People celebrate Independence Day by watching fireworks at Chicago’s Navy Pier on July 3, 2024. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
By Doug George | Chicago Tribune
With the Independence Day holiday comes fireworks — and with this year’s America 250 Semiquincentennial, we can expect some extra rockets’ red glare this year, including in downtown Chicago. Read on to find the best displays near you.
Downtown Chicago: Fireworks at Navy Pier are every Wednesday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 10 p.m. through Sept. 5 — including at 10 p.m. July 4, in what will be Navy Pier’s “largest and longest display in our history” to commemorate the 250th anniversary of America; more at navypier.org
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
Arlington Heights: The local Frontier Days Festival at Recreation Park (500 E. Miner St.) is back, running July 1-5. The parade is at 10 a.m. July 4; more at frontierdays.org. Drone show at 9:30 p.m. July 2, but no community fireworks display for 2026.
Buffalo Grove: The America 250 celebration at Willow Stream Park (651 Old Checker Road) begins with a patriotic-themed concert by the Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band at 7 p.m. July 4, with fireworks at 9 p.m., launched from the Buffalo Grove Golf Course and viewable from the park or Village Campus; vbg.org
Crystal Lake: Fireworks at dusk on July 5 at Main Beach (300 Lakeshore Drive; $5 admission). The parade will step off at 1 p.m. at City Hall, finishing at Lakeside Festival Grounds; crystallakeparks.org
Deerfield: The Deerfield Family Days is back in Shepard Park (440 Grove Place) with live bands, carnival games and food vendors from 5:30 p.m. July 3 and fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Then the parade at noon July 4 begins at Deerspring Pool (200 Deerfield Road); deerfield.il.us
A scene from the city of Elgin’s 2024 Fourth of July festivities. (City of Elgin)
Elgin: The parade kicks off at 9 a.m. July 4 at the intersection of Douglas and Slade Avenues. Later, there will be food, a pie-eating contest and concerts from 5 p.m. in Festival Park (132 S. Grove Ave.), and the night will end with a fireworks display at 9:20 p.m. on the Fox River; cityofelgin.org
Fox River Grove: The town’s annual fireworks event opens at 5 p.m. July 11 at Picnic Grove Park with music and food before the show; foxrivergrove.org
Hoffman Estates: The Northwest Fourth-Fest runs July 1-5 and includes a carnival, live music and a parade along Illinois Boulevard at 9 a.m. July 4. Plus fireworks at 9:30 p.m. July 3 and a drone show at 9:30 p.m. July 4 at NOW Arena (5333 Prairie Stone Parkway); northwestfourthfest.com
Lake Zurich: The annual Independence/Family Day at Paulus Park (200 S. Rand Road) begins at 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
The Independence Day fireworks at Navy Pier in Chicago in 2017. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)
Lincolnshire: The annual Red, White and BOOM! festival will be July 3-4, with food and entertainment July 3 in North Park (1025 Riverwoods Road), followed on July 4 by a 10 a.m. parade, 1 p.m. cardboard boat regatta and 9:30 p.m. fireworks in Spring Lake Park (49 Oxford Drive); lincolnshireil.gov
Mount Prospect: The 87th annual Mount Prospect Lions Club Festival will be July 1-5 at Melas Park (1500 W. Central Road) with a carnival, music and fireworks at 9 p.m. on July 1 (short show) and July 4; mplions.org
Palatine: The Palatine Jaycees Hometown Fest runs July 2-5 in Community Park (256 E. Palatine Road) with live music, food and a carnival. Fireworks at dusk on July 3 and a parade beginning on Wood Street at 10:30 a.m. July 4; palatinejaycees.org
Rolling Meadows: For America 250, a parade at 11:30 a.m. July 4 from Rolling Meadows High School, then fireworks at 9:30 p.m. at Rolling Meadows Community Center (3705 Pheasant Drive); cityrm.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 2-4, plus a drone show July 3; boomersbaseball.com
Sleepy Hollow: The fireworks are 9:30 p.m. July 2, then Festivities in the Hollow from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., including the Bill Ritchie Memorial Parade at 11:30 a.m. in Sabatino Park (Winmoor Drive and Thorobred Lane); sleepyhollowil.org
Wauconda: The Big Bang fireworks celebration is dusk July 3 at Bangs Lake, in Cook Park (600 N. Main St.) and the surrounding area; wauconda-il.gov
Many more locations can be found here.
