By Hayden Schultz, New Castle News

With the temperature simmering down from last week’s brutal heat wave, we approach Independence Day in the low 80s, an arguably tolerable temperature compared to the heat index of almost 100 last week.

With Independence Day only a week away, fireworks naturally follow. The first round of fireworks begins in Lawrence County at 10 p.m. Sunday during Ellwood City’s Arts, Crafts, Food and Entertainment Festival. The event lasts from Friday through Sunday, ending with the fireworks finale. Join the community for its 42nd annual festival hosting a variety of vendors and entertainers.

If you’re looking for something to do with the kiddos, you’re in luck. Moraine State Park is hosting a triplet of back-to-back events. Events include an insect and firefly focused Friday night, an event explaining the venomous snakes of Pennsylvania on Saturday and a “Salamander Safari” Sunday.

THIS WEEKEND

• DISCOVER OUTDOORS EXPLORERS: 7:30 to 10 p.m. Friday, Lakeview Pavilion, Moraine State Park. For children ages 6 to 8 with an “insects” theme. Activities will include drawing, active listening and insect puzzles. End the evening learning all about fireflies through storytelling, making a firefly and catching and releasing fireflies. Bring your whole family. Registration required at http://eventsreg.dcnr.pa.gov/register/create/46331877200115

•ELLWOOD CITY ARTS, CRAFTS, FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT FESTIVAL: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Ewing Park.

•VENOMOUS SNAKES OF PA: 1 p.m. Saturday, Pavilion 7, McDanel’s Launch Area, North Shore, Moraine State Park. Find out what’s real and what’s not, from the venomous to the perfectly harmless. Live snakes will be on hand.

•SALAMANDER SAFARI: 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, meet outside the Davis Hollow Marina Office, North Shore, Moraine State Park. Explore Davis Hollow Creek for salamanders and other critters. There will be a 15-minute walk to the stream. Wear a sturdy pair of walking shoes for hiking to and from the stream. Pack water shoes to slip on at the stream and bring bug spray.

FIREWORKS

•ELLWOOD CITY FESTIVAL: Fireworks Sunday, June 30 at 10 p.m. Watch the show from Helling Stadium in Ewing Park.

•INDEPENDENCE DAY AT BRITTAIN LAKE: July 3, 9:15 p.m. Brittain Lake, Westminster College, 319 S. Market St., New Wilmington.

•PEARSON PARK INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION: July 4, 10 p.m. Pearson Park, 179 Pearson Park Dr., New Castle.

•RED, WHITE & BLUE AT MINES & MEADOWS: Fireworks, July 6. Mines & Meadows, 1307 Old Rt 18, Wampum.

Hayden Schultz is a student at Slippery Rock University and one of 10 Pittsburgh Media Partnership summer interns. Hayden is interning with the New Castle News.