Howard County's July 4th Fireworks

Join us at the 4th of July annual fireworks celebration. The event features live entertainment. Bring a picnic or purchase food from on-site vendors. Parking is free. Check back here after 6/15 for activities schedule. Info: 410-313-1668.

All ages

Columbia Lakefront Fireworks are at dark (weather permitting) Jul 4 5-10pm F Free

(Rain date: 7/5, fireworks only)

Below is the information for 2024. Information for 2025 will be available closer to the event. 

Co-Produced by Columbia Association and Howard County:

Help us kick off National Park and Recreation Month with the July 4th Fireworks. Throughout July, join Howard County Recreation & Parks as we celebrate with FREE movie/game nights, fitness, food trucks, concerts and more.

Start the month with our annual 4th of July fireworks celebration on July 4 from 5-10pm at the Lakefront in Columbia. The event features live entertainment. Bring a picnic or purchase food from on-site vendors. Parking is free. 

Fireworks start between 9:10 p.m. & 9:20 p.m. (weather permitting).

Info: 410-313-1668

Free for all ages.

Inclement Weather: If there is a need for extreme delays or cancellation on July 4, we will have the fireworks the following evening (July 5th) at dusk. If rescheduled for July 5th, all other entertainment will be cancelled.  Updates if needed will be on Facebook. 

Interactive map | Parking | ADA Access | Event Layout | Cycling & Pedestrian Access | Food Options | Entertainment | FAQs | 

-----  TIMELINE  -----

• 3 p.m.  Blankets may be placed (We ask that all firework goers wait until after 3 p.m. to lay down any blankets so as to preserve the grass.)
• 5-9 p.m. Food trucks will be available 
• 6-11 p.m.  Little Patuxent Parkway closed between Symphony Woods Road and Governor Warfield Parkway
• 6-7:15.p.m. Big Joe & The Dynaflows on the Lakefront stage
• 7:30-9 p.m. Quitapenas Performs on the Lakefront stage
• 8-11 p.m. Little Patuxent Parkway closed between Broken Land Parkway and Symphony Woods Road
• Around 9 p.m. Opening Remarks and National Anthem Performance
• Around 9:10 p.m./9:30 p.m. (dusk) - Weather Dependent - Fireworks start at Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia. 

FREE Car and Bicycle (Bike) Parking Available at this Event!

CARS: Free public parking for this event will be located at:

• The Mall in Columbia
• One and Two Merriweather Garage – 10970 Grantchester Way (Free on July 4)   
• Symphony Woods garage, 6275 Mango Tree Road (Free on July 4)
• Sterrett Place North * limited * 

There is no parking at the Lakefront. The Whole Foods parking lots will be closed at 6pm and will reopen at approximately 11pm. Parking on the Wincopin top deck or garage below is reserved for event staff and will require a permit for access.

Please note, on the evening of July 4th, Howard County Police Department will be closing both directions of Little Patuxent Parkway between Symphony Woods Road and Governor Warfield Parkway from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Additionally, eastbound Little Patuxent Parkway between Broken Land Parkway and Symphony Woods Road will be closed from about 8 pm to 11 p.m. Traffic delays can also be expected as a result of these closures and increase vehicular and pedestrian traffic for the July 4th fireworks celebration.

BICYCLES (BIKES): Ride your bike to the July 4th festivities and park it for FREE in a secure space located at 10175 Wincopin Circle (next to GrillMarx) during the hours of 1PM-10 PM. Your bike will be “corralled” within a physical boundary, separated from the public, and supervised by multiple volunteers.  Bike HoCo will check your bike into the corral, tag it, place it on their bike racks, and check it back out to the same person using their electronic system. Like car parking, bike parking is ultimately at your own risk, but Bike HoCo has operated scores of corrals, parking 100s of bikes, and has not lost or misplaced a single one.

In addition to being a free place to secure your bike, Bike Corral users will be entered to win an e-bike courtesy of Downtown Columbia Partnership. Not sure how to get to there by bike? Bike HoCo has put together a list of directions from CA Village Centers and other areas in Howard County designed to avoid the most crowded areas of the Lakefront.