Fourth of July events to go off with a bang!

The following Kansas City-area cities are sponsoring events during the Fourth of July weekend:

MISSOURI

KANSAS CITY

Worlds of Fun, 4545 Worlds of Fun Ave., will launch its annual fireworks display at 10 p.m. The park opens at 10 a.m. For more information, call 454-4545 or visit www.worldsoffun.com.

Red, White and Zoo runs from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kansas City Zoo in Swope Park. Free admission will be given to first responders and military with a valid ID.

For more information, call 513-5714.

LEE’S SUMMIT

Legacy Blast begins at 6 p.m. at the south entrance of Legacy Park, with parking available at the baseball, softball and soccer venue, 1101 Blackwell Parkway.

The free display will be choreographed with music simulcast on 94.9 KCMO. Food vendors, local entertainers and inflatables will be on site for the event. The rain date for the event is July 5. For more information, call 969-1500 or visit www.lees-summit.mo.us.

Missouri Town 1855 in Fleming Park will host Independence Day with period music, patriotic speeches and a town parade. Children’s games and activities will also take place. For more information, call 503-4860.

KINGSVILLE

Powell Gardens, 1609 N.W. U.S. Highway 50, holds its annual Booms & Blooms Festival Saturday and Sunday.

The gardens are open to the public both days, with extra events both days. On Saturday, music begins at 4:30 p.m. and continues with the Lee’s Summit Symphony at 7:30 p.m. A fireworks display immediately follows the music.

The Spirit of Independence Concert Band plays at 2 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 697-2600 or visit www.powellgardens.org.

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS

The Elms Resort and Spa, 401 Regent St., will hold a 4 p.m. kick-off for a yearlong celebration. There will be a barbecue, lawn games, music, fireworks and Truman re-enactors. Proclamations from the city, county and state will be read at 6 p.m. and the fireworks will start at 9 p.m. The Missouri Wine, Craft and Music festival will be held from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, call 630-5500 or visit www.elmsresort.com.

INDEPENDENCE

Celebrate Independence in Independence begins with a children’s parade at 10 a.m. at the corner of 23rd Street and Main Street. Spirit of Independence band will perform patriotic songs at 8:30 p.m. at the Mormon Visitors Center, 937 W. Walnut St., and will accompany the fireworks that start at dusk.

For more information, call 325-7170.

KANSAS

OVERLAND PARK

The 17th annual Star Spangled Spectacular begins at 4 p.m. Friday in Founder’s Park at Corporate Woods, 9401 Indian Creek Parkway, Overland Park.

The event, sponsored by the city, Overland Park Rotary Club and Corporate Woods, includes a 20-minute fireworks display that will begin about 9:30 p.m. and be accompanied by a live simulcast on Q104 FM.

The event features entertainment from 4 to 11 p.m. Children’s activities start at 4 p.m. and musical performances are Middle Creek Opry Band at 5:30, the 35th Infantry Division Band of the Kansas Army National Guard at 6:45 and Atlantic Express featuring Hal Wakes at 8:15 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

The free event honors Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

Proceeds from food and drink sales, which begin at 2 p.m., will be distributed to area charities, including Community Center of Shawnee, Gift of Life, KVC Behavioral HealthCare and Overland Park Rotary Foundation’s Youth Leadership Institute.

Rain date for the fireworks is Saturday, July 5. For a complete list of all events, visit www.starspangledspectacular.org.

LEAWOOD

Leawood and 105.1 Jack FM present the annual 4th of July Celebration, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods and Coca-Cola. Food, fun and fireworks for the entire community are offered from 5 to 10 p.m. at Leawood City Park, 10601 Lee Blvd.

The Aquatic Center will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Children’s activities and food vendors are available from 5 to 9:30 p.m.

Fireworks begin at 9:45 p.m. and onlookers can tune to 105.1 for a live simulcast. In honor of the city’s 60th anniversary, officials said the fireworks display will be bigger and better than ever.

Other activities include carnival games and rides, face painters, clowns, balloon artists, numerous food vendors, and live music from The Beatles cover band Liverpool.

Parking will not be allowed in the park but there will be free parking along Tomahawk Creek Parkway and shuttle buses will be available for transportation to the park at no cost. Admission is free; activity bands for unlimited access to games and rides for children 14 and under are available for a small fee. For more information, call 339-6700 ext. 158.

PRAIRIE VILLAGE

Prairie Village hosts VillageFest from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the Municipal Campus, 7700 Mission Road.

Festivities begin with a pancake breakfast by Chris Cakes. Other events include: a Chinook helicopter display; a train show; patriotic service; family creativity center; face painting; clowns and magicians; inflatables; petting zoo and pony rides; children’s parade; and displays from city police, public works and fire departments.

Live entertainment from Dino O’Dell and the Veloci-Rappers, Jim Cosgrove and the Hiccups, Jessica Horn Band, and Michael Beers Band will be provided on the main stage. Special guests include Sluggerrr, Sizzle and KC Wolf, Shriner clowns, Uncle Sam and Scott Klamm.

The fourth annual Headstrong for Jake bike safety rodeo will be held from 10 a.m. to noon. The Jake Clough Headstrong Foundation was founded to honor Jake, injured in a bike accident in February 2005, and to educate children and parents about the importance of bike safety and helmet awareness.

Children will be fit with free bike helmets by members of the Johnson County Med-Act bike team and Headstrong volunteers. A mechanical bike inspection will be conducted by the Trek Store of Kansas City, followed by a six-station bike safety course. To volunteer, call 638-5966.

The VillageFest Committee will award the VillageFest Community Spirit Award to Prairie Village residents and businesses exemplifying a caring spirit for the city.

For a full schedule of events, visit www.pvkansas.com or call 381-6464. Free parking will be available at Shawnee Mission East High School, 7500 Mission Road; Mission Road Bible Church, 7820 Mission Road; and Mission Road Community of Christ Church, 7842 Mission Road.

SHAWNEE/LENEXA

The cities of Shawnee and Lenexa will team up to present a fireworks display at Shawnee Mission Park, 7900 Renner Road.

The 20-minute display begins at 9:45 p.m. Friday and launches from the Theatre in the Park area during the intermission of “Beauty and the Beast.” For more information about the theater show, which begins at 8:30, call 312-8841.

Park officials said the radio tower northeast of Theatre in the Park is a good guide as to where the fireworks will be shot. No alcohol or other fireworks are permitted in the park.

The 29th annual 5K and 10K Lenexa Freedom Run, presented by 94.9 FM, starts at 7 a.m. Friday at Pflumm Road and Santa Fe Trail Drive in Old Town Lenexa. A fully traffic-controlled, flat course and electronic chip-timing is included.

Awards will be announced following the event. Register at www.lenexafreedomrun.org or call 541-0209 for details.

The fun continues at 10 a.m. with the Community Days Parade through Old Town. Awards in a variety of categories will be presented immediately following the parade. Parade entries still are being accepted. Call 541-0209 for details.

MERRIAM

Shawnee joins Merriam to host the 2008 Fields For Freedom display through July 5. Three thousand full-size American flags will be on display outside of the Irene B. French Community Center, at Merriam Marketplace, along Merriam Drive, and along Johnson Drive from Interstate 35 to downtown Shawnee.

There will be a special program Friday starting at 11:45 a.m. featuring guest speakers, local musical performances, a concert by the 312th Army Reserve Band from Lawrence, and a flyover by the Commemorative Air Force from Gardner.

“Of Thee We Sing” at 2 p.m. invites everyone to sing along with the National Anthem. There also will be a community picnic with food, entertainment and activities for children. A 7 p.m. closing ceremony takes place Saturday, when the colors will be retired by the Marine Corps League.

To sponsor a flag in honor of a veteran or soldier, visit the community center, 5701 Merriam Drive; Shawnee Civic Centre, 13817 Johnson Drive; or the flag field from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For details, visit www.fieldsforfreedom.org/merriam or www.cityofshawnee.org.

OLATHE

Olathe invites citizens to the 10th annual city-sponsored, free fireworks display Friday. The show begins at 9:30 p.m. at the Great Mall of the Great Plains, 20700 W. 151st St., and should last about 20 minutes. Best viewing is from the southwest parking lot of the mall, by Dickinson Theaters. No personal fireworks allowed.

Activities before the display include live music, children’s games, clowns and balloon artists, and various inflatables and moonwalks.

An Independence Day celebration with a wagon contest, baseball game and bluegrass music will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 5, at the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm, 1200 Kansas City Road, Olathe.

Attendees are invited to decorate strollers, bicycles or wagons in a patriotic theme. Participants receive a souvenir bag to take home. Prizes will be awarded following a parade at 11:30 a.m., led by Mahaffie livestock.

In the spirit of 19th century Independence Day celebrations, re-enactors will read the Declaration of Independence and fire a cannon at noon. At 1 p.m., the Bluegrass Missourians will give a concert.

Old-fashioned baseball games, starting at 1:30 p.m., will feature Shawnee Indian Mission Missioners taking on other local teams. Rules from the 1860s apply, including catch on one bounce. An open game for visitors is planned after the tournament.

There will be a picnic lunch at noon, and coach rides will be available all day for a donation. Ice cream, pie and lemonade also will be available for purchase. For details, call 971-5111 or visit www.olatheks.org/mahaffie/about.