The Woodlands Celebrates July 4 With a Full Day OF Events Including the 17th Annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival and Fireworks Extravaganza

THE WOODLANDS, TX – Celebrate America’s independence in The Woodlands on July 4, 2014 at the 17th annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival, presented by Clear Choice Orthodontic Associates, and Fireworks Extravaganza, presented by BBVA Compass. As one the community’s signature events, the Festival will feature live music, children’s activities and vendors capped off with a 20-minute spectacular show simulcast on Sunny 99.1.

Produced by The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Festival will be held in Town Green Park and along The Woodlands Waterway. Families can enjoy hot dog and watermelon eating contests, face painting, strolling performers, games, inflatables, arts and crafts, concessions and more from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“With everything we have for families, there isn’t a better place to enjoy the Fourth of July than The Woodlands,” says Nick Wolda, president of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau. “And with July 4 on a Friday, it’s a perfect opportunity for families to stay for the weekend.”

The annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival and Fireworks Extravaganza is free and open to the public thanks to our generous sponsors: BBVA Compass, Clear Choice Orthodontic Associates, Coca Cola, Talisman Energy, City of Shenandoah, The Woodlands Development Company, Splashtown, Xfinity, Bud Light, The Strong Firm, U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady, Waste Management, Wright’s Printing, SplashTown, Gigi’s Cupcakes, St. Luke’s, Sunny 99.1, Houston Community Newspapers, The Courier, The Villager, reviewit Magazine, The Woodlands Lifestyles & Homes, WoodlandsOnline, Champions Printing, The Woodlands Community Magazine and Kidnnected Magazine.

A complete schedule of activities, directions and parking can be found on the event’s website, www.redhotblue.org.

Spectacular Fireworks Display

The Red, Hot & Blue Fireworks Extravaganza, presented by BBVA Compass, will light up the night sky at approximately 9:10 p.m.

As an added feature this year, families are encouraged to share their photos in social media outlets using #ShareTheWoodlands.

Due to construction at Waterway Square, all Festival activities will be located in Town Green Park and along The Woodlands Waterway. Waterway Square will not serve as a Festival location for this year’s event. Families are advised to watch for test shots fired every ten minutes from 8:40 p.m. until 9:10 p.m. to ensure the best viewing locations. Visit www.redhotblue.org for the most up-to-date information about festival activities and fireworks locations.

Full Schedule of Activities

Leading up to the Red, Hot & Blue Festival, families can spend an evening under the stars at the Houston Symphony’s annual Star Spangled Salute, a free concert at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on Thursday, July 3 starting at 8 p.m.

The next day, the Fourth of July celebration begins bright and early with the South County Fourth of July parade at Market Street, 9595 Six Pines Drive, starting at 9 a.m.

After the parade, cool off at Splash Day from noon to 4 p.m. at one of 14 pools in The Woodlands.  Later, bring the kids to Northshore Park, west of Lake Front Circle on Lake Woodlands Drive, for the “Things That Go” Bike Parade and Decorating Contest at 4:30 p.m. Children 14 years and younger are invited to parade their patriotically-decorated bike, scooter or wagon around the park with awards presented throughout the afternoon.  Concert in the Park will follow in Northshore Park at 5:30 p.m.

Beginning at 6 p.m., families can head over to Town Green Park and along The Woodlands Waterway for the annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival. After a welcome from Dana Tyson with Sunny 99.1, the Bud Light Stage will feature live music from Josh Fuller, Dirt & Diesel and Nobody’s Fool.

On the Talisman Energy Stage, Jay Rodriguez from Sunny 99.1 will welcome the crowd followed by live music performances by The Level One Band and Will Makar & The Redline.

In addition to live music at the Red, Hot & Blue Festival, kids can enjoy bungee jumping, bubble runners, a water slide, inflatables and vendor booths. The Woodlands Children’s Museum will offer free arts & crafts for the kids. The H-E-B hot dog and watermelon eating contests start at 6:30 p.m. in Town Green Park. To participate in the Eating Contest, attendees can sign up at the Eating Contest Tent located near the north entrance of Town Green Park.

Parking and Other Information for the Red, Hot & Blue Festival

Free parking is available in the Waterway Square Parking Garage between Fountain Plaza and Woodloch Court. Paid parking is available in the Town Center Parking Garage on Six Pines Drive, the 24 Waterway Square Parking Garage, the corner of Six Pines Drive and Lake Robbins Drive, and the corner of Waterway Avenue and Woodloch Forest Drive.  Handicap parking is available in the South Regional Library west of Town Green Park on Lake Robbins Drive.

Coolers, outside food and drinks are prohibited in Town Green Park during the Red, Hot & Blue Festival. The Woodlands Waterway Cruisers will operate on The Woodlands Waterway on July 4, 2014 until 8:45 p.m. The cruisers will resume regular operating hours on Saturday, July 5, 2014 at 11 a.m.

For more information on the Fourth of July activities and The Woodlands, go to www.redhotblue.org, www.VisitTheWoodlands.com or call 281-363-2447.  “Like” The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/VisitTheWoodlands, “follow” them on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TheWoodlandsCVB and “view” them on YouTube www.YouTube.com/TheWoodlandsCVB.