CHICAGO — There will be no official city fireworks in downtown Chicago this Fourth of July, continuing a now-annual trend despite the holiday falling on a Friday.
The City of Chicago has confirmed that it will not host a centralized fireworks display for Independence Day. Instead, Navy Pier will proceed with its regular fireworks shows on:
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Wednesday, July 2 at 9 p.m.
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Saturday, July 5 at 10 p.m.
Both displays are part of Navy Pier’s standard summer schedule, which runs weekly regardless of national holidays.
City Maintains Longstanding July 4 Policy
According to Madeline Long, spokesperson for the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the policy is consistent with recent years.
“As has been the case for several years, the City does not host fireworks for the July 4th holiday,” she told WGN News.
The absence of a city-led celebration is largely due to logistical and safety concerns around large-scale crowd control in the downtown area.
Where to Watch Fireworks Around Chicagoland
While there’s no official downtown event, Chicago residents can still enjoy fireworks at Navy Pier, which was recently named the “Best Place to See Fireworks” in the city for the third consecutive year.
For those looking to celebrate outside the city center, WGN News has compiled a full list of suburban and neighborhood fireworks shows, including locations across:
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The North Shore
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West Suburbs
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South Suburbs
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Nearby lakefront municipalities
Click here to view the full Chicagoland fireworks guide.
Are you disappointed there won’t be a citywide fireworks celebration this year? Share your thoughts and tell us how your family plans to celebrate at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
