If you don't have time to head out and celebrate Independence Day tonight, there are plenty of events happening around Northwest Arkansas on the actual Fourth of July. Take the family out, or bring your friends, to enjoy food, fireworks and patriotic activities.
TONIGHT
Freedom Fireworks -- With music by Boom Kinetic at 7 p.m., fireworks at 9:25 p.m., Northwest Arkansas Mall in Fayetteville. Free. northwestarkansasmall.com.
Bella Vista Freedom Fest -- Live entertainment at 6 p.m. with food trucks and kids' activities, fireworks at dusk, Loch Lomond Dam. Bring a lawn chair. Free. bellavistapoa.com.
Fireworks -- Live music by Ted Tidwell and the Second Wind Band, cake walk for kids, food from 6 to 8 p.m. ($5, cash only; ice cream or cupcake, $1), fireworks at 9 p.m., Lost Bridge Village Recreation Center on the shore of Beaver Lake in Garfield. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. 359-3204.
Fireworks -- Music and fireworks, 9 p.m. or dark near the L-dock, Prairie Creek Marina near Rogers. Free. prairiecreekmarina.com.
Fireworks -- Cookout 4-8 p.m., fireworks at dusk, Elks Lodge at 4444 N. Crossover Road in Fayetteville. 841-4514.
SATURDAY
Freedom Fest -- 5K at 7:30 a.m. at Means Wilkinson Community Center; games, music and food, noon; fireworks after sunset, Greenwood city square. Buy tickets for 5K online; fest is free. greenwoodarparks.weebly.com.
Freedom Fest -- Car show all day, awards at 4 p.m.; adult co-ed softball all day; Little Miss and Mister Gentry at 4 p.m.; Kaylin Cripps Band at 5:30 p.m., headliner Chris Lane of Nashville at 8 p.m.; and fireworks at dusk, City Park in Gentry. gentryarkansas.us.
War Eagle Mill Celebrates Independence Day -- War Eagle Mill in Rogers is hosting a day of family-friendly activities for 4th of July. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the kids craft tent will have keepsakes, crafts and face painting. There will be Chicago-style hot dogs, blue corn dogs, and old-fashioned root beer floats for sale, as well as a lunch special at the Bean Palace Restaurant from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Crawfish Bash -- 11 a.m., Elks Lodge at 4444 N. Crossover Road in Fayetteville. Proceeds will benefit the Fayetteville Firemen's Children Scholarship fund. Burgers and dogs are also available. 841-4514.
Patriot Parade -- With grand marshal Army T-5 Russ Bonacker, World War II veteran who was present at the Battle of the Bulge, 11 a.m., Sugar Creek Center in Bella Vista. Any veteran and family members who wish to join the parade can walk following the color guard. Hosted by the Bella Vista Patriots.
Kids' Crafts -- 1-3 p.m., Fort Smith Museum of History, 320 Rogers Ave. in Fort Smith,. For children 12 and younger accompanied by an adult. Free with museum admission; reservations required. Museum admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children. fortsmithmuseum.org or 783-7841.
Fireworks Spectacular -- A new tradition at the Walmart AMP in Rogers featuring SoNA, gates open at 6 p.m., music starts at 7 p.m., fireworks at dusk. $5 lawn tickets and $10 covered area tickets; includes entrance for 1 adult & up to 4 children. visitrogersarkansas.com.
Fourth at the Field -- Special exhibition College Baseball League game at 6:35 p.m., Fireworks Spectacular at 9:05 p.m. at Arvest Ballpark in Springdale. $9 for adults, $3 for kids. nwanaturals.com or 877-444-2637.
An Evening at Orchards Park -- Music by Kaylee Rutland at 7 p.m., followed by the Arkansas Winds' "Tribute to America" and fireworks at 9:30 p.m., Orchards Park in Bentonville. Free. playbentonville.com.
Mayor's Fourth of July Celebration -- Music at 7 p.m., fireworks at 9:30 p.m., Harry E. Kelley Park in downtown Fort Smith. Free. godowntownfs.com.
Fourth of July Concert -- With the Bella Vista Community Concert Band, 7 p.m., Blowing Springs Park in Bella Vista. Free. The Bella Vista Sunrise Rotary Club will serve a picnic supper from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. The meal is $8 with proceeds benefiting local nonprofits.
Ventris Trail's End Fireworks -- 13th annual Ventris Trail's End Resort fireworks display, 8 p.m., 9484 Simrell Drive in Garfield. Visible by boat just south of mile marker 8 on Beaver Lake. Free. beaverlakeresorts.com.
Fireworks -- 8:30 p.m., Van Buren Field of Dreams. Free. 474-1541.
Fire in the Sky -- Family fun & fireworks at 9 p.m., First National Bank Soccer Complex at 202 Old Stonewall Road in Harrison. Free. harrisonarkansas.org.
Farmington Freedom Fest -- Fireworks presentation at dusk at the Farmington High School football field. Free.
Rodeo of the Ozarks Fireworks -- After the rodeo, 10 p.m., Parsons Stadium in Springdale. Buy tickets to the rodeo online. Fireworks free. parsonsstadium.com.
-- Jocelyn Murphy
NAN What's Up on 07/03/2015