Philadelphia Plans City’s Biggest Fireworks Shows Around July Fourth

Philadelphia’s Fourth of July fireworks blast off in the very place where Independence Day began. The city dedicates six days and nights to the Wawa Welcome America festival, featuring three epic, music-fueled fireworks shows. Beyond Center City, Glenside caps a 115th annual Independence Day parade with a skyward display, the Phillies do their thing in South Philadelphia, countryside neighborhoods offer patriotic community affairs and even Sesame Street gets into the spirit.

Here’s a look at where and when Philly’s fireworks will be popping:

Philadelphia:

• This Is My Country – The Plaza at Penn’s Landing hosts U.S. Army Band Pershing’s Own, playing country, rock, patriotic standards such as You’re a Grand Old Flag, God Bless America and America the Beautiful and pop hits like Living in America and Party in the USA. After that: Fireworks blast off to music, with the Benjamin Franklin Bridge as a brilliant backdrop. June 29. Concert, 8 p.m.; fireworks, 9:30 p.m. Columbus Boulevard & Chestnut Street, (267) 546-5424, delawareriverwaterfront.com
• America on Parade – Penn’s Landing’s second show sets historic quotes from former U.S. presidents and leaders to the U.S. Army Field Band debut of Let Freedom Ring, an Americana audio track featuring Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man and Sousa’s The Stars and Stripes Forever. The grand finale: a recording by Patti LaBelle and the Temple University Chorus. July 1. Concert, 8 p.m.; fireworks, 9:30 p.m. Columbus Boulevard & Chestnut Street, (267) 546-5424, welcomeamerica.com
• Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert & Fireworks – Free performances by Jennifer Hudson (with the Philly POPS Big Band) and Meghan Trainor precede a live patriotic program (with a dash of Philly spirit) by the United States Army Field Band and Chorus on Eakins Oval. Fireworks timed to the music blast over the Philadelphia Museum of Art and culminating in Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. July 4. Concert, 7 p.m.; fireworks, 9:30 p.m. 26th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (267) 546-5424, welcomeamerica.com
• Lawncrest – July Fourth in this Northeast Philly neighborhood includes a car show, flea market, bike decorating contest, parade along Rising Sun Avenue—and fireworks at dusk over the rec center. July 4. 6000 Rising Sun Avenue, (215) 685-0597, facebook.com/LawncrestRecCenter
• Phillies Fireworks – The Phillies are on the road on July Fourth; fans get a dose of Independence Day after back-to-back evening (6:05 & 7:15 p.m.) games against the Washington Nationals. July 12 & 13. Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way, (215) 463-1000, mlb.com/phillies

Across The Delaware River:

• Freedom Festival – Camden, New Jersey’s Wiggins Waterfront Park celebrates the Fourth with an afternoon of food and patriotic music from a brass band, followed by a concert headlining Boz Scaggs and finishing with over-the-river pyrotechnics that are visible from the Philly side of the Delaware. July 4. Concert, 7 p.m.; fireworks, 9:30 p.m. Riverside Drive & Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, (856) 757-9154, camdencounty.com

Bucks County:

• Sesame Place – Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster and the rest of the Muppets follow up the Neighborhood Street Party Night Parade with the crash, bang and boom of fireworks over Sesame Street. July 4 & 5. 9 p.m. 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, (215) 702-3566, sesameplace.com
• Shady Brook Farm – A Tom Petty cover band plays while ticketholders enjoy Rose Bank Winery wines, local beer and cocktails, food and lawn games—all part of this fun-centric working farm’s Unwined series. July 6. 5-10 p.m.; fireworks: 9:30 p.m. 931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, (215) 968-1670, shadybrookfarm.com
• Doylestown – Central Park hosts award-winning party band Bigg Romeo, followed by fireworks, on the Sunday following the Fourth. July 7. (Rain date: July 14.) Concert, 7 p.m.; fireworks, 9:30 p.m. 425 Wells Road, (215) 340-7692, doylestownalive.com

Chester County:

• Nottingham – Nottingham’s 651-acre, National Natural Landmark county park offers an evening of live music and food vendors capped with fireworks in advance of Independence Day. June 29. (Rain date: June 30.) 6-11 p.m. 150 Park Road, (610) 932-2589, chesco.org
• Longwood Gardens – Tickets to this international garden destination’s annual Fireworks & Fountains Star Spangled Spectacular typically sell out, and it’s no wonder. The fountains’ 750 jets dance to The Olympic Fanfare, The Winds of War, The Stars & Stripes and more, as pyrotechnics light up the space above Longwood’s spectacular scenery. July 3. 9:15 p.m. 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, (610) 388-1000, longwoodgardens.org
• Downingtown – Good Neighbor Day in Kerr Park kicks off with the 5K Freedom Walk and Run For Life 5K and includes an all-ages bike-decorating contest, craft fair, food vendors, family programming and fireworks. July 4. 8 a.m.-dusk (fireworks). 1 Park Lane, (610) 269-0344, goodneighborday.com
• Phoenixville – The natural amphitheater of Friendship Field hosts Phoenixville’s 20th such show; attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets—but not pets or alcohol. Vendors sell water ice, French fries and more snacks. July 4. (Rain date: July 5.) 9:15 p.m. Fillmore Street between South Street & Franklin Avenue, (610) 933-8801, phoenixvillefirst.org
• Tredyffrin – Wilson Farm Park first hosts the Chester County Concert Band and, at dusk, fireworks. July 4. 7-9:30 p.m. 500 Lee Road, Chesterbrook, (610) 644-1400
• Exton Park Community Day – Nine days after the big night, neighbors enjoy archery, food trucks, a health and wellness fair and a live concert by versatile party band Deja Blue before fireworks at dusk. July 13. Community day, 4 p.m.; concert, 6:30 p.m.; fireworks, 9 p.m. 132 Church Farm Lane, (610) 363-9525, westwhiteland.org

Delaware County:

• Glenolden — The Interboro Baseball Field hosts fireworks at dusk, five days before the Fourth. June 29. (Rain date: June 30.) 417 Hillcrest Avenue, (610) 583-3221, glenoldenborough.com
• Bethel Township – Dusk on Independence Day eve means fireworks above Bethel Springs Elementary. July 3. 3280 Foulk Road, Garnet Valley, (610) 459-1529, twp.bethel.pa.us
• Upper Darby – Party band Chico’s Vibe revs up the crowd for a pre-Fourth fireworks display at this tickets-at-the-door event. July 3. (Rain date: July 5.) Performance, 7:30 p.m.; fireworks, 9:20 p.m. Upper Darby High School Memorial Stadium, 601 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Drexel Hill, (610) 789-3656, upperdarby.org
• Clifton Heights – After a morning parade and all-day flea market, the classic Independence Day display returns to the high school’s upper athletic field, with a $5-per-person entrance fee. July 4. (Rain date: July 5.) Market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.; parade, 10 a.m.; fireworks 9:30 p.m., Church Road & Highland Avenue, (610) 623-1000, cliftonheightsboro.com
• Lansdowne – Since 1904, the Union Athletic Association has been in charge of the town’s patriotic commemoration, starting with a morning parade that ends with free water ice and finishing with a blast over the Penn Wood High School field. July 4. Parade, 9 a.m.; gates open for fireworks (admission $5), 7 p.m.; fireworks, dusk. 100 Green Avenue, unionaa.org
• Collingdale – Collingdale Park welcomes the community for a countryside skyward display. July 4. 9 p.m. 501 Jackson Avenue, (610) 586-0550, collingdaleborough.com

Montgomery County:

• Conshohocken – Conshohocken gets a jump on the Fourth with fireworks above Sutcliffe Park. July 3. Party, 6 p.m.; fireworks, 9:45 p.m. Colwell Lane & Sutcliffe Park Access, (610) 828-1092, conshohockenpa.gov
• Cheltenham, Glenside & Abington – Now in its 116th year, Glenside’s Grand, Glorious, Patriotic Parade lays claim to being the country’s oldest consecutive Fourth of July celebration. The event is preceded by the We Love America children’s program, also at Renninger Memorial Park and is followed by fireworks above nearby Abington Senior High School. July 4. Children’s program, 10 a.m.; parade, 4 p.m. 152 S. Keswick Avenue, Glenside; fireworks, 9 p.m., 900 Highland Avenue, Abington, glensideparade.com
• Narberth – Narberth Park hosts an extra family-friendly parade and carnival with food and fun—and a night featuring the Main Line’s biggest fireworks show. July 4. Parade and carnival, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; fireworks, 9:30 p.m. 80 Windsor Avenue, (610) 664-2840, narberthfourthofjuly.com
• Norristown – The county seat keeps things patriotic all day with a parade from Marshall Street to Main Street, a block party along Main Street between Dekalb and Arch Streets, and another party and concert at Elmwood Park, where the festivities end at dusk with fireworks over the Fire Chief’s Memorial Band Shell. July 4. Parade, 9:45 a.m. Block party, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Concert 3-9 p.m., fireworks, 9 p.m. 1325 Harding Boulevard, (610) 272-8080, norristown.org
• Skippack Village – A town founded in 1706 by two German brothers flaunts its centuries of charm at The Village Parade, an afternoon cookout at Parc Bistro and fireworks at Palmer Park. July 4. (Rain or shine.) Parade, 11 a.m., Route 73 between Bridge & Old Forty Foot Roads, Skippack Township; cookout, 3 p.m., 4067 Skippack Pike, Schwenksville; fireworks, dusk, 4022 Heckler Road, Collegeville, (610) 454-0909, skippacktownship.org
• Lower Providence Township – A dunk tank, face painting and a host of food trucks are a prelude to fireworks, all at Eagleville Park. July 4. (Rain date: July 6.) Concert, 6:30 p.m.; fireworks, 9 p.m. 100 Parklane Drive, Eagleville, (610) 539-8020, lowerprovidence.org
• Upper Merion Township – The 44th such community celebration kicks off with a carnival and a beer garden at Heuser Park, followed by a family-friendly concert and the works. July 4. (Rain date: July 5.) Carnival, 5 p.m.; fireworks, dusk. 694 W. Beidler Road, King of Prussia, (610) 265-2600, umtownship.org

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