By Peter Covino

Entertainment Editor

Celebrations big and small are popping up all over Central Florida to celebrate Independence Day.

You can jump start the July 4 activities today at the city of Winter Park's Olde Fashioned 4th of July Celebration starting at 9 a.m.

Bring a picnic lunch, blanket or beach chair and listen to live patriotic music performed by the Bach Festival Brass Band and the Bach Festival Choir.

Other activities include horse-drawn wagon rides, the Orlando Cloggers, the Rockin' Roadster Road Show, children's activities annd more. It all happens at Central Park until 1 p.m.

In addition, the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art will present their Independence Day Open House today. The museum, which is home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of work by American artist Louis Comfort Tiffany, will provide free admission to its galleries from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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The Orlando Science Center will hold a workshop on the science of July 4 for parents and there pre-schoolers today from 10 a.m. until noon.

The workshop features activities on the science behind fireworks as well as kite flying.

Cost is $24 per parent and child.

Reservations are required. Call 407-514-2112.

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Kissimmee and St. Cloud both will host traditional July 4 celebrations Sunday.

The city of Kissimmee Parks and Recreation Department annual event is at the Kissimmee Lakefront Park South from 5 to 9:30 p.m.

Live entertainment is by 3 Bucksworth and Switch. Other highlights include a food court, beer garden and dunk tank. KUA will sponsor Kids’ Land, featuring bounce houses, patriotic crafts and free snow-cones. Also, a special surprise will be revealed at 7 p.m.

The day’s festivities conclude with the fireworks show over the lake. Fireworks are scheduled to be begin at about 9:10 p.m.

Limited bleacher seating will be available. Blankets and/or chairs are encouraged. No outside alcoholic beverages or grills will be permitted inside the park.

Paid parking is available at lakefront park and the Kissimmee Civic Center.

Free bus shuttle service will also be available from 4:30 to  10:30 p.m. at Sedano’s Supermarket (formerly Albertson’s) in Town Corral Plaza in Kissimmee, located at the corner of John Young Parkway and Oak Street.

For more information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 407-518-2503.

St. Cloud’s celelbration will be held at the lakefront and is sponsored by the St. Cloud Greater Osceola Chamber of Commerce.

Featured events include entertainment by Kenyon Lockry from 5 to 8 p.m.; a beer garden from noon until 10 p.m.; the Osceola Community Choir performing at 8:45 p.m.; the All-American Baby Contest at 2 p.m. and wife carrying race from 6 to 8 p.m. All events are at the lakefront.

The evening concludes with fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

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Walt Disney World has special fireworks and events at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The Magic Kingdom event is Celebrate America Fireworks at 9 p.m. You can even catch the fireworks event a day early tonight at 9 p.m. After the fireworks, guests can enjoy Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade of lights, music and magic at 10 p.m. and midnight on July 4 (on Saturday, the parade will be at 10:30 p.m.). Park hours on July 4 are 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will have a special fireworks show set to a rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack at 9:50 p.m. on July 4, providing guests with a bonus nighttime entertainment to complement Fantasmic! (which will be at 9 and 10:30 p.m.). Park hours on July 4 are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Epcot’s IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, which features special effects, colorful lasers, fireworks, and fiery torches all choreographed to a musical score, becomes even more dynamic on July 4 as the normal show is supplemented with a patriotic finale. The performance begins at 10 p.m. Earlier in the day, guests can watch the Voices of Liberty 4th of July Concert – featuring an expanded cast of singers plus the Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps and Disney characters – at 12:30, 1:45 and 3 p.m. on the America Gardens Theatre stage. Park hours on July 4 are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens in Tampa both have special fireworks shows for July 4.

Fireworks are part of the finale every night during SeaWorld AfterDark, the summer nighttime event that showcases the park in a whole new light. On Independence Day, guests can enjoy the 13th Army Band, Florida National Guard when it performs at Bayside Stadium prior to the fireworks finale. This 40-piece band, known as the Governor’s Own Band, will entertain the audience with classic and current tunes, gearing them up for the special Fourth of July Reflections show featuring additional fireworks timed to patriotic music.

SeaWorld AfterDark is a nighttime rock n' roll extravaganza with live DJs, special evening shows – including a high-energy “Shamu Rocks” and a “Sea Lions Tonite” – plus the fireworks finale.

At Busch Gardens, fireworks light up the sky over the Tampa theme park on today and Sunday.

Park hours are extended until 10 p.m. today and until 9 p.m. July 4.

SeaWorld AfterDark and Busch Gardens Summer Nights are included with a day’s paid admission or any annual pass. For more information, visit SeaWorldOrlando.com or BuschGardens.com, or call 1-888-800-5447.