Published: July 03, 2009 09:09 pm      

OC residents have plenty of options for fireworks

Although there will be no fireworks show in Orange tonight, Orange County residents still have plenty of options for Fourth of July celebrations.

First Baptist Church in Deweyville will hold its annual fireworks display starting around dark; the event will take place at the baseball park on State Highway 12 in Deweyville. Call the church at 409-746-3809 for details.

Over in Jefferson County, Beaumont and Port Arthur will also hold celebrations.

The city of Beaumont will be holding its annual Fourth of July celebration at the Riverfront Park at 805 Main St. starting at 5 p.m.; the celebration will feature a performance by the Bryce Shaver Band at 5 p.m., 9 Regina Richards at 6 p.m., skydivers at 6:30 p.m. and a 7:30 p.m. performance by Texas Renegade. The evening concludes with a performance by the symphony of Southeast Texas at 8 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m.

The Beaumont celebration is free and open to the public. For more information call the Beaumont Civic Center at 409-838-3435.

Further south, Lamar State College-Port Arthur is hosting an Independence Day celebration at the school’s Carl Parker Center at 7 p.m. July 4th. The celebration kicks off with the Orange Community Band in the Carl Parker Center and the posting of the colors by the Port Neches VFW. There will also be a performance of “Annie Get Your Gun” featuring the Lamar State College Theater and Port Arthur Little Theater Players. Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. over the Intracoastal Canal on Lakeshore Drive; the Port Arthur celebration is also free and open to the public.

Lake Charles will be holding its 17th annual Red, White, Blue and You July 4th Celebration.

The Lake Charles festivities will kick of at 6 p.m. July 4th with a parade; according to the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau web site, parade participants are requested to be registered by Wednesday, July 1. Parade lineup begins at 4 p.m.

After the parade, there will be concessions and a patriotic program at the Lake Charles Civic Center Arcade Pavilion at 7 p.m. featuring Jay Ecker’s Bayou Jazz Kings Dixieland Band; the Lake Charles Community Band and the Louisiana Choral Foundation will also perform. In the event of inclement weather, the program will be moved to the Civic Center Coliseum. Fireworks will begin at 9:15 p.m., with the soundtrack simulcast on Gator 99.5 FM. Fireworks will be shot from a barge over the lake, according to the Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau web site.

For more information on Lake Charles’ July 4th celebration, contact the Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau at (337) 436-9588.

While there will be no fireworks in Orange County, however, there will be an Independence Day celebration closer to home.

Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center will hold its first Fourth of July event from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday. Visitors who purchase admission to Shangri La prior to 6 p.m. may remain onsite to enjoy patriotic music by the Orange Community Band beginning at 7 p.m. Those who wish to attend only the patriotic concert will be admitted to the Shangri La Orientation Center area without charge beginning at 6:30 p.m. The musical concert begins at 7 p.m., and visitors are welcome to bring folding lawn chairs.