Chicago Tribune
With the Independence Day holiday comes fireworks — read on to find the best displays near you.
Arlington Heights: The local Frontier Days Festival at Recreation Park (500 E. Miner St.) is back, running July 2-6. The parade is 10 a.m. July 4; more at frontierdays.org. But no community fireworks display for 2025.
Barrington: Main Street parade at 10 a.m. July 4, then fireworks at 9:30 p.m. at Barrington High School (616 W. Main St.); barrington-il.gov
Bartlett: The town’s Fourth of July Festival returns to Community Park (corner of South Bartlett and Stearns Roads). Skydivers at 7:35 p.m. July 4, then fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Festivities continue through the weekend, including a parade at 10 a.m. July 5; bartlett4thofjuly.com
Buffalo Grove: The annual celebration at Willow Stream Park (651 Old Checker Road) begins with a patriotic-themed concert at 7 p.m. July 4 with the fireworks display at 9 p.m.; vbg.org
Elgin: The parade kicks off at 9 a.m. July 4 at the intersection of Douglas and Slade. Later, there will be food, a pie-eating contest and concerts in Festival Park (132 S. Grove Ave.) and the night will end with a fireworks display on the Fox River; cityofelgin.org
Fox River Grove: The town’s annual fireworks event opens 6 p.m. July 12 at Picnic Grove Park with music and food before the show; facebook.com/frgliving
Hoffman Estates: The Northwest Fourth-Fest runs July 2-6, including a carnival, live music, a parade along Illinois Boulevard at 9 a.m. July 4, a drone show at 9:30 p.m. July 4 at Village Green, and fireworks 9:30 p.m. July 5 at NOW Arena (5333 Prairie Stone Parkway); northwestfourthfest.com
Lake Zurich: The annual Independence/Family Day at Paulus Park (200 S. Rand Road) begins 10 a.m. July 4 with music and food vendors. Then fireworks are launched over the lake at about 9:15 p.m.; lakezurich.org
Libertyville: The fireworks event at Butler Lake Park (835 W. Winchester Road) begins with a concert by the Village Band at 7:30 p.m. July 4 at the Band Shell, followed by fireworks at 9:30 p.m.; libertyville.com
McHenry: The city’s fireworks will be 9:30 p.m. July 13 as part of Fiesta Days at Petersen Park (4300 Petersen Park Road). Fiesta Days will be July 10-20 with carnival rides, live music, an art fair and a July 20 parade; mchenryfiestadays.com
Mount Prospect: The 86th annual Mount Prospect Lions Club Festival will be July 2-6 at Melas Park (1500 W. Central Road) with a carnival, music and fireworks on July 2 (short show) and July 4 at 9:30 p.m.; mplions.org
Palatine: The Palatine Jaycees Hometown Fest runs July 2-6 in Community Park (256 E. Palatine Road). Fireworks at dusk July 3 and a parade beginning on Wood Street at 11 a.m. July 5; palatinejaycees.org
Schaumburg: The popular way to see fireworks in Schaumburg is to catch a Schaumburg Boomers baseball game at Wintrust Field (1999 S. Springinsguth Road). There will be fireworks after select home games, including July 3-5; boomersbaseball.com
Sleepy Hollow: A daylong holiday celebration July 4 includes a parade at 11:30 a.m. in Sabatino Park (Winmoor Drive and Thorobred Lane). Then the fireworks are 9:30 p.m. July 6, with gates open at 7 p.m.; sleepyhollowil.org
Vernon Hills: The parade will start at 9 a.m. July 4 at the corner of Deerpath and Atrium Drive. Music begins in Century Park (1002 Lakeview Parkway) at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks around 9:15 p.m; vernonhills.org
Wauconda: The Big Bang fireworks celebration is dusk July 3 at Bangs Lake; wauconda-il.gov
Find more here.
Related: “2025 Fourth of July: Your map and full guide to Chicagoland fireworks, festivities – WGN-TV”