The Arlington Parks and Recreation Department will bring a night of fireworks and activities across the city Thursday during its 17th annual Light Up Arlington event. The free event will last from 6 to 10:30 p.m. and bring festivities across the downtown area. There will be musical performances across two stages. The DREAM Park stage will kick off with over three hours of performances at 6 p.m. during “Jimmy Pitstick presents Young Stars and Guitars.” At the Levitt Pavilion, Chef Dee will perform at 7 p.m. and Brad Thompson at 8:30 p.m.. The fireworks show is set to begin around 9:50 p.m. and last around 20 minutes, Arlington spokeswoman Susan Schrock said. Over a dozen vendors and food trucks will be available for attendees to visit during the event. The George W. Hawkes Downtown Library is also offering several activities for the event, including rock painting, a children’s fireworks painting and a Fourth of July scavenger hunt in the children’s area of the library. Free parking will be available throughout the downtown area, but some streets will be closed for the event, such as city hall, 101 Center and the city tower. “We do encourage people to come early and be patient when it comes to finding parking,” Schrock said. She also encourages attendees to stay well hydrated, bring insect repellent and wear comfortable clothing since attendees will be standing outside in the heat. “We want [people] to come out in their festive gear and enjoy some of the free activities,” she said. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The National Medal of Honor Museum is set to host its first FreedomFest from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday. The event will feature outdoor activities, live music, lawn games, face painting, immersive experiences and activities based on Medal of Honor characteristics: freedom, patriotism, courage, integrity and community. “July 4 being probably the most patriotic day in the calendar of our country, we certainly wanted to do something appropriate for the day,” said Chris Cassidy, National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation president and CEO. The museum opened earlier this year and tells the stories of 3,500 military personnel who demonstrated acts of valor throughout history, according to previous Shorthorn reporting. The museum offers a journey through the stories of ordinary people in history who did something extraordinary in service to others. “This is our way to showcase ourselves for Arlington and the DFW metroplex,” Cassidy said. Museum tickets for Friday are 50% off for Arlington residents, and 25% off coupons will be available at the Arlington Independence Day Parade at 9 a.m. that day. The museum is offering discounted admission to veterans and free admission to active duty military personnel who present a valid military ID. Summertime foods such as brisket sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs can be purchased on-site. The hope is that attendees walk away knowing the museum is a great place to bring family, Cassidy said. “Arlington is an amazingly patriotic community, and FreedomFest is just an extension of that,” he said. news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

With Fourth of July festivities kicking off soon, Parking and Transportation Services has provided updates on which lots will be available. The Dallas Wings are hosting a game at 7 p.m. Thursday at College Park Center. Parking will be available for $30 in all campus lots and garages near the arena. Free parking will remain available throughout downtown for the Light Up Arlington fireworks show from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday in downtown Arlington. Free parade parking will be available at open lots on campus, but the following lots will be temporarily restricted around the time of the parade Friday, according to a list provided by Parking and Transportation Services: F10F11F13 Retail 39 Lot 38 College Park garages Maverick Parking Garage KC North and KC SouthLots 49-52 @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Dallas-Fort Worth area residents can expect more hot and dry weather this week, with minimal chances of rain. David Bonnette, National Weather Service science and operations officer, said temperatures will stay in the upper 90s through the week, with heat index values reaching the low 100s. Bonnette said there is a 20% chance of storms Monday night and Tuesday morning, but no severe weather is expected. Later in the week, temperatures are expected to rise, possibly approaching 100 degrees over the weekend. Bonnette said the area will stay hot, with slightly lower humidity and above-normal temperatures. “It’s just a typical summer in Texas,” he said. @samip.parajuli.54 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

More than one in five Texas children face food insecurity, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. For many of these children, summer can be a time of hardship as access to school-provided meals disappears. To help address this issue, the Texas Department of Agriculture provides free meals to children through its Summer Meals Program. The program provides lunches Monday through Friday until Aug 5. at multiple locations in Arlington, including the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library and the East Library and Recreation Center. David Lewis, Arlington Independent School District executive director of food and nutrition services, said the program is available to all children 18 and under, as well as students with disabilities up to 21 years old. He said children do not need to be enrolled in the school district to participate, and the program offers allergy-friendly options. Lewis said the program is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture and then funneled through the Texas Department of Agriculture, and with that comes regulations in the meals served. For many of the locations, the meals are cooked on-site, so food waste is not an issue, he said. With locations like libraries and YMCAs, they have a good idea of the number of children expected to use the service, and any prepackaged food is saved and used later. In the instance of inclement weather or location closures, updates will be posted on the Arlington Independent School District website, and residents can visit the Texas Department of Agriculture website for an interactive map of locations serving meals each day. While the local program remains fully funded and operational, a separate initiative aimed at expanding food access in the future has hit a political roadblock. Gov. Greg Abbott recently vetoed $60 million in funding for the proposed Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer program, which would have provided grocery assistance to eligible families during the summer months starting in fiscal year 2027. Lewis said Arlington’s nutrition services team serves about 8.5 million meals during the school year, and in just the month of June, the Summer Meals Program delivered 111,000 meals to children across the city. “What’s the most important meal? It’s the one going to the student in front of you,” he said. @tay._.sansom news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

This is a crime wrap-up from June 16 to 27. Disorderly conduct and threaten another with imminent bodily harm On June 17, officers responded to a report of a disturbance, UTA Police Capt. Mike McCord said in an email. An unaffiliated male and unaffiliated female were issued citations for disorderly conduct. Disorderly conduct is a class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of no more than $500. Theft under $100 and criminal trespass On June 19, a female student reported the theft of her bicycle, McCord said. Theft under $100 is classified as a class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of no more than $500. If the offender has not been previously convicted of trespassing on higher education property, the offense is a class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000, confinement in jail for up to 180 days or both. If the offender has been previously convicted, the offense is a class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding $4,000, up to one year in jail or both. The case is still active. Motor vehicle theft On June 16, officers investigated the theft of an electronic bicycle, McCord said. Theft of items valued between $100 and $750 is a class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000, confinement in jail for up to 180 days or both. Possession of controlled substance in penalty group 2 On June 21, an officer stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation, McCord said. The driver, an unaffiliated male, was arrested for multiple outstanding warrants. He was taken to the Arlington Police Department jail. Possession of a controlled substance in penalty group 2 is a state jail felony if the amount of the controlled substance possessed is less than one gram. The case is still active. Theft of property On June 22, a male student reported the theft of his bicycle, McCord said. Theft of property valued between $100 and $750 is a class B misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000, confinement in jail for up to 180 days or both. The case is still active. @wall035203 news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu