Fourth of July weekend appears to be looking much drier than last week’s record rainfalls! Below are list of some of the family fun activities for our Independence Day celebrations within Hernando and Citrus counties!

HERNANDO COUNTY

The Second Annual Nature Coast Freedom Fest kicks off today at Florida Classic Park. Fireworks displays, a kid’s zone, food and drink vendors and live music will be available all night long. Rodney Atkins will take the stage this evening belting out tunes such as his #1 hit “It’s America” and “These are My People”. The fireworks display this evening, put on by Pyrotecnico, will be the only organized display in Hernando County and promises to be awe inspiring! The kid’s zone is offering bouncy houses, face painting and wall climbing to keep those little ones smiling! Gate’s open at 3:00 p.m. and ticket prices are $5 per person, with a $5 per car parking fee. Florida Classic Park is located at 5630 Lockhart Rd, just west of I-75. Coolers will not be permitted in the park.

On Saturday, June 4th at 9:30 a.m., The Hernando Sportsman’s Club will be hosting an Independence Day Machine Gun Shoot in the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area. Five cars and other assorted targets will be destroyed! Admission into the shoot is $2 for adults, children under 13 are free, and if you bring your own gun you can participate in the festivities for $20 for the whole day. For more information please call 352-597-9931.

CITRUS COUNTY

A 4th of July Old-Fashioned Picnic and Patriotic Pageant kicks off at the Inglis Community Center at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday, July 4, 2009. The Community Center is located at 137 SR 40 West in Inglis, for more information, please call 447-3323.

There will be a Patriotic Evening at Liberty and Wallace Brooks Parks in Inverness starting at 7:00 p.m. tonight. If you care to register for the 5K run and one mile walk be at the park no later than 5:30 p.m. For more information please call 726-2611 ext. 1309.

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 4, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. the Happy birthday USA and Crystal River Family Fun Day begins! King’s Bay Park on the NW 3rd St. is where the fun begins…Fireworks will start at 9:00.

May everyone have a save and happy 4th of July!