Let Freedom Ring and Enjoy One of Many Beautiful Shows This Holiday Weekend
July 4 Weekend is going to shape up to be a fun time for millions of Floridians, as we gather to celebrate the birth of our nation with cookouts, friends and family, and of course, fun fireworks shows. This year there are more choices than ever before. Below I have spotlighted eleven different public fireworks shows that are sure to be the cherry on top of a perfect Independence Day.
SOUTH FLORIDA
Miami celebrates Independence Day with a large-scale celebration in Bayfront Park called “America’s Birthday Bash.” The festival begins at 2 p.m. with food and music and the fireworks shows everyone will be waiting for will commence at 9 p.m. For more information, call (305) 358-7550.
South Broward will be celebrating by heading over to Hollywood Beach and its Broadwalk area 
for a fun and festive Fourth of July celebration. It begins at 2 p.m., with the fireworks show beginning at 9 p.m. You can watch the fireworks, shooting from just offshore, right from the Broadwalk.
There’s no better way to celebrate July 4 weekend in Fort Lauderdale than heading down to the beach! Stake claim to a spot off A1A between Las Olas and Sunrise and enjoy an entire day of fun events. A DJ will be spinning starting at 1 p.m., and then there will be beach games, live entertainment and contests beginning at 4 p.m. Fireworks will end the evening at 9 p.m. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a fireworks show on Fort Lauderdale Beach. For more information, call (954) 828-5363.
Join Lauderdale-by-the-Sea residents for an Independence Day parade at 10 a.m., starting from the town hall. Return later in the day and get a good seat at El Prado Park, because this will be the best place to view the fireworks; those will begin at 9 p.m.
Pompano Beach celebrates the birth of our nation with an all day beach bash at Pompano Air Park. There are going to be lots of fun things going on, such as live entertainment, a watermelon-eating contest, an interactive game show, and lots of food trucks to feast from. The fireworks display will begin once they are set off from the end of the fishing pier at 9 p.m.
Boca Raton will be setting their fireworks display to music, thanks to Zambelli Fireworks and the Sunset Cove Amphitheater. The July 4 celebration begins at the amphitheater at 6:30 p.m., with the band Ocean Boulevard performing free for the guests. Food and drinks will be served. After the concert there will be a special musical fireworks show. Bring your lawn chairs!
West Palm Beach celebrates Independence Day with their much-loved 4th on Flagler celebration. National recording artists will be singing all day across three stages on Flagler Drive. The 13th Army Band will also make an appearance. An 18-minute fireworks extravaganza will start at 9 p.m. as they are set off over the Intracoastal. Want to enjoy the view on a cruise? You can make that happen for just $50 per person. Call (561) 881-9757 if you’re interested!
CENTRAL FLORIDA
Enjoy fireworks with the mayor and thousands of other Orlando residents on the shores of Lake Eola. There will be a festival that begins at 4 p.m., and it includes over 25 food trucks and live music on two stages. Don’t miss the fireworks that begin promptly at 9:10 p.m. If you can’t 
make it to Lake Eola, you can watch the fireworks live on WFTV-TV ABC 9. If you’re out at Parliament House tonight to see Adore Delano and Willam from RuPaul’s Drag Race, be sure to step outside at midnight to see P-House shoot off their collection of fireworks over the lake.
Tampa and St. Petersburg will be celebrating this Independence Day with their annual fireworks shows in Channelside and at Spa Beach Park, respectively. St. Petersburg residents are asked to arrive early with your blankets and chairs and get a good spot before the fireworks begin at 9 p.m.
If you don’t want to be on dry land in Tampa’s Channelside, you can embark on an awesome dinner cruise, which includes open bar and a fun fireworks show choreographed to your favorite patriotic standards. The cruise sets sail at 7 p.m. and will return at 9:30. Tickets cost $119.95 per person.
Check back after July 4 Weekend to see photos from all across Florida! Access our photo albums by visiting us online at hotspots.lgbt.
