
If the return of Navy Pier’s weekly fireworks shows had you excited for the July 4th celebrations this year, we’re sorry to say that the city will not be putting on its own special firework display on the federal holiday itself.
The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events this week announced that it will not be organizing a Fourth of July firework display, which this year lands on a Thursday, stating the following:
“As has been the case for several years, the City does not host fireworks for the July 4th holiday. Navy Pier continues to host their spectacular Independence Day fireworks display, which will occur on July 3rd this year.”
In previous years, enormous displays would light up the skies above the lakefront from Navy Pier or the waters of Lake Michigan but in recent years the city has forgone any official celebration on the day of.
The city expects the suburbs to be alive with fireworks on July 4th and will instead stick to the dates of Navy Pier’s twice-a-week fireworks displays every Wednesday and Saturday which were recently named the best firework show in the country.
Having returned towards the end of May, the Navy Pier summer fireworks displays take place on Saturdays at 10 p.m. and on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. meaning that there will be shows on July 3rd and July 6th.
The show on Wednesday, July 3rd is expected to celebrate Independence Day. Last year’s 10-minute fireworks show on July 1st, 2023, featured “10,000-plus pyrotechnic effects accompanied by rousing renditions of patriotic music.