07/06/2026
Finding Fireworks on the Fifth of July
There are a number of traditions I enjoy every Fourth of July. This was a big year — the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. I read the original text on the National Archives' website, including the signatories (Benjamin Harrison was one!).
Each year I drop in on the countdowns across Sirius XM — the top 80 of the 80s, Lithium's top hits of the 90s, Classic Vinyl's top 250 classic rock songs as voted by listeners. I swung by the neighborhood grocery store to check out the July 4 swag (which I recently learned is an acronym for "Stuff We All Get") — balloons, cups, red-white-and-blue baked goods — but decided the hamburger and hot dog from the day before would do and passed. I saw "Young Washington" in the theater, and watched parades, readings, reenactments, and fireworks from across the country on the C-SPAN app.
But watching wasn't the same as seeing one live. I wanted to catch at least one firework in person.
I checked the printed "Guide" from the Dallas Morning News. Arlington and Frisco both had fireworks scheduled for Sunday night, July 5. Between getting the kids to bed and following the biggest game in the hemisphere that day — England vs. Mexico from Azteca Stadium — I decided to squeeze in a 20-minute drive first, radio on for the game.
I headed north on the Dallas North Tollway, but the high-rises in Addison blocked any view. I remembered that the best vantage points are usually from the height of the direct-connect interchanges linking the highways, so I cut west on the George Bush Turnpike and scanned north. Still nothing over Frisco. Mexico was running out of time against England as I turned south, flying over I-35 to merge onto the freeway.
And there it was — off in the distance, two small white bursts and two red ones. Mission accomplished. I tried for an encore looping onto 635 eastbound, but no luck there. Didn't matter — I'd already found what I was looking for.
Happy 250th, America! We're all part of this special time in history, as a friend and mentor, Harold, once told me. How true.
