10 Best Places In The Us To See Fireworks For Summer 2025

In New York City, Macy's is more than its famous Thanksgiving Day Parade; the department store chain also hosts the nation's biggest Fourth of July fireworks display. Launched from barges along the Hudson River, the show lights up New York's towering skyline for nearly a half-hour, blasting around 60,000 shells in total. Fireworks are set to a diverse musical score and create a variety of airborne shapes and images.

Stars like Elton John, Martina McBride, and Nelly have taken the stage at St. Louis' annual 4th of July weekend party, which is free of charge to attend. The climactic fireworks display takes place above the Mississippi River, framed by the Gateway Arch, in a show that can last as long as 30 minutes.

The Niagara Falls Summer Fireworks Series offers a spectacular display over the iconic falls, running nightly from May to October. Visitors can enjoy the 5-minute fireworks show from various vantage points. Additionally, every evening, the falls are illuminated by a series of colorful, energy-efficient lights.

What better place to celebrate the 4th of July than the city where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776? The free Wawa Welcome America festival runs for more than two weeks, starting on Juneteenth and culminating in a free concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and fireworks over the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The fireworks are best viewed from the parkway between Eakins Oval and Logan Circle.

The Minneapolis Aquatennial always takes place the third full week of July. Popular attractions include the Torchlight Parade and the huge Target Fireworks show along the Mississippi riverfront. The display features more than 10,000 pounds of fireworks choreographed to a soundtrack.

You'd expect 4th of July fireworks in Nashville to be accompanied by country music, and Music City does not disappoint. Nashville's annual Let Freedom Sing! celebration not only pairs a patriotic party with downtown concerts by established and rising country stars, but also synchronizes its climactic fireworks display with a live performance by the Nashville Symphony.

Amelia Earhart's hometown of Atchison, Kansas, honors the aviator during their Amelia Earhart Festival in July. One of the most popular attractions at this weekend fest is the Concert in the Sky fireworks show. Be sure to arrive early to enjoy the entertainment before the big event, which includes live music and stunt pilots flying above the Missouri River. 

Every Independence Day weekend, the Dallas suburb of Addison, Texas, is transformed into "Kaboom Town," with up to half a million visitors arriving to enjoy an air show at the Addison Airport followed by an impressive fireworks display. Visible from anywhere in town, the air show and fireworks can also be enjoyed at a variety of locally organized "watch parties" as well as Addison Circle Park.

The Ford Fireworks show in Detroit is so big that it takes not one, not two, but a total three barges to hold the pyrotechnics. In addition to the colorful display exploding above the Detroit River, spectators can enjoy live music and plenty of food and drinks each June.

One of Chicago’s sparkling traditions takes place at the iconic Navy Pier, where fireworks are held twice a week during the summer and as part of the New Year’s Eve celebration each December 31. These displays create unforgettable nights on the Pier, with breathtaking views of both the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan. While watching from the Pier offers a front-row experience, the show can also be seen from charter boats, hotel rooftops, Maggie Daley Park, or along the Lakefront Trail.