT 911, to report illegal fireworks.

Police, along with firefighters, will also be responding to fireworks being set off inside city limits, which is illegal.

For people who are caught red handed, they will be given one expensive lesson.

Fire Chief Robert Rocha said someone found to be in possession of fireworks could face up to a $2,000 dollar fine per open package.

Road Closures begin Sunday

Downtown road closures on Sunday for the Mayor's Big Bang Celebration will begin at 7:30 a.m., city officials announced.

Downtown 

  • North Shoreline Boulevard between Power Street and Coopers Alley will be closed.
  • South Shoreline Boulevard between IH-37 and John Sartain Street will be closed.
    • South Shoreline Boulevard is reduced to one lane between Power Street and IH-37.
  • Northbound Water Street is reduced to one lane between Coopers Alley and Lomax Street.
  • Eastbound IH-37 between Water Street and South Shoreline Boulevard will be closed.
  • Access to establishments fronting Shoreline Boulevard will be maintained via Water Street.
  • Existing ONE-WAY streets will be temporarily converted to TWO-WAY traffic flow for the duration of the closure.
  • Access to the T-Heads will be maintained via Water Street.
  • There will be parking restrictions at various locations where “NO PARKING SPECIAL EVENT” signage is posted.

North Beach 

At 7:00 p.m. or as directed by the Corpus Christi Police Department.

  • SB US 181 “Texas State Aquarium/USS Lexington/North Beach” Exit will be Closed.

Pet Safety

According to Corpus Christi Animal Services, the Fourth of July can cause an increase in calls for lost pets who are spooked by fireworks.

Joel Skidmore with ACS said that making sure your pets feel safe during fireworks is important and don't trust a fence or enclosure. If scared enough, they can still manage to escape.

One way to be proactive is by making sure your pet is microchipped.

The city offers free microchipping every Thursday from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Once your pet is microchipped, they will be up to date with the city's new registration and license requirements.

RELATED: Tips for pet safety during loud firework events this Fourth of July

For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.

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