The Top 2021 4th of July Event in Every State

Summer has always been the best time to road trip in the United States, and what better way is there to celebrate Independence Day than enjoying everything this country has to offer: the wide-open roads, incredible national parks and spectacular fireworks displays? Check out this list of the top 4th of July event in every state.

Alabama's Gulf Coast region is the best place in the state to celebrate the United States and all the freedoms we enjoy. With events all weekend long (like a beach ball drop and a street party at the Wharf), there'll be no stopping the 4th of July fun.

The town of Seward, Alaska is hosting a great fun-filled 4th of July celebration this year. It'll begin on July 1st with fairground-type booths, a boat parade, fireworks display, parade, two marathons (one for little children and the other for adults) and more! Since Alaskan summers don't get too dark during the night, the fireworks show begins at midnight, making this the perfect party spot for night owls.

Scottsdale, Arizona's WestWorld is hosting the state's largest 4th of July fireworks show. WestWorld will also have live music and a "snow day in July" activities for children, with face painting and a giant snow slide. A fair warning, though, you do have to purchase tickets to attend.

The city of Little Rock, Arkansas hosts the 37th annual Pops on the River event, culminating in a dazzling riverfront fireworks display. Prior to the fireworks, though, are live music performances. This year, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra will play some patriotic tunes!

What's more magical than spending Independence Day in the happiest place on Earth? That's right folks, beginning July 3rd, Disneyland is restarting its fireworks performances, so you can spend your day exploring the new MARVEL's Avengers Campus before ending the day with some brilliant fireworks.

Denver, Colorado is the city where all of the state's best 4th of July weekend events are located. From EDM music performances to an outdoor performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Denver is filled to the brim with unique events that weekend. The Colorado Music Festival begins on July 1st, while the city is also hosting a virtual 4-mile freedom run for those who'd like to celebrate with a more active activity. On July 4th, there'll be a parade and Buchanan Park will be the best location for fun, food and fireworks with a music festival.

History lovers will enjoy Stamford, Connecticut's 3rd Annual Reading of the Declaration of Independence, held on July 4th at the Stamford History Center. Admission is free, and it begins at 11:00 a.m., so there'll be plenty of time to enjoy good food and nighttime fireworks afterwards in the same city, or somewhere nearby, like Milford, which offers viewing on the beach.

Delaware, being one of the first states in our nation, has a close connection with its past. On July 3rd, a visit to Dover might look like a blast from the past, with residents in period attire and the town's First State Heritage Park offering period-correct games and activities for children and adults. The town is also offering a fun historic walking tour, plus all of the usual Independence Day events.

LEGOLAND Florida Resort will be hosting its Red, White and BOOM fest, which lasts two days and includes a fireworks show with 3D glasses, a dance party, an American flag made entirely out of LEGOs and a LEGO-building competition.

If LEGOLAND isn't your style, try Disney World! The park is restarting its fireworks performances on July 1st, so you can enjoy the Independence Day staple all weekend long.

Atlanta, Georgia offers plenty of activities for the 4th of July weekend, including fireworks at Centennial Olympic Park and Truist Park. Truist Park will be hosting a baseball game earlier in the day with the Braves, with the Centennial Olympic Park will have food and live music.

While many of Hawaii's biggest 4th of July events have been cancelled this year, visitors and residents alike can celebrate at a historic landmark, Pearl Harbor, where there will be fireworks, a parade and family-friendly activities.

Enjoy a lakeside fireworks display this year in McCall, Idaho, over Payette Lake. The full activity list should be out soon, but what's certain is that there'll be all the ice cream and barbecue you can eat!

What's a better way to celebrate the 4th of July than with a spectacular fireworks show over one of the Great Lakes? Chicago, Illinois always hosts a great list of events near Lake Michigan. Navy Pier will be the best spot to catch the best views of the fireworks, with great food and live music.

Indianapolis, Indiana will not only celebrate the nation's independence, but the city's bicentennial this year! Check out the city's incredible fireworks display on one of the many rooftop bars, restaurants or hotels this year for the best views. This year, the fireworks will be set off in a new location, though, so make sure to read up on which direction you should be looking when they begin to explode.

Downtown Cedar Rapids will host the annual Freedom Festival this year, the largest fireworks display in the state. While the usual activities, like the outdoor concert, are cancelled this year, the fireworks are still there to enjoy, plus concessions for when you get hungry.

Located in Topeka, Kansas, the Spirit of Kansas Blues Festival will feature great live music, a fireworks show, plenty of areas to park and tailgate, a car show and food vendors. Admission is free but donations are encouraged. If you love blues music or want something decidedly different but no less enjoyable for your Independence Day celebrations, this might be an awesome choice.

Lake Cumberland will offer one of the state's biggest fireworks displays to enjoy lakeside. Grab a beach chair or sit on the grass, or enjoy the show from one of the lakeside restaurants. Just make sure to arrive early so you can snag the best spots.

Because of COVID-19, some of Louisiana's events have been cancelled or are being televised this year. However, in Baton Rouge, Americans can celebrate Independence Day in a unique way with the Patriots & Pirates: A Revolutionary Celebration. The celebration will be located at the riverfront at the USS KIDD Veterans Museum, featuring live music, food and fireworks.

Bar Harbor has been considered one of the best destinations to celebrate Independence Day, with its the classic East Coast style bedecked in red, white and blue. The area features every classic 4th of July activity you need, with a craft fair, parade and fireworks show over the bay.

On July 3rd and 4th, visitors and residents alike in Annapolis, Maryland can take a Fireworks Cruise, where they'll be wined and dined, dance to a DJ's music and enjoy the historic waterfront with two different fireworks shows, the Sherwood Forest/Severn Forest fireworks show and the City of Annapolis' fireworks show. It's truly a unique way to celebrate Independence Day.

Boston's Independence Day celebrations are part of its Harborfest festival, which turns Independence Day into a weeklong celebration, complete with period reenacters. There'll also be a concert, both live and livestreamed, a fireworks performance with cannons and an air show.

Traverse City, Michigan combines Independence Day weekend with its popular National Cherry Festival. Eat all of the cherry-flavored foods you can stomach before enjoying the Traverse City Boom Boom Club 4th of July Fireworks Party, which is sure to put on an awesome show.

Duluth, Minnesota holds the record for hosting the largest fireworks performance in the state! Fourth Fest 2021 will feature a radio broadcast with patriotic tunes and more. The event will be at the Bayfront Festival Park.

Vicksburg, Mississippi is hosting the Vicksburg Independence Day Fireworks Extravaganza, complete with live music in the downtown area. If you're not interested in the fireworks, visit Canton, Mississippi's Balloon Fest, a charity event being held the same weekend that will feature fun activities and hot air balloons.

Kansas City, Missouri offers plenty of activities to show your patriotism this year. On July 3rd and 4th, visit the KC Air Show to see the famed Blue Angels fly overhead. On July 3rd, visit the National WWI Museum and Memorial for the Stars and Stripes Picnic, which includes an evening fireworks show. Another fireworks show will be on July 4th, the Overland Park Star Spangled Spectacular, so if you're a fireworks super-fan, you'll love Kansas City's Independence Day celebrations.

Northwest of Yellowstone National Park is the town of Ennis, which puts on a very cowboy Independence Day celebration and is perfect for a pit stop if you're traveling through Montana to get to the area's national parks. Besides the typical parade and fireworks, Ennis also hosts a rodeo on July 3rd and 4th. Visitors can take in the importance of horses in the state and celebrate the nation's independence.

The small town of Seward, Nebraska has been dubbed "Nebraska's Fourth of July City" for its awesome weekend-long celebration. The festival features a parade and fireworks, but also more interesting things, like clowns, a craft show, anvil firing, apple pie-eating contest, a horseshoe contest and so much more!

Carson City, Nevada has turned Independence Day into a weekend-long festival, complete with carnival rides and games, live music and the awesome fireworks display. While the entire event is free, donations are encouraged. The event will be hosted at Mills Park.

The town of Gorham, New Hampshire pulls out all the stops each year for the 4th of July weekend. With a full-fledged carnival, farmer's market, car show parade, scavenger hunt and more, Gorham is an awesome experience for any 4th of July celebrant.

What could me more fun than spending your weekend on Ocean City's boardwalk? Complete with a kite flying competition, music on the beach and the signature nighttime fireworks over the sea, it'll definitely be a day and night to remember.

The town of Red River, New Mexico holds the title for the largest parade in the northern part of the state. While many of the state's 4th of July celebrations have been cancelled, Red River's celebrations are still planned to go strong this year. The entire town is transformed into a family-friendly playground to celebrate the holiday!

This year, Macy's will host New York City's annual fireworks spectacular, which will be airing live on television across the nation. Visitors to New York City, though, can enjoy a 4th of July fireworks cruise to get the best views, or visit one of the rooftop bars, clubs and restaurants across the city.

Southport, North Carolina had existed in 1792 when we declared our independence from British rule. Today, the fireworks have been moved from the town's waterfront to Oak Island because of the pandemic, but it's still going to be a great performance, with a craft market, firefighter's competition and other fun activities.

North Dakota offers a truly unique 4th of July celebration, called Blast at the Border at the International Peace Garden, located along the Canada-U.S. border. Fireworks, games, movies and a surprise visit from Smokey the Bear all complete with fun event. The International Peace Garden also offers several different campgrounds, so you can stay there, too.

If you leave flea markets, you'll love celebrating the 4th weekend with Canton's 4th of July Weekend Flea Market, which attracts over 30,000 individuals looking to score a great deal on used, refurbished and antique goods. Plus, once you're tired of the heat you can go explore the Pro Football Hall of Fame, located right in the city. How much more American can it get?

Edmond, Oklahoma's LibertyFest is recognized as one of the best Independence Day celebrations in the country. The town hosts a parade, car show, kite fest, rodeo, road rally, fireworks and more for a truly fun weekend. Plus, it's just north of Oklahoma City, so it's easy to get to if you'll be city-hopping.

Portland, Oregon will host the Waterfront Blues Festival, as well as several other smaller events this year, many of which are at a limited capacity due to the pandemic. Many of the city's parks, as well as the waterfront, are perfect locations to catch the city's fireworks performance.

Be where it all began 245 years ago in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! The Wawa Welcome America festival begins by celebrating Juneteenth, creating a 16-day extravaganza, complete with free museum days, fireworks and free concerts (Bebe Rexha and Flo Rida are some of the major performers). Make sure to book tickets or pre-register for the some of the events before you go, though, because this is going to be a popular event this year.

Bristol, Rhode Island has already begun its weeks-long Independence celebration, established in 1785 as "Patriotic Exercises." Events occur each day, with derby races, concerts, Fourth of July ball and so many more events. It's truly a celebration to remember.

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina is hosting the Patriots Point Fireworks Blast for this year, at the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, nearby Charleston. Celebrate with the oldest ship in the U.S., the USS Yorktown, in the harbor. Food trucks and live music will also be there to enjoy.

Custer, South Dakota will be hosting Custer's Old Time Country Fourth of July, with fireworks, old-fashioned races and games, a parade and an arts and craft festival.

Nashville is prepping to feature the biggest 4th of July event in the country! The city's Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th event will feature live music by Brad Paisley and the Nashville Symphony. The fireworks show can be streamed live here. Back in 2019, the same festival drew almost 350,000 people!

The small city of Fredericksburg, Texas offers plenty of fun activities for families to celebrate the 4th of July. From Independence Bingo on July 1st to the city's grand parade and fireworks show, the charming city in the heart of Texas Hill Country is a perfect destination for celebrating Independence Day.

The small town of Kanab, Utah hosts an awesome 4th of July event, with a city wake-up call by cannon firing, a Color Fun Run 5K, a parade, food and games, plus the signature fireworks show at night. The town is an awesome pit stop along the Arizona-Utah border, and is also nearby Dixie National Forest

Burlington, Vermont celebrates with fireworks on July 3rd this year, at the Burlington Waterfront, complete with live music and stunning views of the show over Lake Champlain. Since the fireworks begin a day early, fireworks-lovers can easily drive to the area's other small town celebrations, in Smugglers' Notch, Colchester, Essex Junction and more.

Each night leading up to Independence Day beginning on June 28, the town of Big Stone Gap will host fireworks shows, food vendors, live music, games, races, contests and more! If a day or two of celebrations isn't enough for you, head over to Big Stone Gap. It's also located in the middle between Daniel Boone National Forest, George Washington and Jefferson National Forest and Cherokee National Forest in North Carolina.

Tacoma, Washington is hosting the Tacoma Freedom Fair once again, complete with the Freedom Fair Air Show and Wings & Wheels, which feature weekend-long demonstrations and displays of historic military and private aircraft, airshows and more on the Tacoma waterfront, offering a different celebration than the traditional fireworks show. Tickets are required, so purchase them sooner rather than later.

Logan, West Virginia is located just south of Charleston and is hosting a large, activity-filled 4th of July event beginning June 30, the West Virginia Freedom Festival featuring live music all weekend long, karaoke, several parades, a carnival, a duck race and two different locations for fireworks. The events repeat several times over the weekend, so if you're just passing through and only have a day or a half day to explore the festivities, you'll still be able to enjoy most of the town's events.

The Wisconsin Dells offers Wisconsinites and visitors alike to enjoy one the state's biggest fireworks shows. The region, made famous as a waterpark resort destination, is perfect for weekenders or road-trippers ready to cool off during the summer and enjoy Independence Day activities. The fireworks show is preceded by live music and children can compete in a tractor pull competition in the Dells' downtown area.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming offers a truly Wild West-style 4th of July celebration, beginning with a pancake breakfast at the Town Square, a mock shootout, 4th of July parade, a rodeo and a signature fireworks show at three different locations.