Happy Independence Day week! The national holiday falls on a Saturday this year, and if you play your red, white, and blue cards right, you could celebrate all week. Abilene has plenty of fun things to do and great places to entertain family and friends, and they all need community support right now. Plan a staycation and check out the fun things to do in your own backyard.
Have cousins or grandchildren in town? Snag Round Up Passes for the whole gang. These include one-time admission to Abilene’s top attractions at a great price: The Abilene Zoo, Frontier Texas!, Taylor County History Center, Grace Museum, 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum, and National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature are colorful places to take guests. All venues have adapted hours, and we’ve got a handy list here with links to help you plan.
The Grace Museum galleries feature phenomenal exhibits right now, but will be closed July 4, so catch their exhibit by Friday.
The Center for Contemporary Arts will debut two new exhibits Thursday, July 2. Reserve a spot now to attend the reception and celebrate work by talented artist members Anthony Fuentez and Ruthie Swedlund. The fun starts at 5:30 pm, so you’ll have time to stroll downtown for coffee, drinks or dessert after admiring the show.
As always, Abilene State Park is a great spot to fish, kayak, birdwatch or hike the trails. The park’s historic swimming pool, a favorite among locals, will reopen for the summer July 2. Online reservations are required for day passes or overnight guests. Reservations are required for the pool, as it will operate at reduced capacity. Here are a few outdoor activities and helpful links to find fun in the sun.
The beloved Paramount Theatre downtown will reopen Friday, July 3, with a special screening of the classic action film “Independence Day.” Get tickets online now to reserve a socially distant space. We recommend the deluxe pack, which throws in a large drink, bucket of popcorn and candy of your choice. Even better, make reservations for dinner downtown, and stroll to the theatre after a great meal. Patio dining options abound.
Here’s the week’s big blowout: The Abilene Freedom Festival will celebrate Independence Day with classic all-American fun: food trucks, a BBQ cook-off, children’s activities and live music on the grounds of the Taylor County Expo Center. Gates open at 4:00 pm July 4, with performances from Jerrod Medulla, Wade Bowen and country superstar Neal McCoy. A new twist this year will be the thrilling acrobatics of the Cirque Adventure troupe, and it’s all thrown in with one ticket price. First responders, military and health care professionals get a heroes’ discount. Buy general admission or VIP (limited availability) tickets here. You’ll cap off the evening watching the biggest fireworks show in Texas, bountiful blasts choreographed to patriotic tunes. That’s something to sing about.
If a scenic drive is more your speed, check out this cool “Mid-Century Modern Scavenger Hunt” from the history lovers at the Abilene Preservation League. QR codes with clues and a map help you navigate Abilene and admire retro architecture from the car. The APL folks are offering fun prizes, too. Turn in your scavenger hunt results to be eligible. The last chance to win is July 5.
Our area businesses are hard at work to provide you an experience while ensuring you feel comfortable in today's environment. Let's keep our local businesses alive by supporting them this Holiday weekend.
As always, the Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau is your source for hot happenings around town. Celebrate every day with something fun. You can find it at abilenevisitors.com.