It's the Fourth of July! Streamers! Bunting! Brass bands! And in San Francisco.... the opening of the hotly-anticipated SF Mime Troupe production in Dolores Park! The acidly-political theater group (note: , though it would actually be hilarious if one year they did do an entire production in mime) is putting on free performances of "Making a Killing" every weekend at local parks throughout the area until October.

This year's play is about two reporters sent to Iraq for a fluff piece, and who discover the nefarious plans being hatched by Dick Cheney and Condoleeza Rice about the war. No, it's fiction! Hilarity (along with a deep resentment of the Bush administration) should follow.

Music starts at 1:30, show at 2, and Dolores Park will be jam-packed, so get there early and bring a blanket to sit on.

Other events:

--Oh yeah, we heard something about some fireworks tonight, maybe? Fireworks on the north coast of San Francisco (Marina, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39), Berkeley (at the Berkeley Marina), San Jose, and San Ramon, among others (but not Oakland this year). Or you can do like us and watch the illegal fireworks over the Mission.

Picture at top by the always-reliable and Creative-Commonsly-generous Steve Rhodes from last year's Mime Troupe debut performance.

not actually mimes