12:05 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 5, 2006

From Staff Reports

Aaron Chimbel / WFAA-TV

This year Arlington’s parade celebrates 41 years.

North Texans celebrated Fourth of July on Tuesday with food, fun and plenty of patriotism at gatherings large and small.

Lakewood residents met in the morning for their annual festivities geared specifically for kids. Since 1962 the neighborhood near White Rock Lake in Dallas has decorated their kids, pets, and automobiles in red, white and blue for a patriotic parade. This year’s lineup included baton twirlers, pageant girls, a marching band and homemade floats.

About 2,500 attended the Dallas Heritage Museum’s 30th annual old-fashioned July the Fourth.

The 13 wooded acres of the Dallas Heritage Village is home to 38 historic buildings, including a working Civil War era farm, a traditional Jewish household, elegant Victorian homes, a school, a church and commercial buildings. The village is modeled after Dallas from 1840 to 1910.

“We came because it’s a great way for us to spend the Fourth,” said Scott Coleman as he and his family of four ate hot dogs and cherries under the shade of a tree.

This was the first time Mr. Coleman brought his kids. Benjamin Coleman, 6, said his favorite part was speaking with the Civil War soldiers; his 9-year-old sister Corrie, had fun at the stick-horse races.

“We’ve had a lot of fun,” Mr. Coleman said. “We saw some music, met some soldiers, and we’ll probably go see some historic houses next.”

In Fort Worth, meanwhile, thousands of country music fans filed into Willie Nelson's 33rd annual Fourth of July Picnic outside Billy Bob's Texas.

About 70 fans lined up outside the gates by 10 a.m., a full 12 hours before the legendary singer-songwriter was scheduled to take the stage.

Many of them quickly staked out their spots in the first row before other musical acts began performing around 11:30 a.m.

"It's in your blood once you've been here," said Esther Jimenez, 45, who traveled from Honolulu to attend her seventh picnic. "Everybody loves Willie."

Ominous clouds in the early afternoon carried a few sprinkles, but they quickly gave way to bright sunshine.

Lisa Dixon, 45, and her 23-year-old son, Justin Dillon, packed sunscreen and ponchos to help beat the elements as they prepared to wait 11 hours to hear Mr. Nelson perform.

"This is our vacation every year," said Ms. Dixon, who drove eight hours from Harrison, Ark., to see the show.

Billy Bob's pre-sold about 5,000 tickets for the picnic. Event spokeswoman Pam Minick said officials expected between 12,000 to 15,000 people to arrive before Mr. Nelson's scheduled performance at 10 p.m.

"The other artists have their own little followings," she said. " But a lot of people who come here early do it to stake out their place for Willie."

Staff writers Kimberly Durnan, Karen Ayres and Chris Colgin contributed to this report.