(WPTA) – Get ready for dazzling Fourth of July displays!

Communities all across northeast Indiana have planned fireworks shows to celebrate Independence Day.

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Here’s a look at the times, dates, and locations where you can catch a show in 21Country:

• Albion fireworks display
  • Held at the Central Noble Schools Albion campus at dusk on Wednesday, July 3.
• Angola’s July 4th Celebration
  • A parade will be held in downtown Angola starting at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 4, followed by a hotdog giveaway, a skydiving display, and a petting zoo.
  • Fireworks will then be lit at dusk at Commons Park.
• Berne – Red, White, & Blue Festival
• Bluffton fireworks display
  • Fireworks will be lit from the WEG parking lot, just north of the Boys & Girls Club, at 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 4.
• Columbia City fireworks display
  • Fireworks will be lit at dusk on Wednesday, July 3, at Morsches Park. Food vendors will be at the park starting at 5 p.m., and bounce houses will open at 6 p.m.  
• Decatur fireworks display
  • Fireworks will be lit at dusk at Riverside Park on Thursday, July 4. Before the big show, attendees can stop by for food from 5-9 p.m. and live music starting at 7 p.m. At 9 p.m., the American Legion Color Guard will honor fallen veterans with a ceremony. 
• Fort Wayne fireworks display
  • Fireworks are set to begin around 10 p.m., lit from the top of the Indiana Michigan Power building downtown on Thursday, July 4.
• Garrett Heritage Days
  • The fireworks display begins at 10 p.m. at Eastside Park on Thursday, July 4. A vendor fair, chalk walk, petting zoo, talent show, and many more events are planned throughout the day.
• Huntington fireworks display
  • Fireworks will be set off at dusk on Thursday, July 4, at the Huntington University cross-country trail
• Kendallville fireworks display
  • Fireworks will be lit from Bixler Lake on Thursday, July 4, at dusk
• Marion fireworks display
  • Fireworks will be lit at dusk on Saturday, July 6, at Silvershell Beach
• Markle fireworks display
  • Activities, live music, and food trucks start at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, at the Markle Fish & Game Club Park.
  • Fireworks will be lit at dusk.
• Nappanee Independence Day celebration
  • A parade kicks off at 11 a.m. at Nappanee Elementary School on Thursday, July 4. Fireworks will be launched from the Sledding Hill after sunset at Thompson Drive.
• New Haven fireworks display
  • Fireworks will be lit at dusk on Wednesday, July 3, at Lifeway Church, 7722 Moeller Rd. Free hotdogs, popcorn, and games will be offered starting at 7 p.m.
• Ossian fireworks display
  • Fireworks will be lit at dusk on Friday, July 5, at Archbold Wilson Park. Starting at 5 p.m., attendees can enjoy music, food trucks, beverages, and family-friendly activities before the show.
• Roanoke Fourth of July Fireworks and Family Fun Day 
  • Kids activities and music start at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 6, at Roanoke Park. Fireworks will then be set off at dusk.
• Rome City (Sylvan Lake) fireworks
  • Fireworks will be lit on Saturday, July 6, at dusk from Sylvan Lake.
• Spencerville – Autism Awareness Firework Show
  • The event, planned for Saturday, July 6, at 7043 State Road 1, features a toned-down fireworks display for a more sensory-friendly experience. Fireworks will be lit at dusk.
• Warren fireworks display
  • Fireworks will be lit at dusk on Sunday, July 7, at Warren Tower Park. 
• Wawasee fireworks display
  • The fireworks display will begin at 10:15 p.m. on Saturday, July 6, at Lake Wawasee.
• Wolcottville – Big Long Lake 
  • Fireworks will be lit at dusk on Saturday, July 6, from Big Long Lake.

Do you have a fireworks display to add to the list? Send an email to jazlynn.bebout@gray.tv with information.

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Want to explore southern Indiana’s natural beauty, but not so into sleeping on the ground? Love the outdoors, but worried about the high number of ticks this season? If you’ve been looking to spend a night in the woods but want some of the comforts of home, southern Indiana has more than just full-on outdoor camping or booking a night at the inn.

“Glamping,” also known as “luxury camping” or “yurting” combines the quiet and serenity of outdoor camping with the comfort of basic indoor amenities like an elevated bed, a solid floor, and a well-lit space. Plus, you don’t have to pitch your own tent.

Glamping can vary from more bare-bones canvas tents to “tiny cabins” accommodating a wide range of needs and experiences.

Connect with nature: Here are the best campgrounds (and parks) in south central Indiana

What is glamping?

“Glamping,” a portmanteau of “glamorous” and “camping,” is living and sleeping in a secluded, natural area (often a tent or dome) that combines the natural elements of camping with the basic comforts of home living. Among the most popular “glamping” sites are yurts, which are round, portable tents originating from nomads in Inner Asia.

Glamping has grown as a recreational activity in recent decades, first in popular safari sites in Africa and Thailand, and then in the U.S. in the 2000s and 2010s as the appetite for high-comfort camping grew.

If you’re looking to try it out for yourself, here are a five glamping experiences in southern Indiana.

Yurt in Madison with lots of room

Accommodates: Seven

Key amenities: Bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom with shower, heating and electricity

Average cost per night: $180

This two-storied canopy yurt (with a sunroof!) in Switzerland County sleeps up to seven and comes equipped with three beds (two queens), two adaptable couches (a futon and a double sofa bed), a kitchen, a bathroom with a shower, and a hot tub. The isolated yurt is also just 30 minutes from both Clifty Falls State Park and the Belterra Casino Resort.

Plus, the property has two goats, Blaze and Taffy.

Check out the listing on Vrbo.

‘Getaway’ Tiny Cabin in Brown County

Accommodates: Four

Key amenities: Bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom with shower, heating and electricity, basic toiletries

Average cost per night: $115-145 (25% off through August with code “SUMMER2024”)

“Getaways,” modular cabins built in the style of the viral “tiny homes,” have cropped across the U.S., strategically placed within an hour of major metros with the goal of helping people escape from the hustle of daily life. Equipped with “everything you need and nothing you don’t,” the tiny cabins come fully stocked with kitchenware, oils and seasonings, shampoo and conditioner, picnic tables and patio chairs, books and playing cards, a mini fridge, and of course, firewood and s’mores supplies. Plus, to encourage visitors to disconnect, each tiny cabin comes with a cell phone lock box.

The “Getaway” campground is about 10 minutes east of the Brown County State Park entrance off 135 South.

Check out getaway.house/brown-county/.

Sleeping Bear Tipis and Wagons in French Lick

Accommodates: Four

Key amenities: Cots, fire grate, picnic table, nearby bathrooms and showers

Average cost per night: $55-65

A more bare-bones (or bear bones?) stay, the tipis at Sleeping Bear Retreat in French Lick offer basic amenities like an elevated bed and clean bathroom facilities, while not straying too far from the original ideals of camping.

For those who need a little more comfort, Sleeping Bear also offers covered wagons — yes, like pioneer wagons — with electricity, air conditioning and heating.

Sleeping Bear’s campgrounds feature a shelter house, a giant chess board, catch and release fishing, a volleyball court and other outdoor activities. Sleeping Bear also hosts paintball games and manhunt games at nearby grounds. It’s also just west of the Hoosier National Forest, close to the Springs Valley State Fish and Wildlife Area and the Tucker Lake Dam.

Check out sleepingbearretreat.com.

Hilltop Dome in Vevay

Accommodates: Six

Key amenities: Bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom with shower, heating and electricity, washer/dryer, TV, wifi, kitchen appliances, hot tub

Average cost per night: $175 (plus Airbnb fees)

This mostly glass “geodome” on a 42-acre private property is about as premium as glamping gets, with a canopy bedroom, an outdoor patio, a hot tub, a full kitchen, pre-stocked books and board games, a living room with a TV, and more. The dome sits on top of a hill, offering stunning views of the surrounding varied terrain.

The dome is within 15 minutes of Clifty Falls State Park, Madison and the Belterra Casino Resort.

Check out booking availability on Airbnb.

Camper RV in Poland

Accommodates: Two

Key amenities: Bedrooms, outdoor kitchen with grill, bathroom, outdoor shower, heating and electricity, TV, wifi

Average cost per night: $72 (plus Airbnb fees)

For those who have always wanted to spend family time in an RV but haven’t gotten the opportunity, this Coleman Lantern LT camper in Poland offers a classic camper experience, plus some extra elbow room with a spacious outdoor patio. The camper features a queen bed, bathroom and living room area, while the outdoor space adds patio seating, a grill, an outdoor shower, a drip coffee maker and a minifridge.

The Poland camper is only about 4 miles east of Cagles Mill Lake, built in 1952 as Indiana’s first flood control reservoir. The lake is abutted by two state recreation areas (SRAs), Lieber and Cataract Falls, which combined offer opportunities for hiking, boating, fishing, swimming pools, waterslides, and scenic views of the falls.

Check out booking availability on Airbnb.

Reach Brian Rosenzweig at brian@heraldt.com. Follow him on Twitter/X at @brianwritesnews.

The 2024 WNBA All-Star Game rosters are set with Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese making their debuts in the annual showcase later this month.

Clark, the No. 1 pick by the Indiana Fever in this year’s WNBA Draft, received the most votes in the fan-voting portion of the balloting. Having already won Rookie of the Month in May, she is leading all first-year players in scoring (16.2 points per game), assists (6.9 per game), and is second league-wide in 3-pointers made (56).

On Tuesday, Reese, the No. 7 pick to the Chicago Sky, was named Rookie of the Month for June. This past weekend, she set a single-season WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles (10), and she led the WNBA in rebounding entering Tuesday night’s action. Like Clark, Reese finished in the top five of the fan vote.

The countdown begins… ⏳

Get ready to witness the ultimate clash of talent as #WNBAAllStar meets the USA Women’s National Team on July 20th at 8:30pm/ET on ABC 📺 pic.twitter.com/oEyJciHmEx

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— WNBA (@WNBA) July 3, 2024

The two rookies are the only two first-time participants in the exhibition, which is set for July 20 in Phoenix. It is the first time since 2014 that two rookies will take part in the game.

The 12 members of the 2024 U.S. Olympic team were automatically granted spots in the All-Star Game. Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, who is appearing in her sixth Olympics, will also be playing in her 11th All-Star Game. Her teammate, center Brittney Griner, will be appearing in her 10th All-Star Game, including 2022 in which she was an honorary participant.

The initial selection of the All-Stars was conducted through a combination of voting by fans (50 percent), a national panel of media members (25 percent) and current WNBA players (25 percent). Coaches filled out the remainder of the roster.

The format of the game will again be Team USA against Team WNBA. In 2021, the last time this format was used, Team WNBA defeated the U.S. Olympic team.

GO DEEPER

U.S. women’s basketball Olympic roster breakdown: Experience leads hunt for another gold

Team WNBA:

• DeWanna Bonner, Connecticut Sun (sixth All-Star Game)
• Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever (second)
• Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever (first)
• Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream (second)
• Dearica Hamby, Los Angeles Sparks (third)
• Brionna Jones, Connecticut Sun (third)
• Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty (fifth)
• Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx (fourth)
• Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever (second)
• Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings (fourth)
• Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm (ninth)
• Angel Reese, Chicago Sky (first)

Team USA:

• Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx (fourth)
• Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury (fourth)
• Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces (sixth)
• Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury (10th)
• Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty (10th)
• Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm (sixth)
• Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces (third)
• Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty (sixth)
• Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury (11th)
• Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun (fifth)
• A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (sixth)
• Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces (third)

Were there any snubs?

As my colleague Sabreena Merchant and I wrote last week, selecting Team WNBA would always be difficult. Reasonable cases can be made for each of the players selected. And all but one team (Washington Mystics) has at least one player in the exhibition.

Possible snubs, however, include Storm center Ezi Magbegor, Lynx center Alanna Smith and Liberty wing Betnijah Laney-Hamilton. Magbegor is in the running for Defensive Player of the Year honors. She leads the WNBA in total blocks (42), is seventh in rebounds per game (8.7), is third in offensive rebounds per game (2.9), is third in defensive win shares and fourth in overall win shares. Earlier this season, she recorded at least three blocks in eight consecutive games, the second-longest streak in WNBA history.

Smith anchors a Lynx defense that has the WNBA’s best defensive rating (91.3) since 2007. This season, she has recorded new career-highs in points, assists, steals and blocks. She is fourth in defensive win shares and is also shooting a career-best 46.4 percent from 3-point range. Smith and Magbegor are expected to be key members of the Australian national team this summer, but with both of them not making the WNBA All-Star Game, there is only one international player in the contest (Jonquel Jones).

“I thought she had a good chance as well,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. “She’s really good for as well and we’re a good team with a good record. … I just know those things aren’t easy.”

Entering Tuesday night’s game against the Lynx, Laney-Hamilton, the versatile wing for New York, led all WNBA players who have appeared in more than five games in net rating (plus-19.9). She is again one of the WNBA’s top defenders.

Fever is most represented franchise on Team WNBA

After not having any players on the U.S. Olympic team, three members of the Fever (Clark, Boston and Mitchell) were named to Team WNBA, the most of any franchise. Boston, who is averaging 13.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, finished second in the fan vote and was automatically named to the team as a function of being in the top 10.

Like Boston, Mitchell is appearing in her second consecutive All-Star Game. She is averaging 16.3 points per game and was among the eight players named to the All-Star Game following the coaches’ vote.

McBride, Hamby highlight All-Star returnees

McBride, the Lynx guard, is returning to the All-Star Game for the first since 2019. She is Minnesota’s second-leading scorer with 15.8 points per game, her highest output since 2018, and the Lynx have the Western Conference’s best record entering Tuesday (14-4).

“I’m thrilled,” Reeve said. “I thought it was a bit of a no-brainer, but I’m thrilled when it happens. She’s had an incredible season to this point. Career-high in scoring it and just the ways that we count on (her), defensively, passing, everything that we ask her to do, making plays off the bounce. She’s just doing everything for us.”

Hamby is making her third All-Star appearance and the first since 2022. Having been traded in the 2023 offseason, Hamby is appearing in the game just over a year after the birth of her second child. She leads Los Angeles with career highs of 18.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. She will also participate in the Paris Olympics with Team USA’s 3×3 team.

Required reading

(Photo: Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)