Glen Rose, Texas, is set to kick off its summer with a series of events that promise to attract visitors to the 'Dinosaur Capital of Texas.' The town will host a hometown Fourth of July festival featuring fireworks and live music, followed by a concert by Texas country band Reckless Kelly at the newly remodeled Texas Amphitheater on July 18.
'July is the perfect time to discover everything Glen Rose has to offer,' said Traci Niedziela, Tourism Director for Explore Glen Rose. 'Whether you're celebrating Independence Day with fireworks and live music or enjoying a world-class country concert at our beautifully renovated amphitheater, we invite visitors to make it a weekend getaway and explore why we're known as the Dinosaur Capital of Texas.'
The Fourth of July celebrations on July 4, 2026, will include a pancake breakfast at 8:00 AM at the Senior Citizen Center, followed by a Hometown Independence Day Parade at 10:00 AM around the historic downtown square. Free registration is available for community participants. From noon to 2:00 PM, families can enjoy live music, hot dog eating contests, giveaways, and explore hundreds of life-sized dinosaur exhibits at Dinosaur World. At 2:00 PM, a ceremony will be held at the Creation Evidence Museum. The evening festivities at Wheeler Branch Park, hosted by the Somervell County Water District, will feature fireworks and free live music by the Brady Hulsey Band starting at 7:00 PM.
On Saturday, July 18, 2026, Reckless Kelly will perform live at the Texas Amphitheater, a historic open-air venue recently acquired by the MSAS family and completely reimagined with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems. The amphitheater's signature water moat creates a one-of-a-kind concert experience under the Texas stars. The event runs from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM, and tickets are available on Eventbrite starting at $55.
Glen Rose offers visitors the opportunity to combine summer events with unique outdoor adventures and family attractions. The town is home to 98 custom-painted dinosaurs placed throughout the community, each sponsored by local businesses. The free Glen Rose Dinosaur Pass, available on the Bandwango app, is Bandwango's #1 pass by volume nationwide. This scavenger hunt guides explorers to 35 of the town's hand-painted dinosaurs. Visitors who complete all 35 stops earn one free entry pass to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Glen Rose attractions include Dinosaur Valley State Park, where visitors can explore real dinosaur tracks preserved in the Paluxy River bed; Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, a drive-through safari park; Dinosaur World with hundreds of life-sized dinosaur exhibits; the Paluxy River Walk; Big Rocks Park; and the Historic Town Square with local shops and restaurants. Accommodations range from luxurious boutique hotels to charming inns, affordable motels, B&Bs, riverside cabins, and vacation getaways.
Located approximately 75 miles southwest of Dallas-Fort Worth and 90 miles north of Austin, Glen Rose is nestled in the rolling limestone hills along the Paluxy River. For more information, visit exploreglenrose.com.
