Your guide to July 4 festivities, fireworks and road closures
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Philly’s Fourth of July concert and fireworks on the Parkway are nearly here — along with plenty of other events throughout the city today and tomorrow.
What’s happening: Here’s your cheat sheet to your best Fourth yet.
🎤 Award-winning singer Vanessa Williams takes over the Independence Mall on Monday for a 6pm concert.
🏛️ Carpenters’ Hall reopens with a public ceremony at 10am on Monday following a fire last year.
- There'll be free admission and historic reenactors appearing throughout the day.
👻 Eastern State Penitentiary offers free admission to its Night Tours: Summer Twilight on Monday from 6-10pm.
- Reservations are sold out but a standby line will offer entrance depending on availability.
🇺🇸 The city kicks off the holiday with a ceremony at Independence Hall at 10am on Tuesday.
- Hear the Black Pearl Orchestra perform and a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
🥁 Enjoy the Salute to Independence Day Parade starting on Tuesday at 11am at 2nd and Market Streets.
- Expect floats, marching bands, cultural groups, and a performance by Miss America 2023, Grace Stanke.
- The parade will travel west along Market Street to City Hall.
- Road closures will be in place along the parade route.
🎆 The Fourth’s big event starts at 4pm on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with performances by Philly’s own Snacktime and DJ Diamond Kuts.
- Singer Demi Lovato and rapper Ludacris take the main stage at 7pm followed by fireworks.
- Be smart: All guests must enter at Logan Circle at 20th Street and go through the security checkpoint.
- The concert has a long list of prohibited items, including alcohol, sparklers, selfie sticks, face coverings (except COVID-19 masks and faith-based coverings), stickers, and glass containers.