Before anybody gets mad, no, there is no official way to spend the 4th of July in Lubbock. I've just been around here long enough to know the ropes pretty well.

Every city celebrates differently. Some spend the day on the beach, others head toward the lake, or kick back and watch fireworks over the skyline.

In Lubbock, we've got our own little traditions, but they are much less about perfection and much more about surviving the day with a full stomach, all of your fingers, and hopefully enough bug spray for the rest of us who forgot to pack it...

The Most Lubbock Way To Spend The 4th of July

short-coated brown dog biting American flag

The day usually begins with someone insisting that it "isn't that hot yet," despite it already feeling like an oven outdoors. We all sort of pretend to be comfortable in the backyard most of the day, migrating from one patch of shade to another, while setting things up for grillin' and chillin' with the fam.

Grilling

man grilling outdoor

Whoever volunteers to man the grill instantly becomes the most important individual at the party. We don't question their methods, either. We're all just excited to NOT be the one standing over the extra heat.

At some point, somebody realizes we are running out of ice. Three people volunteer to run to the store, but somehow they always seem to get lost along the way and return an hour and a half later with chips, popsicles, and absolutely everything but ice.

Read More: Wolfforth Farmers Market Makes Amazing Offer To Sunday Vendors

Family Fun

a young boy playing with a water gun

We cram our faces together. Kids run around spraying water guns. Older adults "rest their eyes" for a few moments. Then it's time to wrangle up all the lawn chairs, and I mean ALL of the chairs. Somehow, you'll nearly always go home with less than what you came with, or if you're lucky, an extra chair or two...

Fireworks!

fireworks at nighttime

Whether you watch the official show or enjoy the neighborhood's sketchy/super illegal pyrotechnics, it's time for fireworks. It never seems to last long enough, and that's probably because my family always shaves a few minutes in traffic off the drive by leaving before the end of the show.

The Retreat

orange tabby cat sleeping on white textile

We all go home sunburned, sweaty, and with a billion mosquito bites, where we spend the following day doing absolutely nothing but eating leftovers and applying aloe vera to the burns. Another successful 4th of July in Lubbock.

Have a safe and happy Fourth, guys!