Fourth of July

Fireworks, parades and live entertainment are just a few of the ways locals celebrate the birth of the nation in Grand Rapids. Join us as we honor, reflect and revel in the American spirit!

Community Events

These suburban cities celebrate the holiday with small-town parades and much more:

Caledonia hosts a parade at 11am and fireworks at the Cal-Plex Recreation Center at dusk. June 28.

Ada offers a day full of festivities, including a pancake breakfast, children’s bike parade, main parade, classic car show, live music and fireworks at dusk. July 4.

The Allendale Fourth of July Celebration features a 10am parade, activities in Allendale Township Park from 11am-2pm and fireworks starting at 10:15pm. July 4.

The Cascade Township Independence Day Celebration includes two parades, a street fair with kids’ rides, food trucks and live music before fireworks at dusk.

East Grand Rapids kicks off July 4 with a parade at noon, followed by kids’ inflatables, food trucks and a water ski show on Reeds Lake. The celebration ramps up with live music from 8 ‘til dusk, when the fireworks begin. July 4.

Grandville’s July 4 Celebration includes a parade, arts & crafts show, patriotic trial, food vendors, kid’s activities, live music and fireworks. July 4.

The Kentwood 4^th of July Celebration starts with a pancake breakfast and extends throughout the day with a 5k race/fun walk, parade, carnival, food trucks, a beer tent, live music and fireworks. July 4.

Ottawa Hills hosts its 91^st Annual Hollyhock Lane Parade – the oldest Independence Day parade in Michigan – on July 4 at 8:30am.

Fireworks

In addition to the fireworks shows listed above, these  events serve up spectacular pyrotechnic displays:

The Annual Grand Rapids Independence Day Fireworks Show is the city’s biggest patriotic celebration! The event kicks off at 6pm in downtown’s Ah-Nab-Awen Park, with family-fun activities, games, food, vendors and live entertainment leading up to spectacular fireworks show at 10:30pm. July 5.

Multiple downtown parks and bridges offer great (free!) views of the Grand Rapids fireworks. So do the riverfront Amway Grand Plaza and JW Marriot hotels – check in for the night and enjoy the bursts and booms from the comfort of your room . Or:

• Join in the Toast to Independence at The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck in the Amway Grand Plaza for a picnic-style buffet, DJ entertainment and premium seating for the night’s fireworks.
• Elevate your view of the fireworks show at Chispa y Sabor “Spark and Flavor” at MDRD restaurant on the 27^th floor of the Amway Grand.
• Enjoy Fireworks on the Jdek at Margaux in the Amway Grand, featuring reserved riverfront seating for the light show, a chef-crafted picnic buffet and full cash bar.
• Bring the whole family to JW Marriott’s Sips & Spark Fireworks Pre-Party , a free gathering with house-made gelato, a Starbucks Cold Brew station, pizza, cocktails, lawn games and live music just steps from the city’s fireworks show. 
• Get a bird’s-eye view of the fireworks at JW Marriott’s Red, White, and Exclusive on the 23rd Floor, a refined, intimate event offering panoramic skyline views, a chef-curated buffet and craft cocktails.
• Celebrate the Grand Rapids Fireworks the Stillhouse Way – with a fantastic view from the rooftop of Rapid River Stillhouse in the Bridge Street Entertainment District.

Berlin Raceway, one of America’s premier short-track stock-car courses, presents 4^th of July fireworks after its July 5 races.

The West Michigan Whitecaps baseball team hosts post-game fireworks in LMCU Ballpark on July 1, 2 and 3.

Spending the day at the Lake Michigan shore? South Haven lights up the night on July 3; Grand Haven, Holland and Muskegon on July 4; and Saugatuck July 5.

Fill the July 4^th Weekend with Fun

It’s a long weekend of summer fun in Grand Rapids – complement your parade-and-fireworks itinerary with any of these great events:

Visit the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum to explore some of the most momentous times in American  history, told through the experiences of the 38^th U.S. president (and GR native son), Gerald Ford. The Museum is open all weekend long.

See the dazzling SHARKS exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum, featuring 100 specimens, nine life-sized shark models and hands-on displays. While you’re there, check out Play Ball!, the world’s largest collection of Detroit Tigers Autographed baseballs. GRPM is open all weekend.

Enjoy three days of curated food and drinks, live music, dance, local merchants and more at the Grand Rapids Foodie Fest in Calder Plaza. July 4-6.

Head to downtown’s Heartside Park for The Extreme Tour, an evening of live music spanning multiple genres, plus games, giveaways, food and drinks. July 4.

Bring your kids to the Red, White, Blue and You: A Salute to Independence Day! birthday celebration for America featuring live music, Fourth of July storybooks, a flag hunt and more. In the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. July 5.

Wear your sharpest white attire to the Red, White and Boozy Party at IDC bar in the Amway Grand Plaza hotel, where you’ll enjoy live DJ beats and delicious cocktails. July 5.

Beat the heat with a trip to the area’s best ice cream and frozen yogurt shops. Savor a tall cold one at a local brewery or a refreshing adult beverage at a cocktail bar. Visit the city’s best burger spots and hot dog joints for quintessential July 4^th favorites. Or shop the Grand Rapids Downtown Market and West Michigan farmers markets to stock up for your own backyard barbecue or picnic in the park.

Check out some other amazing things to do in Grand Rapids this summer, this weekend and beyond!