Looking for fireworks around the Triangle? A guide to 4th of July celebrations

Local cities are promising bigger and brighter firework celebrations to mark the Fourth of July and America’s 250th anniversary.

Numerous cities are holding fireworks shows, some starting as early as Wednesday, July 1, and continuing throughout the weekend.

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Fireworks are often weather dependent so confirm details ahead of time.

Did we miss a fireworks show? Email us at ask@newsobserver.com.

Raleigh

• Raleigh’s Fourth of July Celebration will be held at Dorothea Dix Park on Saturday, July 4. The gates open at 6 p.m. and fireworks are at 9:30 p.m. Shuttles are available to take people to the park from Moore Square in downtown Raleigh. Celebrations include food trucks, music, lawn games and inflatables, craft stations and shaded picnic area.
• First in Freedom Parade will be held in downtown Raleigh from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, to commemorate “freedom and community.” The parade will include marching bands, patriotic floats, cultural groups and tributes, The News & Observer previously reported.
• North Carolina Freedom Fest will be held in downtown near the North Carolina State Capitol starting after the parade from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. The celebrations include live music, food trucks, history exhibits and family activities.
• America’s Cookout will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, July 5, at the Abbott’s Creek Community Center (9950 Durant Road). The celebrations will include games, activities, food and ways to connect “as we honor our shared history and build stronger community connections.”

Visit raleighnc.gov/raleigh-250 for more information.

Wake County

• Cary’s Independence Day Celebration at Koka Booth Amphitheatre (8003 Regency Parkway) with doors opening at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. Celebrations include live music, food and activities with fireworks at 9:25 p.m.
• Apex’s Fireworks Frenzy at Hunter Street Park (1250 Ambergate Station) from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, July 3. Celebrations include the Parade of Wheels bicycle parade, food, games, a drone show at 8:45 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
• Fuquay-Varina’s Independence Day Celebration at South Park (308 Jones Road) from 6 - 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 1. Celebrations include crafts, a splash pad, live music and fireworks at 9:15 p.m.
• Garner’s Independence Day Celebration on Friday, July 3 at Lake Benson Park (921 Buffaloe Rd) with gates opening at 5 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m. (immediately following the symphony performance). Celebrations include food, veterans memorial tours, North Carolina Symphony performance, games, inflatables and fireworks.
• Holly Springs’s July 5 Independence Day Celebration at Sugg Farm (2401 Grigsby Ave) from 6-9:30 p.m. with fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Celebrations include live music, food trucks, games and fireworks.
• Knightdale’s Fourth on First Avenue is from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Knightdale Station Park (810 N. First Ave.) on Saturday, July 4. The bike parade begins at 9 a.m. then live music, inflatables, axe throwing, games and food trucks. There are not fireworks at this event.
• Morrisville’s Red, White & BOOM on Thursday, July 2 at Cedar Fork District Park (228 Aviation Parkway) from 6-9:30 p.m. Celebrations include live music, inflatables, face painting, games, food trucks and fireworks at 9:15 p.m.
• Rolesville 4th Celebration at Redford Place Park (121 Redford Place Drive) from 5-9 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. Celebrations include food trucks, beer and wine vendors, inflatables, yard games, live music and fireworks at 9:15 p.m.
• Wake Forest’s Fireworks Spectacular at Heritage High School (1150 Forestville Road) with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Friday, July 3. Celebrations include live music, food trucks and fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
• Wendell Fireworks Show at Wendell Park (601 W. Third St.) with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2. Celebrations include live music, food trucks, a golf cart and bike parade at 6 p.m. and fireworks around 9 p.m.
• Zebulon’s Fireworks will be held after the home game of the Zebulon Devil Dogz on Sunday, July 5 at Nomaco Park (1501 N.C. Highway 39), previously called Five County Stadium. The fireworks are immediately after the game and the stadium will be open to the public later in the evening for the fireworks.

Durham County

• Durham’s July 4 Celebration will be held after the Durham Bulls baseball game on Saturday, July 4 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park (409 Blackwell St.) The game begins at 6:45 p.m. and tickets are sold out. There is limited seating outside the ballpark.
• Children’s Independence Day Parade will be held from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at Durham Central Park (501 Foster St.). The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. with families able to show up early to decorate bicycles, tricycles, wagons and strollers for the parade. There are no fireworks at this event.
• Watts-Hillandale Independence Day Parade and Celebration at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 4, at 2200 W. Club Blvd. The 77th parade features bikes, strollers and wagons. There are no fireworks at this event.
• Frederick Douglass Community Reading at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 4, at the Historic Stagville site (5828 Old Oxford Highway). Community members can gather at the site of one of North Carolina’s largest plantations for a reading of Frederick Douglass’ Fourth of July Address “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July.”
• ZincHouse Winery and Brewery (6225 Wake Forest Highway) will hold an Independence Celebration from noon to 11 p.m. on Friday, July 3 at the brewery. Admission is free but limited to people ages 21 and older. Celebrations include live music, food trucks and fireworks at 9 p.m.

Orange County

• Chapel Hill’s July 4th Drone Show will be held from 7-9:45 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Chapel Hill High School (9217 Seawell School Road). There will not be a fireworks show, but a 300-drone show will begin at 9:20 p.m.
• Hillsborough’s Together We Are America celebration from 10 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at River Park (228 S. Churton St.). The event will feature live music, craft artists, food and drinks, historic Hillsborough walking tours, clay demonstrations and flag parade. There will not be a fireworks show but a laser show.
• Carrboro 4th of July Celebration from 9:30 a.m. -4 p.m. Saturday, July 4 at various places in downtown Carrboro. The parade begins shortly before 11 a.m. from Weaver Street Market to Carrboro Town Commons where their will be live music, a costume contest and crafts before a community reading from 2-4 p.m.

This story has been updated with more local Independence Day celebrations.

This story was originally published June 30, 2026 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Looking for fireworks around the Triangle? A guide to 4th of July celebrations."

Anna Roman

The News & Observer

919-829-4807

Anna Roman is a service journalism reporter for the News & Observer. She has previously covered city government, crime and business for newspapers across North Carolina and received many North Carolina Press Association awards, including first place for investigative reporting.