AUSTIN, Texas – The City of Austin is preparing for its “Star-Spangled Fest” Fourth of July celebration.

The backstory:

Friday morning, crews were setting up at Auditorium Shores.

The morning portion on Saturday will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The afternoon portion will start at 4:30 p.m. and will go until 10 p.m.

There will be music, food, drinks, and plenty of activities for all ages.

It’s a free event. The city estimates past celebrations have drawn about 70,000 people.

“It’s in its 49th year so we know it’s important to the city. We know it is important to bring all different Austinites together,” Teri Smart, producer of the Star-Spangled Fest, said.

The grand finale will include a drone show and fireworks show, with 2,500 blasts going off.

“The symphony will be playing, there will be a drone show celebrating the last 250 years of travel evolution, so a little different spin on the 250th for America. And then the fireworks will go off, so it’s just going to be one thing after the other,” Smart said.

DPS Statewide Enforcement

If you’re hitting the road this weekend, you may see more state troopers on the highways. Texas DPS is cracking down on speeding, DWIs, and distracted driving. 

DPS expects more people on the roads for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations, plus World Cup events in Dallas and Houston.

“We know there’s going to be increased traffic, so we’re going to increase our presence on the highways and make sure everybody’s safe, and we can get everybody home safely,” Sgt. Billy Ray with Texas DPS said.

During last year’s Fourth of July enforcement campaign, DPS issued more than 64,241 citations and warnings, including 5,042 for speeding; 1,632 for no insurance; and more than 398 for individuals without seat belts or child seat restraints. DPS also arrested 277 people on DWI charges and 281 people for other felony charges.

Make sure your car is working well before you hit the road. Plan your route, and don’t drive distracted. If you see someone who might be intoxicated on the road, call law enforcement. 

Boating safety

If you’re going to be out on the water, be mindful of your safety as well. 

FOX 7 caught up with some boaters getting an early start to celebrating the Fourth of July at the Loop 360 boat ramp.

“It’s just like driving. Be defensive. You know, watch out for all the other people because there’s some crazy a** people out there, sorry, there’s some crazy people out there,” Darwin German said. 

“Please don’t drink and drive. Please be safe out there. Look out for others too, and not only for others, but for yourself as well, be safe,” Manuela Atilano said.

MILLBROOK, Ala. (WSFA) – Casting a line on a hot summer day is about as Alabama as you can get. You can reel in catfish all over the state and now Alabama is hoping to capitalize on that with the new Alabama Catfish Trail.

“Summertime is the perfect time to grab the family, fishing pole, and head out to the nearest pond or lake and enjoy the season,” said Marina Childress with Alabama Blackbelt Adventures.

Catfish in Alabama is a big deal. If you combine the farm raised catfish industry, restaurants, and recreation, the catfish sector contributes about $92 million a year to our states economy.

“There are 50 waterways you can enjoy on the trail, from North Alabama to Central Alabama, to South Alabama.”

State leaders hope this is a big catch for Alabama.

“Our new Catfish Trail invites visitors to experience our beautiful state through its waterways, recipes and cultural traditions,” said Alabama Tourism director Lee Sentell.

“There’s nobody, I mean nobody, who loves a plate of Alabama catfish more than I do,” said Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville. “As a former catfish restaurant owner, I know how critical the catfish industry is to our great state. The Alabama Catfish Trail is a great opportunity to recognize and thank all of our farmers who drive this industry. It’s also a chance to bring people together, to connect with friends and family, and enjoy Alabama’s waterways.”

It’s a program that’ll surely make a big splash.

“It goes back to years and years of generations, restaurants, recreation and catfish farming in general,” said Childress.

Along with the brand new trail, you can also show off you big catch. Alabama Blackbelt Adventures is hosting a catfish photo contest. The fish must be caught in the Blackbelt Region. The deadline to submit you picture is July 12th. The contest winner receiving a two-person, half-day guided trip with Bama Noodling in 2027.

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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (KATV) — As thousands of Arkansans head to lakes and rivers for the Fourth of July holiday, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is increasing patrols to help keep boaters safe.

Game wardens will be on the water from sunrise into the evening throughout the holiday weekend, with a particular focus on boating under the influence, one of the leading safety concerns during one of the busiest boating weekends of the year.

Sgt. Brady Baker with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said the holiday typically brings a surge of visitors to the state’s waterways.

“Kids are out of school, and a lot of parents are off work,” Baker said. “They’re looking for a place to get cool, and the lakes and rivers are a great place to do that, and Arkansas has tons of opportunity on the water.”

While wardens will be watching for impaired boaters as part of the nationwide Operation Dry Water campaign, Baker said they are also focused on safe vessel operation and equipment violations.

“This weekend is a nationwide focus on boating under the influence,” Baker said. “We’re focusing on this weekend — we do every weekend — but, yeah, that, and just safe operation and equipment violations.”

Baker said many people mistakenly believe game wardens stop boats at random. Instead, he said, officers typically make stops after observing a safety or equipment violation.

“We wait until we observe a violation to make the stop, and it’s going to be for unsafe operation or an equipment violation most of the time,” Baker said.

Baker said alcohol can impair boat operators more quickly than many people realize because of the unique conditions on the water.

“On the water, you have all these other environmental stimuli, like this bright sunlight, engine noise, the wave motion, and so all of those things amplify the effects of alcohol on a person’s body,” Baker said.

Before heading out, Baker encourages boaters to designate a sober operator, ensure there are enough properly fitted life jackets for everyone on board and operate vessels responsibly.

“Have a designated operator for your vessel, and just operate safely, and then make sure that you have enough life jackets for everybody on board,” Baker said.

Officials also remind boaters to check the weather forecast before launching, as conditions on Arkansas lakes and rivers can change quickly.