Fireworks Near Me: Rockville July 4th 2024 Events

ROCKVILLE, MD — Independence Day is here so it's time to find out where you can celebrate in and around Rockville on July 4 and into the weekend. Area events include fireworks, festivals and other Fourth of July fun.

To help you fit it all in on your 4th of July calendar, Patch has put together a guide to what’s going on in Rockville and the surrounding areas.

July 4 Festivities For 2024

Three fireworks shows are planned on July 4 and on July 6 in Montgomery County.

Rockville’s Independence Day Celebration is held at Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park in King Farm. This location offers spectator viewing, and ample and convenient parking for the Fourth of July festivities. Listen to live music by Uncle Jesse and then watch a 20-minute fireworks display.

Details: Thursday, July 4, 2024, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park, 1800 Piccard Drive, Rockville.

The county hosts two free Independence Day fireworks displays, one on Thursday, July 4, and the other on Saturday, July 6.

The Independence Day 2024 celebrations will be held at these locations:

• Thursday, July 4, 7 p.m.: Germantown Glory at South Germantown Recreational Park, 18041 Central Park Circle in Germantown (Boyds)
• Saturday, July 6, 6 p.m.: Mid-County Sparkles at Albert Einstein High School, 11135 Newport Mill Road, Kensington

Germantown Glory will kick off on July 4 at 7 p.m. with a concert by Central City Orchestra. On-site parking is available.

Mid-County Sparkles will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 6, with concerts by Joe Falero and Downtown Sound.

The only parking available on-site will be for individuals with disabilities. Free parking and shuttle service will be provided starting at 5:30 p.m., from Westfield Wheaton, 11160 Veirs Mill Road. Event-goers who park at Westfield Wheaton before 5:30 p.m. may have their vehicles towed. Follow the signs for event parking and shuttles.

The fireworks displays at both celebrations will begin about 9:15 p.m. depending on weather conditions. Lawn chairs, blankets and coolers are welcome at both events. There will be food vendors at both locations. Alcoholic beverages and pets are not permitted.

Sign language interpreter services and other auxiliary aids or services will be provided upon request, preferably at least three business days before the event. To request special accommodations, call 240-777-6840 or email [email protected].

For more information, call MC311 at 311 or 240-777-0311 or visit the Montgomery County Recreation website. You can also follow Montgomery County Recreation on Facebook, Instagram and X.

• Related: A Capitol Fourth: Smokey Robinson Leads Motown Tribute Concert July 4

Washington, D.C. Fireworks

Many people head to D.C. for the big 4th of July Celebration on the National Mall. The National Park Service has posted a schedule of events, maps and other information online to make sure you're in the best spot to watch the fireworks display when it starts at 9:09 p.m.

If you head to D.C. earlier in the day, you can catch the National Independence Day Parade, which kicks off at 11:25 a.m. at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W.

Southeast grounds of the Washington Monument, Sylvan Theater Family Activity Area: Visit the Sylvan Theater Family Activity Area on the southeast grounds of the monument for activities and a scavenger hunt about the monuments and memorials on the National Mall. You can also complete your Independence Day Junior Ranger booklet full of family-friendly, fun activities to earn a special Junior Ranger badge! Stop by from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Independence Day.

Fireworks on the National Mall: 9:09 p.m. to 9:27 p.m. The National Park Service will once again host the annual Independence Day fireworks celebration on the National Mall. The display will be held on Thursday, July 4, starting at 9:09 p.m. and will be launched from both sides of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

A Capitol Fourth, then annual concert broadcast by PBS, will start at 8 p.m. and provide a great place to watch the fireworks burst above the National Mall. This is a popular event, so get there early. Gates open at the U.S. Capitol grounds at 3 p.m.

History Of Independence Day

Today, Americans celebrate the birth of a new nation with fireworks, parades, concerts, and family gatherings and barbecues. Celebrations, though, predate by centuries the designation of Independence Day as a federal holiday, which didn’t happen until 1941.

During the pivotal summer of 1776, the pre-Revolutionary celebrations honoring King George III’s birthday were replaced with mock funerals as a symbolic break from the crown.

It was an exciting time in Philadelphia — the Continental Congress voted to break from the crown and, two days later on July 4, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the original 13 colonies —New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland. Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia — to adopt the Declaration of Independence.

The first annual commemoration of the nation’s independence was in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, while the Revolutionary War was ongoing. Fireworks have been part of Fourth of July festivities since the first celebration in Philadelphia.