Convenience Big Store: Where to find the best fireworks displays in and around Katy

Fireworks are fun, but please follow the law as you blow them up

My father is a process safety engineer for multiple major oil companies, which means he's made an entire living trying to keep people from accidental death or dismemberment. The man is concerned with safety to the point of near neurosis, but there was always one day a year where he would embrace chaotic danger and encourage us kids to do the same.

My dad would celebrate Fourth of July by purchasing a mortgage payment's worth of fireworks and blowing them up in every way he could imagine. Our street was transformed into the site of an amateur pyrotechnic show. The man who checked for the fire escapes every time he walked into a new building was tying Roman Candles to Black Cats to see if he could cause a double explosion.

I wasn't even allowed to light a candle the other 364 days of the year, but on Fourth of July my dad would hand me bottle rockets like they were a pack of crayons. My mom, meanwhile, stood nearby with a fire extinguisher while in a state of mild tachycardia.

It was pure patriotic bliss.

One of my favorite things about Texas is that my dad's annual pyromania was perfectly legal. That's not to say there aren't laws regulating fireworks. Texas has very generous fireworks laws, but the laws do still exist. Before you go blasting things into the stratosphere, take a look at my colleage Jhair Romero's coverage on fireworks laws.

Independence Day is next week, and I feel like I have a responsibility to tell you all to be safe as you celebrate our nation's birthday.

Or at least just follow the laws.

Claire Goodman, Katy reporter

claire.goodman@houstonchronicle.com

Growing Katy

Bubbas's Classic Cheesburger, made with Angus beef patty, Bubba sauce, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion.

Photo by: Bubba's 33

Sports bar Bubba's 33 opens first Houston-area location in Katy

A subsidiary of Texas Roadhouse, Bubbas 33 is known for its lively sports-bar atmosphere and a mix of American cuisine and signature cocktails.

Need to Know

Claudia Knoll, right, 19, Megan Gusman, center, 19, and Hailee Higgins, 19, enjoy the performance of The Suffers at the Freedom Over Texas festival, Monday, July 4, 2016, in Houston. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle )

Photo by: Marie D. De Jesús/Houston Chronicle

Best places to watch Fourth of July fireworks in Houston and nearby

Celebrate Fourth of July around the Houston area, including Katy, with these fireworks displays in 2024.

Color Factory's 'Thought Bubbles' installation.

Photo by: Courtesy Of Color Factory

11 family-friendly indoor spots to explore in Houston this summer

Keep cool this summer at Houston's indoor attractions offering educational experiences and thrilling adventures to keep kids entertained.

Openings and Closings

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has opened a new donor center in Fulshear. The Fulshear Donor Center is located at 11605 S. Fry Road.

Shout out

Thanks to everyone who responded to my query if about naked cycling in last week's newsletter. So far none of you have seen a naked biker, but Katy Insider Brian had this to say:

"I run in the off road/forested trails of George Bush park frequently and one time recently I crossed paths with a man who was running NAKED!"

One last thing ...

Blue Bell Ice Cream plans to bring back former flavors by getting the public to vote online for their favorites, my cohort Octavia Johnson reports.

The Great Scoop Revival Flavor Tournament will allow people to vote for 16 retired Blue Bell Ice Cream flavors that could be a part of the collection in 2025.

So if you have very strong opinions on former Blue Bell flavors, this is your big chance to bring them back.