Weekend things to do, drink and eat to celebrate July 4th independence

This is the weekend we honor a nation and the liberating notion of independence and free-spirited individuality. But we like to do it together.

Here’s a look ahead at things to do, things that unite us — fireworks displays, hotdog-eating contests, happy hours, our lingering national obsession with Britney Spears and “Full House” sage Uncle Jesse, and board games (especially if the weather gets soggy).

Whatever rocks your boat, South Florida. You do you. Perhaps Sly Stone (seen this weekend in the new documentary “Summer of Soul”) put it best: “Thank you, falettinme be mice elf agin.”

Friday, July 2

“Summer of Soul (... Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” is a Sundance Award-winning documentary from the Roots’ Questlove about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, with rare performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone and others. Capturing more than music but a “mind-blowing moment of American history” (The New York Times), the will film be shown on thoughtful screens all over South Florida, including the Gateway Theatre in Fort Lauderdale (FLIFF.com), FAU Living Room Theaters in Boca Raton (FAU.LivingRoomTheaters.com) and Gables Cinema (GablesCinema.com).

Boundary-challenging South African musician, singer-songwriter and DJ Black Coffee performs at Club Space in Miami Friday night, with doors open at 11 p.m. Tickets are scarce, beginning at $100. Visit ClubSpace.com.

Start the weekend off right: Delray Beach’s female-owned, named-for-a-Clash-song bar Death or Glory recently debuted their ’90s Hot Girl Summer cocktail menu. The extensive lineup includes shots named Daria (Cynar and apple brandy; $4) and Beavis and Butt-head (Modelo with a shot of fernet; $8); the refreshing Stop Making Sense (rum, pineapple, cucumber, lime, orgeat syrup, grenadine, bitters; $14); and an oversized rum-pineapple concoction for two called Tubthumping ($34). Visit DeathOrGloryBar.com.

The ArtsPark in downtown Hollywood will be the setting for a Friday open-to-all rally by local fans of ’90s pop icon Britney Spears to support her ongoing legal battle over her controversial conservatorship. The 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. #FreeBritney event will have music and Britney T-shirts, but its aim to grow social-media support for the singer is serious. Organizer Ana Llanos, a Davie resident studying for a master’s degree in criminal justice at the University of Central Florida, says: “This is a civil rights issue.” Visit Instagram.com/anitagirlonfire.

Last we checked Mike Epps was all but sold out Friday-Saturday at the Palm Beach Improv in West Palm Beach (PalmBeachImprov.com), but you can still see Michael Yo at the Miami Improv Friday-Saturday ($22; MiamiImprov.com). And Zane Lamprey (former host of The Travel Channel’s “Three Sheets” and “Drinking Made Easy” on Spike) brings his nationwide Laughs & Drafts Tour to 26 Degree Brewing in Pompano Beach 7:45 p.m. Friday ($25; ZaneLamprey.com).

Broski Ciderworks in Pompano Beach on Friday kicks off three days of daily new releases with the debut of Blueberry Ramune, their blue spin on the citrus-y Japanese soda. The release also celebrates the 4-11 p.m. Friday return of revered chef Takeshi Kamioka and his Kaminari Ramen food truck. Visit Facebook.com/broskicider.

ZZ Top is coming to Hard Rock Live in Hollywood on Sunday, Nov. 7, with tickets in presale mode (password TUSH) until they go on sale 10 a.m. Friday at MyHRL.com. Living Colour and Hoobastank will rekindle classic tracks on Old School Square in downtown Delray Beach on Sunday, July 25. Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Friday at OldSchoolSquare.org.

Brothers of Others bring gloriously straight-up rock ‘n’ roll from Miami Beach to Las Olas Oceanside Park in Fort Lauderdale for the free Friday Night Sound Waves series 6:30-9:30 p.m. Visit Facebook.com/SoundWavesFLB.

Saturday, July 3

The long-running Faithful Handymen will lead a prop-aided midnight screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” 11:45 p.m. Saturday at Fort Lauderdale’s Gateway Theatre, the troupe’s first shadowcast reunion since the onset of COVID. This is a return to normalcy, people. Tickets cost $9 at FLIFF.com/gateway. Visit Facebook.com/groups/faithfulhandymen.

The Casino @ Dania Beach continues its summer series of South Florida tribute bands at its Stage 954 entertainment venue, with Boca Raton’s Paul Gold leading his popular Boss Project in a night of Bruce Springsteen 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $20. Visit CasinoDaniaBeach.com.

Eats & Beats returns to Pine Trails Park Amphitheater in Parkland 7-9 p.m. Saturday with food trucks and another one of South Florida’s best tribute bands, Petty Hearts, with T.J. Cronin front as an eerily excellent Tom Petty. Visit CityOfParkland.org.

Sunday, July 4

There are fireworks displays all over South Florida, of course, but the City of Fort Lauderdale’s free, noon-9:30 p.m. July 4 beach party at A1A and Las Olas will include a 7:30 p.m. performance of Beach Boys hits by the band led by co-founder Mike Love and longtime member Bruce Johnston. And what you really want to know, yes, Uncle Jesse (John Stamos) will be a Beach Boy for a night. Fireworks are at 9 p.m. Visit FortLauderdale.gov.

Miami’s DJ Citizen Jane, the former police officer whose “fighting spirit” is celebrated in that ubiquitous Modelo beer commercial, will perform during the 5 p.m.-midnight party at Kubs Arcade in Wilton Manors. Visit Facebook.com/Kubsbar.

Tarpon River Brewing in downtown Fort Lauderdale hosts its annual July 4 hotdog-eating contest at 2 p.m. Sunday. The signup deadline is 20 minutes beforehand, so you can make a last-minute decision after beer-aided clarity has kicked in. Visit Facebook.com/tarponriverbrewing.

This summer, Sunday night is family Paella Night at Fort Lauderdale’s oceanside Burlock Coast Seafare & Spirits at the Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale, where dinner hour includes a meal (for up to four) of fresh mussels, shrimp, octopus and prawns for $79 (plus tax/tip). Visit BurlockCoast.com.

Monday, July 5

By Monday you may be hurting (because of the heat, of course), so be aware that the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort this weekend is offering a series of poolside, pop-up IV drip events. Like it sounds, this partnership with a firm called prosper IV brings a team of registered nurses to Spa Q on the sixth floor to hook you up to a vitamin-rich IV drip (the company’s medical director is Dr. Annie Negrin, as seen on the “Today” show). Sessions, which last 45-60 minutes, are available July 4-13 and start at $99. We asked: No, you can’t put tequila in the bag. Visit TheProsperIV.com.

The weather may be uncooperative by Monday, a perfect opportunity to spend time indoors studying. The Miss Hooters Pageant is a hybrid event this year, with a virtual preliminary round taking place now, with votes by people such as yourself sending 20 finalists to the live event in Orlando on July 29. There are four South Florida waitstaffers among the semi-finalists, and with $30,000 cash on the table, it’s your civic duty to help keep this money in the local economy. Names to remember: Gianna Tulio (Miss Boca Raton), Jenise Lebron (Miss Fort Lauderdale), Heather Widle (Miss Weston) and Uniqua Shantell Burch (Miss Miami). To view their platforms and cast a vote (limit 5 per day), visit Hooters.com/pageantvote through July 7.

Another rainy-day idea: Monday is board game night at Fort Lauderdale’s Gulf Stream Brewing, where players get 20 percent off beer 6-10 p.m. Also worth mentioning is the visit on Thursday (July 1) by Wilton Creamery at Gulf Stream Brewing for an ice cream and beer pairing. A perfect metaphor for American greatness! Visit Facebook.com/gulfstreambrewing.

Staff writer Ben Crandell can be reached at bcrandell@sunsentinel.com .