Cool cocktail bar Backbeat (1300 S. Lamar Blvd.) celebrates the holiday with a shrimp boil. Backbeat will be serving cocktail and beer specials all day, featuring libations from Friends & Allies Brewing, Old Forester Bourbon and Brooklyn Gin. Advance tickets are $20 and $25 at the door. The party runs from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and with their rooftop deck, you may even be able to catch a glimpse of the fireworks over Lady Bird Lake. (backbeat4th.eventbrite.com)
Campus-area restaurant Texas French Bread (2900 Rio Grande St.) will serve Real Ale beers for $1 Friday-Sunday. (texasfrenchbread.com)
What could be more American than slamming corndogs and Budweiser? The Black Sheep Lodge (2108 S. Lamar Blvd.) hosts a corndog eating contest accompanied by Budwesier specials on the Fourth. Entry costs $20, with the winner waddling home with $250. Contest starts at 2 p.m. Sign up by emailing events@blacksheeplodge.com or just show up and gawk. (blacksheeplodge.com)
Just steps away from Lady Bird Lake, the Bonnneville will celebrate the Fourth of July with a happy hour from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., followed by a night of food and drink specials like lobster rolls, fried New England clams and blueberry tarts with vanilla ice cream, in addition to several drink specials. Festivities run until 11 p.m. (thebonnevilleaustin.com)
Dine at the Radisson (111 E. Cesar Chavez St.) is running happy hour from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday and Monday, with specials like an $8 lamb burger and $4 red-white-and-blue margaritas. (dineradissonaustin.com)
Geraldine’s at the Hotel Van Zandt will hold its first Red, White and Blues party on Sunday (July 3). The night will feature music from Jackie Venson and “patriotic bites” like fried chicken and strawberry shortcake. For reservations, visit geraldinesaustin.com or call 512-476-4755.
In an event that would make Cool Hand Luke proud, Haymaker (2310 Manor Road) will hold a pickled egg-eating competition on the Fourth. Entry costs $20, with the winner walking away with $250. Interested gluttons or fearless broke people can email events@haymakeraustin.com to participate. Contest starts at 4 p.m. (haymakeraustin.com)
Mighty Fine is teaming up with Blue Bell Ice Cream to create a red, white and blue milkshakes on the Fourth of July. The special shakes mark the return of the partnership of the two Texas-based brands following Blue Bell’s publicity and public health crisis. Mighty Fine will be giving the shakes away for free from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the Fourth. (mightyfineburgers.com)
Both locations of sports-friendly restaurant-bar the Park (in South Austin at 4024 S. Lamar Blvd. and up north at 11601 Domain Drive) will serve a July 4th Burger (bacon, cheese, onions rings and barbecue sauce) for $4 all day. The restaurants will supplement that food offer with a slew of drink specials like $5 frozen mojitos and $2.50 domestic beer bottles and drafts. (thepark.us)
Tex-Mex burger joint El Sapo (1900 Manor Road) from the El Chile family will be serving Frito pies and build-your-own hot dogs, along with drinks specials on Mexican beer, margaritas and tequila from noon to 3 p.m. They’ll also serve red, white and blue snow cones. (elsapoatx.com)
Trio at the Four Seasons will host a dinner buffet on the Fourth that precedes the fireworks just steps from the hotel’s back lawn. The meal, which costs $75 for adults and $27 for children, will include tomato-watermelon salad, chilled shrimp, spiced lamb rack and banana cream pie. (triorestaurantaustin.com)
South Austin newcomer Venezia Gelato (1701 S. Lamar Blvd.) gets into the Independence Day spirit with American-flag-themed gelato bars they’re calling Mr. Rings. The treat, which sells for $4.50, features cotton candy, strawberry and vanilla gelati. (veneziaitaliangelato.com)
The swanky W Hotel Austin (200 Lavaca St.) throws a pool party from noon to sundown, with drink specials and food served poolside while a group of DJs spin records. Entry is $20 and free for hotel guests. (whotelaustin.com/soundwave)
