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It’s already mid-June, which means it’s time to start thinking about America’s birthday and how you want to celebrate this year! Independence Day is one of the best summer holidays, offering everyone a long weekend to relax, decompress, and celebrate the birth of our nation! Parties and activities can change from year to year, so we have outlined the best festivities happening all over the Valley during the holiday weekend. Don’t worry, we’ve also noted which of these awesome events include firework shows, the true showstopper of the Fourth of July holiday.
The Great All-American Car Show
What’s a better way to celebrate the holiday than with a classic car show and fireworks display? That’s what is happening on Monday, July 4th from 6-10 pm at the Mesa Convention Center. The Great All-American Car Show is returning for its 13th year, and will include over 50 pre-registered American made vehicles on display. If you have an American-made car you would like to show, you can register for $20 on their website to show off your car and be entered to win one of the prizes!
The car show is one event taking part during the Arizona Celebration of Freedom. There are also activities like an inflatable water slide, patriotic military showcase, and an Independence Hall where you can learn more about the history of U.S flags. All of these activities including attending the Great All-American Car Show are free and open to the public.
For those interested in the fireworks show, it is anticipated to start around 9:30 pm. Attendees are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs to set up outside in order to enjoy the show. Guests are also welcome to bring their own non-alcoholic beverages and food to enjoy, but there will be food vendors available onsite if you want to buy a treat while you watch!
Red and White Choo Choo at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
This event has a lot going for it when you are considering your 4th of July plans this year: it’s kid-friendly, it offers an opportunity to explore the railroad park, and it’s a relatively inexpensive way to celebrate! Red and White Choo Choo is on Sunday, July 3rd from 4-9 pm. Your kids will love the bounce house, dunk tank, mechanical bull ride, and unlimited train and carousel rides, a true perk of the event. Parents will love the live DJ, barbeque food truck, and pie eating contest. Starting at 7:30 pm there will be live music from Lucky Devils Band and a fireworks show to end the night!
Tickets cost $15 for those 13 and up, and $5 for anyone ages 3-12. If you are a member of the McCormick-Stillman Railroad park, you can get your tickets for 50% off.
Scottsdale Fourth of July Celebration at WestWorld
If you would prefer to celebrate indoors to get out of the heat, WestWorld is offering a 4th of July celebration with a full line-up of indoor activities, including a canine stunt dog show, mutton busting, and bull riding to round out the night in their rodeo arena. On the main stage there will be musical theater performances and a singalong for kids, including a live performance of hits from the Disney movie Encanto.
Everyone will migrate outside at 9 pm to watch a grand fireworks display set against the backdrop of the McDowell Mountains. If you purchased a ticket to the indoor access events, you will be able to watch the fireworks from an exclusive viewing area.
If you are only interested in the fireworks portion of the evening you can pay $20 to secure a parking spot inside of WestWorld to watch. Tickets to gain access to the indoor events cost $15 a person until June 27th, then the price goes up to $20 a ticket, so make sure to purchase yours in advance!
First at the Fountain
If you want to start your Independence Day festivities early, Fountain Hills is having their Fourth of July celebration on Friday, July 1st. This free event is an opportunity for local neighbors, families, and friends to gather at Fountain Park to enjoy a musical performance by the local band Rock Lobster and enjoy cold treats like Italian ice and frozen lemonade.
Rock Lobster will perform from 7:30-9 pm, and then there will be a firework show over the lake to end the night. The Fountain Hills fountain will be lit up with red, white, and blue lights to mark this festive occasion. While the park is usually dog-friendly, due to the loud pyrotechnic show, it is not recommended to bring dogs to this event.
Peoria All-American Festival
Over in the Northwest corner of the Valley, Peoria has their own Fourth of July Celebration happening on Monday, July 4th from 5-10 pm. The free Peoria All-American Festival takes place at the Peoria Sports Complex, and your kids will be delighted by the inflatable water slides!
In addition to the water activities, there will also be food, live music from Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, and games taking place at the venue. Of course, it’s not a true Fourth of July celebration without fireworks, and the All American Festival plans to conclude the evening with a 9:10 pm fireworks extravaganza.
Something incredible is that the Peoria All-American festival is offering an indoor sensory room as a quiet and comfortable place for anyone with sensory processing needs to hang out during this event. The Fourth of July can be a loud and boisterous holiday, and it’s wonderful that the city of Peoria is taking steps to ensure everyone can enjoy the fun in a way that is most comfortable for them.
A Flag Fourth
One idea if you want to escape the triple digit temperatures in the Valley is to head up to Flagstaff for the holiday weekend. In addition to the cooler weather, the city of Flagstaff is hosting A Flag Fourth, their annual July 4th concert full of patriotic pop tunes where families can set up chairs and blankets to enjoy the music. This event is perfect for those with young kids, as it takes place at 3 pm, so your kids can enjoy the show without being cranky for bedtime.
While everyone is planning on the fireworks taking place as planned, due to the statewide drought taking place in Arizona, timing and special event guidelines are subject to change for any of these firework shows. Here’s wishing you and your family the happiest of Independence Days, and hoping you can enjoy great food, good company, and a lively holiday weekend!
