Uncle Sam knows how to throw himself a humdinger of a birthday party, and this Fourth of July promises to be no exception. From the Edmond LibertyFest to the Bethany Freedom Festival, from the Yukon Freedom Fest to a wealth of activities in cities and neighborhoods throughout the area, Independence Day 2011 will be filled with fun, flags and fireworks.

Among the more spectacular events is “Red, White & Boom,” the downtown Oklahoma City extravaganza featuring a children’s carnival, free music concerts, Oklahoma City RedHawks baseball, lots of food and, of course, a spectacular fireworks display. The two-day event kicks off July 3 as the OKC Philharmonic performs Patriotic Pops with Sandi Petty outside Bricktown’s Coca-Cola Events Center. Happy Fourth of July!