Fireworks Frenzy
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 5 to 10 p.m.
Place: Hunter Street Park, 1250 Ambergate Station, Apex, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Apex’ fireworks display event also features music, food trucks and a Kids Zone with inflatables and games. From 5 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., enjoy food trucks and fun. The fireworks are planned for 9:30 p.m.

Apex Olde Fashioned Fourth of July
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Place: Downtown Apex
Cost: Free
Features: Games for all ages, inflatables, the Parade of Wheels and a splash down with the Apex Fire Department.

Old Fashioned Fourth of July

Old Fashioned Fourth of July with Preservation Chapel Hill
Date: Check back soon to see if it’s taking place in 2025
Time: Check back soon
Place: Horace Williams House, 610 East Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost: Free
Features: This free afternoon celebration typically includes music, plus free ice cream, lemonade and flags. Please bring lawn chairs or a blanket

Chapel Hill’s 4th of July Fireworks
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 7 p.m. Fireworks at 9 p.m.
Place: Southern Community Park, 1000 Sumac Road, Chapel Hill, NC
Cost: Free
Features: You are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and picnics. You’re not allowed to bring tents, tailgates, pets, alcohol or glass. The best viewing is from the Southern Community Park ball fields and the Southern Village Green. A free shuttle will be available.

Carrboro’s 4th of July Celebration
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Place: Weaver Street Market, 101 E Weaver Street, and Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W Main Street, Carrboro.
Cost: Free
Features: Meet at Weaver Street Market for a bike and wagon decorating contest and a costume contest. The People’s Parade will go from there to Carrboro Town Hall, where there will be live music and kids’ activities until 1:30 p.m. Festivities include carnival games, a baby crawl contest, a pie eating contest and much more. From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Carrboro Century Center, the community reading of Frederick Douglass’ essay, “The Meaning of the Fourth of July for the Negro” will take place.

Cary’s July 3rd Celebration

Cary’s July 3rd Celebration
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 4 to 10 p.m.
Place: Downtown Cary Park, 327 S Academy Street, Cary, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Family-friendly activities, food trucks and the movie Top Gun.

Independence Day Celebration

Independence Day Celebration
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 3:30 to 10 p.m.
Place: Koka Both Amphitheatre, 8003 Regency Parkway, Cary, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Concert by North Carolina Symphony, kids’ activities, and fireworks.

Independence Day Fishing Tournament

Independence Day Fishing Tournament
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Place: Bond Park, 801 High House Road, Cary, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Fishing tournament for all ages. Prizes for longest and shortest fish for each age group.

City of Durham 4th of July Fireworks

City of Durham 4th of July Fireworks
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: After the Durham Bulls game, which starts at 6:35 p.m.
Place: Durham Bulls Athletic Park, 409 Blackwell Street, Durham, NC
Cost: Ticket price to the game varies.
Features: Best viewing is from within the ballpark. There are limited viewing areas outside the ballpark. Gates will open for free general admission, based on availability, at the end of the 7th inning for those who just want to watch the fireworks.

Children’s Independence Day Parade

Children’s Independence Day Parade
Date: Check back soon for 2025 details. Typically takes place July 4th.
Time: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Place: Durham Central Park, 501 Foster Street, Durham, North Carolina
Cost: Free
Features: We are awaiting an official listing, but probably: Materials will be provided so that kids can decorate their bikes and wagons. Then the parade takes place at 10:30 a.m., followed by free popsicles and fire truck tours.

Watts-Hillandale Fourth of July Parade

Watts-Hillandale Fourth of July Parade
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 10 a.m.
Place: Oval Drive, Park, 2200 W Club Boulevard, Durham, NC
Cost: Free
Features: This is the oldest public Independence Day celebration in Durham. It’s a home-grown, old-fashioned parade that ends with an ice-cold Coke in glass bottles!

Festival for the Eno

Festival for the Eno (also known as EnoFest)
Date: July 4 and 5, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day
Place: West Point on the Eno, 5101 N Roxboro Street, Durham, NC
Cost: Through $35 for single day tickets and $65 for a two-day pass for adults. Single tickets for ages 5-17 are $10 and two-day passes for kids are $15.
Features: More than 60 bands on four stages. Craft show, food and drink

Historic Stagville

Community reading of Frederick Douglass’ 4th of July speech
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 10 to 11 a.m.
Place: Stagville State Historic Site, Horton Grove, 5925 Jock Road, Bahama, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Every year 60 volunteers sign up to read passages from Frederick Douglass’ Fourth of July address, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July.”

Franklin County

Franklinton Independence Day Celebration
Date: Check back soon for 2025
Time: Check back soon
Place: Franklinton Middle School football field, 224 Rams Way, Franklinton, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Food trucks, games and family fun, with a fireworks show.

Garner

Garner Independence Day Celebration

Garner Independence Day Celebration
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 5 to 10 p.m.
Place: Lake Benson Park, 921 Buffaloe Road, Garner, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Concert by North Carolina Symphony, kids’ zone, fireworks

Holly Springs

Holly Springs Fireworks Show
Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025
Time: 6 to 9:30 p.m.
Place: Jefferson L. Sugg Farm at Bass Lake Park, 2401 Grigsby Avenue, Holly Springs, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, food, fireworks

Knightdale’s Fourth of July Celebration

Knightdale’s Fourth of July Celebration
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Place: Knightdale Station Park, 810 N First Avenue, Knightdale, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Bike parade, live music from liquid pleasure, DJ, food trucks, inflatables, splashpad.

Morrisville’s Red, White & Boom!

Morrisville’s Red, White & Boom!
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 5 to 9 p.m.
Place: Cedar Fork District Park, 228 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live entertainment, food trucks, family-friendly games, fireworks display

Pittsboro SummerFest

Pittsboro SummerFest
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025
Time: 4 to 9 p.m.
Place: Downtown Pittsboro, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, kids’ activities, bike parade, more.

City of Raleigh 4th of July Fireworks

City of Raleigh 4th of July Fireworks
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 6 to 10 p.m.
Place: Carter-Finley Stadium area, 4600 Trinity Road, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: This is a fireworks-centered celebration.

Brier Creek Star Spangled Block Party and Fireworks Show

Brier Creek Star Spangled Block Party and Fireworks Show
Date: Check back soon
Time: 8 to 10 p.m.
Place: Brier Creek Commons, 8131 Brier Creek Parkway, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Last year it featured face painting, glitter tattoos, games, strolling entertainers, giveaways (while supplies last), Raleigh Rockers and fireworks.

Independence Day at N.C. State Capitol

Independence Day at N.C. State Capitol
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Place: State Capitol, 1 E Edenton Street, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: This annual celebration included a naturalization ceremony for new citizens, a reading from the Declaration of Independence, a wreath laying at the George Washington monument and music by Raleigh Concert Band.

Joel Lane Museum House

Joel Lane Museum House Open House
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Place: Joel Lane Museum House, 160 South Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh, NC
Cost: Free
Features: The free open house includes demonstrations and kids’ crafts. The historic house will be open to walk through. There will also be free refreshments.

Rolesville

Rolesville 4th of July Celebration

Rolesville 4th of July Celebration
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 5 p.m.
Place: Redford Place Park, 121 Redford Place Drive, Rolesville, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, kids’ activities, food trucks, beer, wine and fireworks

Roxboro Independence Day Parade

Roxboro 4th of July Parade
Date: Check back soon.
Time: 10 a.m.
Place: Main Street, Roxboro, NC
Cost: Free
Features: 4th of July parade

Roxboro Fireworks

Roxboro Fireworks Display
Date: Check back soon.
Time: Dusk
Place: Person High School, 1010 Ridge Road, Roxboro, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Fireworks

Clayton Square to Square Independence Day Street Festival and Fireworks

Square to Square Independence Day and Fireworks
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: Check back soon
Place: Downtown Clayton
Cost: Free
Features: This celebration features a street festival and fireworks.

Smithfield Independence Day Celebration

Smithfield Independence Day Celebration
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 5 to 10 p.m.
Place: Neuse River Amphitheater, 150 S Front Street, Smithfield, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Live music, food trucks, games and activities, a kids’ zone, and a fireworks display at 9:05 p.m.

Archer Lodge Community Center Family Fun Day

Archer Lodge Community Family Fun Day
Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025
Time: 3 to 10 p.m.
Place: Archer Lodge Community Center, 14009 Buffalo Road, Archer Lodge, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Bike parade, inflatables, food trucks, entertainment, skydivers, vendors and more. The evening ends with a fireworks show.

Kenly Fireworks

Kenly Fireworks
Date: Check back soon.
Time: 9 p.m.
Place: Kenly 95, 923 Johnston Parkway, Kenly, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Fireworks show

Wake Forest Art and More in the Park

Wake Forest Art and More in the Park
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Place: Wake Forest Community House, 133 W Owen Avenue, Wake Forest, NC
Cost: Free
Features: Arts and crafts projects for kids. Also, the Wake Forest Fire Department will be on site grilling and serving free hot dogs, providing information on fire prevention and safety and handing out giveaways.

Zebulon

Mudcats Games

Mudcats Games
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: After game, which starts at 6:30 p.m.
Place: Five County Stadium, 1501 NC 39 Hwy, Zebulon, NC
Cost: Start at $14
Features: Post-game fireworks for Indendence Day

Fireworks Map

This interactive map includes all the fireworks shows from this article. It doesn’t include parades or other celebrations.