Locals have options to celebrate the 4th

By LYNETTE SOWELL 
Cove Leader-Press 

Covites have a variety of events to choose from for upcoming Fourth of July celebrations.
In Copperas Cove, the Veterans of Foreign Wars post 8577 in Copperas Cove will hold its annual bell ringing ceremony at 11 a.m. on July 4th, with hotdogs and hamburgers served around noon. The post is located at 1506 Veterans Ave.
This year in Copperas Cove, there will be no fireworks or drone show, as have been held for the past three years by Cove Life Church. 
Recently, Launch Point Church shared via social media that it would be having a similar event on the 4th at Ogletree Gap Park, with live entertainment, food trucks, free activities, and more. However, that has been canceled. 
A church rep responded via social media to state that while the 4th annual event will not take place this year, plans are under way to have the event in 2025. 
Over at Fort Cavazos, the post’s annual Freedom Fest is from 4 to 10 p.m. on Friday, June 28 at Phantom Warrior Stadium located behind the Community Events and Bingo Center.
The free event will have arts and crafts vendors, children’s craft tent, beverage sales, food trucks plus two stages of live music.
Singer-songwriter, Gavin Degraw, and country band, Parmalee, share the stadium stage for the evening. A second stage in the plaza area of the stadium will have various other musicians performing for the crowd.
For a second consecutive year, six-person courtesy golf carts will be available to transport festival attendees to and from Phantom Warrior Stadium from 4-11 p.m. The courtesy golf cart designated areas are the Clear Creek Commissary, the parking lot between Military Clothing Sales and the Community Events and Bingo Center and at the Phantom Warrior Stadium entrance. All individuals utilizing the golf-cart service under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The 30-minute fireworks show is expected to begin at 9:30 p.m. Fireworks are paid by profits from the Fort Cavazos recycling program.
Freedom Fest is a free event and open to the public. Members of the general public in privately owned vehicles must obtain a pass from the Marvin Leath Visitors Welcome Center. Drivers and passengers 18 and older must have a valid photo ID.
For a list of permitted and prohibited items at Freedom Fest visit Fort Cavazos’ Family and MWR Web site at https://cavazos.armymwr.com/.../freedom-fest/6470055/89982.
Also Friday evening, Central Texas College, which provides a great view of the fireworks shot off by the fort, has some events of its own. They will be having a “Fireworks & Food Trucks” event from 5-10 p.m. 
Over in Belton, the celebration also begins this weekend with a downtown street party on Saturday, June 29. 
The party features live music, food trucks, craft beer and wine, activities and games, and fun for all. This non-ticketed family friendly event is open to the public at no charge. The event officially begins at 5:30 p.m. and live musical entertainment will be performing on the Vista Real Estate/Cory Herring Homes Stage on Central beginning at 6:30 p.m. The stage will be in front of the Historic Bell County Courthouse on Central Avenue. Featuring encore performances, leading off will be the popular award-winning Tejano band, Grupo Pression, and then closing out the evening will be Kenny Orts and the No Chance Band.
Belton is also hosting its annual 4th of July parade and rodeo. The parade starts at 9 a.m. on July 4th along Main Street and has been part of the city’s tradition every year since 1919. This year’s parade theme is “Celebrating 100 Years of Rodeo”, to celebrate the 100th annual 4th of July rodeo held in Belton. The rodeo takes place at the Cadence Bank Center. 
Rodeo ticket information can be found at https://www.cadencebankcenter.com/events/2024/4th-of-july-prca-rodeo.