July 4th traffic, events, and more: What to know as nation celebrates its 250th birthday

Freedom Over Texas
Eleanor Tinsley Park - 500 Allen Parkway
3 p.m. - 10 p.m.
(Visitors can watch the Paraguay/France Round of 16 match at Futbol Park inside Freedom Over Texas starting at 4 p.m.)

READ MORE: Keith Urban to headline Freedom Over Texas July 4 celebration on America's 250th birthday

4th of July Celebration on Skylawn
POST Houston - 401 Franklin St.
5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Star-Spangled Salute
Miller Outdoor Theatre - 6000 Hermann Park Drive
8:30 p.m.

July 4th Parade, Fireworks, and Coastal Celebration
Galveston, Texas
Parade: 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at 23rd and Seawall
Firework display 9:15 p.m. from 37th and the Seawall Jetty

4th of July Celebration
Kemah Boardwalk - 215 Kipp Ave.
9:30 p.m.

Red, Hot and Blue Festival
The Woodlands, Texas - Northshore Park near Lake Woodlands; Town Green Park; Waterway Square; Rob Fleming Park
6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Heads up, drivers! Fourth of July events across the Houston area may slow you down this weekend.

Other events also happening on July 4:

FIFA Fan Festival
East Downtown - Rideshare Lot at 2011 Leeland St.
10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

READ MORE: FIFA Fan Fest Houston: A preview of the biggest watch party in H-Town for the 2026 World Cup

Rays at Astros
Daikin Park - 501 Crawford St.
6:10 p.m.

FIFA World Cup Round of 16 Game
Houston Stadium - 1 NRG Pkwy
Canada vs. Morocco match starts at 12 p.m.

Preparations for Freedom Over Texas near downtown are underway and will result in street closures around Eleanor Tinsley Park:

• I-45 ramps at Allen Parkway: already closed; will reopen on Sunday at 9 a.m. (some will reopen 5 p.m. Sunday)

• Allen Parkway: closed outbound at Bagby and inbound at Taft. (setup happening in this area also affecting Sabine Street, Gillette, Walker, Crosby, and Heiner)

• Bagby: will close northbound at Dallas on morning of July 4; will close southbound at Rusk by 3 p.m.

• Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive: will see expanded closures in Eleanor Tinsley Park area late in the day.

**Parking is available in the Theatre District on Rusk, with access between Bagby and Smith, or at the Hobby Center, which also enters on Rusk. When driving into downtown, you may want to enter Midtown since the Astros and FIFA Fanfest will make the East End exits busy, and you can also park in Midtown or along the rail and take the train into Downtown.

Road closures for Freedom Over Texas will impact traffic around Eleanor Tinsley Park.

And while America is celebrating its 250th birthday on July 4, Houston is also hosting its last FIFA World Cup match. TxDOT is holding off on major interstate construction closures due to both the holiday and the influx of international soccer fans.

Here's the timeline:

• Houston stadium opens three hours before the Canada vs. Morocco Round of 16 match, which starts at noon.

• Drivers will see increased traffic on the West and South Loops, on major corridors such as Kirby Drive (parts of Kirby will close), and extra traffic along Main, Fannin, and even, likely, south of the Loop along Bellfort.

• Look for additional riders on the south part of the METRO Rail line, Red Line.

• Once the match is over, drivers will likely see extra traffic in the area late in the afternoon, depending on how long the game lasts.

As if July Fourth celebrations weren't enough, Houston will also be hosting its last World Cup match! These are the major traffic impacts.