This year, instead of the traditional fireworks show, Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture will be presenting a 4th of July Drone Show on Saturday, July 4, 2026, from 7 to 9:45 p.m., at Chapel Hill High School, 9217 Seawell School Road, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Technology meets creativity in this year’s drone show at Chapel Hill High School, presented by Skyworx. A collection of 300 synchronized drones will lift off and arrange themselves into shapes and images, using light and color to paint designs across the Chapel Hill sky.
The drone show will be free to attend.
Viewing Area
Drone shows must be viewed from a certain angle to see text and images properly.
There will be three viewing areas on site at Chapel Hill High School.
Details and map coming soon!
Food Offerings
Mike’s Icys will be on site starting at 6 p.m. and through the entire drone show.
Parking and Shuttles
Free event parking is available at Rosemary Parking Deck, 125 E Rosemary Street, and UNC’s RR Lot, 1071 Estes Drive. Frequent shuttles will run between these parking options and the event at Chapel Hill High School at the following times:
- Before the show: 6pm-8:45pm
- After the show: 9:35pm-10:05pm
Parking and the shuttle will be free.
Only ADA accessible parking will be available at the high school.
There will be no shuttles running during the show. Everyone’s encouraged to park early so there’s plenty of time to hop on the shuttle and pick a viewing spot before the show starts.
Follow the Facebook event for updates.
Why is Chapel Hill changing to a drone show?
- It supports the Town of Chapel Hill’s sustainability initiatives, as fireworks aren’t environmentally friendly.
- It creates a quieter, more accessible viewing experience for community members.
- It is responsive to community feedback the town received in a 2024 survey about the event.
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More Events
Check out our list of free and cheap events in Raleigh and the rest of the Triangle this weekend, or our full event calendar in the Triangle, or just look at few upcoming events here:
