Are you ready for Independence Day? If not, don't worry about a thing. We've got ideas for your holiday picnic, suggestions on fun things to do in Washtenaw County, and tools to plan your trip if you're going out of town.

Photo by Flickr user Ginnerobot.

Things to do • Plan your weekend

RECIPE IDEAS Plan your Independence Day picnic or cookout with these recipes and resources, from our contributors and elsewhere:

Salads and sides

• Composed Thai grilled beef salad • Fresh asparagus with homemade mayonnaise • Grilled balsamic scallops with garden salad • Grilled halibut, red onion and orange salad • Grilled insalata tricolore • Grilled portabella mushroom and couscous salad • Grilled vegetable platter with dill-almond pesto • Italian buckwheat pasta with kale, sage and potatoes • Southwest mac & cheese • Tropical black rice salad • Vegan garlic scape pumpkin seed pesto • Watermelon and feta salad

Main dishes

• Brined, grilled pork chops • Burger with baked sweet potato wedges • Burgers for the grill • "Fried" chicken • Ginger-garlic chicken with broccolini • Grilled fajitas • Grilled flank steak chimichurri with grilled potatoes • Grilled vegan sausages with dilled potato salad • Lemon-basil chicken with goat cheese papparadelle • Shrimp tacos with jicama slaw • Watermelon-glazed chicken kebobs

Sweet treats

• Farmers market berries in a vanilla syrup • Fruit sorbet • Magic bars • Melt-away bars • Strawberry shortcake • Strawberry-rhubarb pie

Tips, tricks and tools

• Fourth of July cooking guides: AllRecipes.com | Bon Appetit | Epicurious | Food Network | Martha Stewart | Rachael Ray • Grilling guidelines: Food & Wine | Good Housekeeping | Southern Living • Healthy and vegetarian options: BBQ ideas | Cooking Light | Gluten-free | New York Magazine | VegWeb guide • Safety tips: Kids | Pets | Various

Photo by Flickr user Bnhsu.

Recipe ideas • Plan your weekend

THINGS TO DO Looking for festive events to enjoy over Fourth of July weekend? Try these happenings in and near Washtenaw County.

Ongoing

• Fireworks Celebration at Lake Shore Apartments, Ypsilanti (7/1-7/5)

Thursday, July 1

College Night presents: Fourth of July Weekend Bash at Necto, Ann Arbor

Friday, July 2

• Fourth of July Carnival at Sunrise Senior Living, Ann Arbor • Fourth of July Crafts at Ann Arbor District Library • Pride presents: Independence Day Party at Necto, Ann Arbor

Saturday, July 3

• Bookmobile and Bikes on Parade, downtown Ypsilanti • Frequency presents: Fourth of July Weekend Bash at Necto, Ann Arbor • Holiday Celebration at Hudson Mills Metropark near Dexter • Make a Patriotic Windsock at Ypsilanti District Library • Manchester fireworks at Carr Park • Pie for the Fourth of July at Whole Foods, Ann Arbor • Ypsilanti Independence Day Parade

Sunday, July 4

• Firecracker 5K, downtown Ann Arbor • Fourth of July Parade, downtown Ann Arbor • The Capitol Steps at Power Center, Ann Arbor

More fun around town

July 1 • Annie & Rod Capps, Kitty Donohoe & more at Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights, downtown Chelsea • Depot Town Cruise Night, Ypsilanti • Paul Taylor Summer Intensive Dance Student Performance at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor • Theo Katzman at Sonic Lunch, downtown Ann Arbor • Westside Farmers Market at Zingerman's Roadhouse, Ann Arbor

July 2 • Ann Arbor Soul Club at Blind Pig • AnnArbor.com summer concert series with Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet • "Cinematic Titanic" at Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor • First Class Band and Martin Simmons at Crossroads Festival, downtown Ypsilanti • Rattlebox at downtown Saline Summer Music Series • Wizard rock concert with Harry Potter-themed band Remus Lupins at Ann Arbor District Library • Floyd J. Phillips at Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase (7/2-7/3) • Camaro Superfest at Riverside Park, Ypsilanti (7/2-7/4)

July 3 • Bookmobile and Bikes on Parade, downtown Ypsilanti • "Zula Patrol: Under the Weather" planetarium show at University of Michigan Exhibit Museum of Natural History, Ann Arbor • Farmers Markets: Ann Arbor | Saline | Whitmore Lake | Ypsilanti Depot Town

July 4 • Summer Classic Film Series: "Animal Crackers" at Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor • Sunday Artisan Market, Ann Arbor

Ongoing • Top of the Park at Ingalls Mall, Ann Arbor • "Boeing Boeing" at Purple Rose, Chelsea • "A Century of Travel and Vacationing in Michigan" exhibit at Bentley Historical Library, Ann Arbor • "Fabulous Flamingos" at Matthaei Botanical Gardens • "Intention and Intuition" at Two Twelve Arts Center, Saline • "Linedrives and Lipstick" at Ypsilanti District Library • "Photographs of Michigan Lighthouses" exhibit at Ann Arbor District Library • "Remembering the Days" at Ann Arbor Art Center • "The Seafarer" at Performance Network, Ann Arbor • "Scenes from Top of the Park" at Ann Arbor District Library • "Turning Point: Japanese Studio Ceramics" at University of Michigan Museum of Art, Ann Arbor • Watercolor/Collage and Photography exhibit at Brighton District Library

Out of town picks Fourth of July weekend events elsewhere in Michigan:

• Fireworks displays around Michigan • Fourth of July Bessemer Blast (6/30-7/4) • Independence Day Festival at Crossroads Village and Huckleberry Railroad, Flint (6/30-7/4) • Westland Summer Festival (6/30-7/4) • Bay City Fireworks Festival (7/1-7/3) • Greenfield Village Annual Salute to America, Dearborn (7/1-7/4) • Fenton Freedom Festival (7/2-7/3) • Celebrate Independence Day at Mid-Michigan Children's Museum, Saginaw (7/3) • Concert in the park and fireworks, Lansing (7/4) • Fourth of July Spectacular, Kalamazoo • Lansing Lugnuts Fourth of July Game • Whitmore Lake Festival (7/4)

Want more local ideas? Browse our complete event listings and family-friendly events calendar, or visit a Washtenaw County park.

Photo by Flickr user Hryckowian.

Recipe ideas • Things to do

PLAN YOUR WEEKEND Going out of town for Fourth of July weekend? These tools will help plan your trip:

• AAA Fuel Gauge Report • Google Maps • Michigan.org • Michigan Recreation & Camping • Rand McNally TripMaker® • TripIt travel itinerary and trip planner • Weather forecasts

Chrysta Cherrie is the entertainment producer/copy editor for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at chrystacherrie@annarbor.com or 734-623-2526, and follow her on Twitter @chrystacherrie.