The Fourth of July always seems to arrive before we know it, the height of summer here already. With the holiday weekend comes fireworks; read on to find the best show near you in Lake County and nearby.
Antioch: Parade at 10:30 a.m. July 4 from Antioch Community High School to Poplar Avenue. Fireworks at Williams Park (741 Main St.); antioch.il.gov
Arlington Heights: The local Frontier Days Festival at Recreation Park (500 E. Miner St.) is back for 2024, running July 3-7. The parade is 10 a.m. July 4; frontierdays.org. But no Arlington Heights fireworks display this year; www.vah.com
Barrington: Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. July 2 at Barrington High School (616 W. Main St.) and a Main Street parade at 10 a.m. July 4; barrington-il.gov
Buffalo Grove: The village is planning a July 4 concert beginning at 7 p.m. followed by a dusk fireworks show at Willow Stream Park (651 Old Checker Road); vbg.org
Crystal Lake: Fireworks at dusk July 7 at Main Beach (300 Lakeshore Drive); www.crystallake.org
Deerfield: The annual Deerfield Family Days is back with fireworks at dusk July 3 in Shepard Middle School (440 Grove Ave.) with live bands, inflatables, carnival games and food vendors from 5:30 p.m. Then a full day of activities and a parade at noon July 4 in Jewett Park (836 Jewett Park Drive); deerfield.il.us
Downtown Chicago fireworks at Navy Pier: Every Wednesday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 10 p.m., including 9 p.m. July 3; more at navypier.org
Evanston: The Evanston Fourth of July Association has announced a “Seeds of Change” theme for 2024. Parade at 2 p.m. July 4 on Central Street, a live band in Dawes Park at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m. at the lakefront; evanston4th.org
Glencoe: Party in the Park at Lakefront Park (99 Park Ave.) begins 5 p.m. July 3, with live music, food trucks and fireworks over the lake from 9 p.m. The Independence Day Parade steps off at 1 p.m. July 4 in downtown Glencoe; glencoeparkdistrict.com
Glenview: Northwest suburban Glenview has a July 4 parade at 11:20 a.m. and fireworks show at 9:20 p.m. in Gallery Park (2001 Patriot Blvd.) with music beginning at 7 p.m.; glenviewparks.org
Gurnee: Fireworks nightly July 4-6 inside the Six Flags Great America theme park (1 Great America Parkway) with regular park admission; sixflags.com/greatamerica. Also village fireworks for Gurnee Days Aug. 10-11; gurneeparkdistrict.com
Hawthorn Woods: Fireworks are planned for July 3 at Community Park (5 Park View Lane), with the park opening at 3 p.m. with live music and food vendors; vhw.org
Highland Park: The village plans a remembrance of 2022’s Independence Day Parade shooting. Events begin at 10 a.m. July 4 with a ceremony at City Hall, a parade at 1 p.m. along a new route in downtown Highland Park, and a 4th Fest as Sunset Woods Park from 1:30-4:30 p.m. with carnival games, rides, a petting zoo and other activities (no evening event); cityhpil.com
Lake Forest: The 17th Annual Lake Forest Festival and Fireworks will be July 4 at Deerpath Community Park (400 Hastings Road), set to music. Gate opens for a concert at 5 p.m.; tickets ($30-$400) at lfparksandrec.com
Lake Zurich: The annual Family Day at Paulus Park (200 S. Rand Road) begins 10 a.m. July 4 with music and food vendors. The day culminates in fireworks launched over the lake at about 9:15 p.m.; lakezurich.org
Lincolnshire: The annual Red, White and BOOM! festival will be July 3-4, with food and entertainment July 3 in North Park (1025 Riverwoods Road), followed by a 10 a.m. parade, noon cardboard boat regatta and 9:30 p.m. fireworks July 4 in the Spring Lake Park neighborhood; lincolnshireil.gov
McHenry: The city’s fireworks will be 9:30 p.m. July 14 as part of Fiesta Days at Petersen Park (4300 Petersen Park Road). Fiesta Days runs July 11-21; mchenryfiestadays.com
Mundelein: The Mundelein Community Days Festival will be July 4-7, mostly near Seymour Avenue and Crystal Street. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. July 4, with a parade from Mundelein High School (1350 W. Hawley St.) at 2 p.m. July 7; mundelein.org
Northbrook: Fireworks at dusk July 4, which can be seen from Techny Prairie Park and Fields (1750 Techny Road) and Meadowhill Park (1479 Maple Ave.). Plus other events all day, including a bike parade at 4 p.m. from Westmoor School (2500 Cherry Lane); eventcreate.com
Pingree Grove: The community’s Independence Day Celebration is July 13. A parade starts at 4 p.m. at Alta Vista Drive and Wester Boulevard, and fireworks are planned at dusk; villageofpingreegrove.org
Round Lake: Fireworks will be July 6 near the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center (2007 Civic Center Way), with bands and festivities as part of Beachfest from 3 p.m.; rlapd.org
Skokie: The town hosts a downtown parade at noon July 4. It’s followed by a family festival at 6:30 p.m. at Niles West High School (5701 W. Oakton St.), with fireworks at 9:30 p.m.; skokieparks.org
Sleepy Hollow: A daylong holiday celebration July 4, including 11:30 a.m. parade, in Sabatino Park (Winmoor Drive and Thorobred Lane). Fireworks are 9:30 p.m. July 5, with gates open at 7 p.m.; sleepyhollowil.org.
Spring Grove: The July 4 celebration will include a noon parade at Winn Road and Highview Street and fireworks at dusk. Views from Thelen Park (8516 Winn Road); sg4thofjuly.com
Vernon Hills: The parade begins at 9 a.m. July 4 at the corner of Deerpath and Atrium Drive. Music and dancing begins in Century Park (1002 Lakeview Parkway) at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks around 9:15 p.m; vernonhills.org
Wauconda: The Big Bang fireworks celebration is dusk July 3 at Bangs Lake; wauconda-il.gov
Waukegan: Fireworks will be 9:30 p.m. July 4 at the Waukegan lakefront (199 N. Harbor Place); waukeganil.gov
Wilmette: Fun & Fireworks is planned for July 3; festivities and music begin 5 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m. at Gillson Park. Public parking is available in the Wilmette Metra lot (1202 Central Ave.); wilmettepark.org
Winnetka: The Fourth of July Parade starts at 10 a.m. July 4 at the corner of Elm Street and Glendale. Concert and Jesse White Tumblers open at 7 p.m. at Duke Child’s Field (1321 Willow Road) before fireworks at 9:20 p.m.; winpark.org
Woodstock: Fourth of July fireworks begin at dusk July 4 in Emricson Park, 900 South St. Opens 7 p.m. Walk-ins can enter through South Street and Jackson Street entrances; woodstockilchamber.com
