Fourth of July fireworks, music, and parades in and around Washington, DC

Have a safe and fun Independence Day celebrating in the most perfect place; the Nation’s Capital if you are in town! Before planning your patriotic weekend, make sure to decorate your home, yard and have on hand fun supplies, party favors, tattoos and flags for the Bambinos.

All weekend-
4th of July Weekend Celebration in Annapolis
Celebrate all weekend long as the City of Annapolis welcomes back residents and visitors for three days (July 2-4) of citywide events. From live music and salsa dancing to historic tours and fireworks – the City is reopening with a bang!
Saturday, July 2, 5 PM – 10 PM: Dinner Under the Stars
Sunday, July 3, 10:00 AM – 5 PM: First Sunday Arts Festival
Monday, July 4, 6:30 PM – 8 PM: Fourth of July Parade
Monday, July 4, 8 PM – 9:45 PM: Fireworks

Play ball-
Grab some Washington Nationals tickets and cheer for the home as they play at Nats Park home July 1-4, hosting Miami.
Freedom Fireworks – July 1
Patriotic Series Independence Day – July 4

Bethesda Big Train has a game on July 2 & 3. Cheer for the home team!

Bowie Baysox are home facing Richmond, July 1-3 with fireworks on the 2nd and 3rd.

July 4th-
9:00am-5:00pm: An American Celebration at Mount Vernon
Celebrate our nation’s independence at the home of the father of our country. Meet George Washington, watch made-for-daytime fireworks, observe a moving ceremony in which candidates from across the world become U.S. citizens, listen to 18th-century music in the upper garden and watch and learn about flying hot air balloons in the 18th century. Lastly, watch a musical performance by the National Concert Band.

9:00am-4:00pm: July 4th at National Archives
The National Archives marks the 246th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with its traditional Fourth of July program in person! Highlights include welcoming remarks by Acting Archivist of the United States Debra Steidel Wall, a variety of educational and family-friendly interactive programs with historical figures and Archives educators, and a lively, patriotic reading of the Declaration of Independence emceed by WUSA9 News Anchor Allison Seymour. All July 4th activities are free and open to the public. The full schedule can be found here.

10:00am-11:00am: Kensington’s 27th Annual Fourth of July Bike Parade
Decorate your bikes, scooters, wagons, anything & join the parade or watch it go by.

10:00am: Capitol Hill Community Parade
The 20th annual Capitol Hill Community 4th of July Parade is a local tradition that is considered one of Washington, DC’s best events. For 2022, we are pleased to announce that we’ll be able to hold our traditional parade on Capitol Hill’s Barracks Row this year. Get your groups together and join in on the fun! Register your group here.

10:00am: Leesburg Independence Day Parade
Start the holiday by showing your patriotic spirit at the annual Independence Day Parade, held through Historic Downtown Leesburg beginning at 10:00 am. The parade will start at Ida Lee Park, travel down King Street and conclude at Fairfax Street. Put on your patriotic best and join your friends and neighbors to celebrate the birthday of the United States! This year’s parade will also feature the 14th annual Patriot’s Cup Competition, sponsored by the Loudoun Now newspaper. This award will go to the best parade entry; winners’ names will be engraved on the Patriot Cup, which will be on display at Town Hall.

11:45am: National Independence Day Parade
The Parade consists of invited bands, fife and drum corps, floats, military and specialty units, giant balloons, equestrian, drill teams, VIP’s, national dignitaries, and celebrity participants. Click below to apply to join the Parade! The parade will be on Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Street before a street audience of hundreds of thousands of spectators.

12:00pm-9:30pm: Frederick’s Celebration & Fireworks
Celebrate the 37th annual Frederick’s 4th – An Independence Day Celebration sponsored by Wawa in Baker Park! Enjoy non-stop children’s activities, fabulous food and local beer, wine and spirits. Two stages of live entertainment will keep the park rocking throughout the day into a spectacular fireworks display at dusk!

12:00pm: Palisades Parade
Join us for the 56th annual July 4th Parade and Picnic! The parade starts sharply at 11:00am on Whitehaven Pkwy and ends at the Palisades Rec Center with a free picnic for all. Everyone is invited to join in the fun. 

3:00pm-10:00pm: Historic Manassas Celebrates America
The celebration surrounds the Historic Downtown train depot, the Harris Pavilion and the Manassas Museum. There will be great rides for the kids starting at 3 p.m, The rest of the fun,  face painter, caricature artist, food concessions and novelty vendors will begin at 4 p.m.  Come participate in the Watermelon Eating contest, Bike decorating contest and Pie baking contest. Be sure to bring your lawn chairs and blankets and come early to get the best seats on the Manassas Museum Lawn for the firework display at 9:15 p.m.!

3:00pm-9:30pm: A Capitol Fourth Concert
Join host Mickey Guyton and performances by Darren Criss, Yolanda Adams, Andy Grammer, Gloria Gaynor, Keb’ Mo’, Emily Bear and Loren Allred with the National Symphony Orchestra for this star-studded salute to Independence Day at 8pm. A Capitol Fourth returns live from the West Lawn of the United States Capitol this year. Gates open at 3pm. Dress rehearsal has historically taken place on July 3 and is way less crowded!

4:00pm-9:30pm: 10th Annual July Fourth Celebration at Armed Forces Retirement Home
Enjoy children’s activities, entertainment, food trucks and fireworks!

5:30pm-9:00pm: Takoma Park Street Party
There will be live music, food trucks, beer & wine garden (Takoma Bev Co.) & kids’ activities. Taking place on Maple Ave between Philadelphia Ave & Ritchie Ave. Pyroxotic fire spinners, announcement of parade winners & drawing for raffle prizes.

6:00pm: Concert and Fireworks at Ida Lee Park
Celebrate America’s big day at Ida Lee Park and enjoy a great night of music, food, fireworks, and fun! This year’s band is Kevin Mac & The Homies.  Gates open at 6:00 pm and music starts at 6:30 pm, so be sure to arrive early and grab a spot for a full night of celebration.  A full food court will be onsite with funnel cakes, ice cream, burgers, hot dogs, tacos, and so much more. The biggest bang of the evening begins at 9:30 pm when the largest fireworks show in the region will light up the sky. Choreographed to patriotic music, this light show is not to be missed.

7:00pm-10:00pm: Fourth at The Wharf
Celebrate the Fourth of July at The Wharf with a free celebration on District Pier presented by Lockheed Martin. Enjoy music and spectacular views of the National Park Service fireworks launched from the National Mall. The celebration includes a bar serving Smirnoff Red White and Berry seltzer, beer, and more. Or take it up a notch with a VIP experience benefitting the USO.

7:30pm-10:30pm: July 4th Cruise Fireworks Watch Party
Celebrate America’s birthday in a grand style, on a cruise ship, unbeatable fireworks watch position Let us celebrate America’s birthday in a grand style, on a cruise ship, unbeatable fireworks watch position on the Potomac River and a three-hour top shelf bottle service. 

8:00pm: Capitol Fourth Streamed
View the fireworks from the comfort of your home. This July 4th, A CAPITOL FOURTH welcomes country music star and four-time Grammy-nominee Mickey Guyton as host of the 42nd edition of America’s national Independence Day celebration on PBS. American Forces Network.

9:09pm: Fireworks
The National Park Service will once again host the annual Independence Day fireworks celebration on the National Mall, the nation’s most important civic space and home to more than a dozen memorials that commemorate great Americans and significant events in our nation’s history. The 17-minute display will be held on Sunday, July 4, starting at 9:09 p.m. and will be launched from both sides of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Other viewing areas for the Mall fireworks–
U.S. Capitol
Lincoln Memorial
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
The White House Ellipse
West Potomac Park
East Potomac Park
Anacostia Park
U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Watch from the water on a cruise: Embark DC Boat Tours, City Cruises and Monumental Boat Tours
Grab a rooftop reservation at POV Rooftop Lounge at the W Hotel and Top of the Gate at the Watergate Hotel are a few!
Hop on a bike and head to Mt. Vernon Trail, Hains Point or Cardoza High School.

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Disclaimer: This road trip list full of essentials and games and contains affiliate links, which means that should you click any of the links and make a purchase I may get a small commission at absolutely no cost to you.