Don’t miss this: Your guide to holiday fun

The Fourth of July is upon us, and here’s what you need to know...

The weather

The chance for rain on the holiday has dropped to nearly zero, after reports all week that the Fourth would see a significant chance of storms. There’s a slight chance of rain under mostly cloudy skies on Saturday. The forecast also looks good for Sunday, with a slight chance of rain, with the high temperatures reaching the low 80s throughout the weekend.

The fireworks

The bombs bursting in air began Friday night in some metro-east towns and at Fair St. Louis in Forest Park, with more celebrations planned for Saturday throughout the area. See the schedule here

Staying safe

Once again, police and public safety authorities are reminding Illinoisans that many fireworks are illegal in the state. They also note that more than 10,000 Americans were injured trying to light their own pyrotechnics show in 2014, so they say it’s better to watch an organized, professionally done show than do your own.

What else to do?

Of course, once you get past the rocket’s red glare there are many other things to do in the metro-east this weekend. Reporter Mary Cooley has five good ideas for you, including holiday celebrations but also extending to bell ringers, ballparks and watching the Mississippi River roll by.

This story was originally published July 3, 2015 at 7:19 AM with the headline "Don’t miss this: Your guide to holiday fun."