Fairfax City July 4th Fireworks, Celebrate Independence Day

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Independence Day falls on a Friday in 2025, kicking off a star-spangled three-day weekend packed with fireworks, festivals and other Fourth of July fun in and around Fairfax City.

To help you fit it all in on your 4th of July calendar, Patch has put together a guide to what’s going on in Fairfax City and the surrounding areas.

July 4 Festivities For 2025

Independence Day Parade will kickoff at 10 a.m. in Downtown Fairfax City

• The City of Fairfax's Independence Day Parade and Fireworks began in 1967. Organized by the Delta Alpha Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, the parade has developed into the largest in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The parade has all the requisite ingredients for the Fourth of July: marching bands, floats, Shriners' little cars and big motorcycles, old fire engines, clowns, and the scorching sun. The parade has featured flyovers by the Flying Circus Aerodrome — and, in 1996, a hot air balloon race. Historically, the parade has been followed by an Old-Fashioned Fireman's Day, in which area fire companies compete in firefighter-related activities; however, it has now turned into the "Future Fire Fighter's Day", which provides children's activities on fire safety and education.

Evening Show & Fireworks 6:30 p.m., at Fairfax High School, 3501 Lion Run in Fairfax City.

• There will be a bags check to enter the event area. All bags and coolers will be subject to inspection. Bag checks will begin at 5:30 p.m. and continue until 10:30 p.m., when the event ends.
• For live updates, visit the Fairfax City Parks and Recreation Facebook page for the most up to date information on how weather conditions predictions may affect the show. The fireworks display is scheduled for 9:30pm.

Many people will be heading to D.C. for the big 4th of July Celebration on the National Mall. The National Park Service has posted a schedule of events, maps and other information online to make sure you're in the best spot to watch the 17.5-minute fireworks display when it starts at 9:09 p.m., weather-permitting.

July 4th Restaurant Specials In Fairfax City

As in previous years, PJ Skiddos, located at 9908 Fairfax Blvd., is making its parking lot available for anyone who wishes to see the Fairfax City fireworks up close. Seating is limited and reservations are required. The restaurant is also offering a limited July 4th menu.

Kelly's Oyster House and Bar, located at 4069 Chain Bridge Road in Old Town, is running a Lobster Roll special all July 4th weekend is all about Lobster Rolls and $1.50 Oysters on Saturday and Sunday.

Hamrocks Restaurant at 3950 Chain Bridge Road is also going lobster crazy this weekend, offering a Lobster Dinner for $36, Lobster Roll for $32 and a Strawberry Blueberry Shortcake for $7 on Friday-Sunday.

Viewing from the National Mall

• Plan to arrive early, and to protect yourself from heat-related illness. See Directions and Plan Your Visit.
• Viewing areas on the National Mall near the Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool will be accessible only through secure access points.
• Consider wearing hearing protection. These fireworks are big and loud.
• Consider wearing eye protection to protect yourself from incidental falling debris (ash).
• Consider not bringing pets (some are scared of the loud booms).
• Immediately following the fireworks, areas along Independence Avenue between the Lincoln Memorial and World War II Memorial will be closed for safety checks related to the fireworks launch site. The road and sidewalks will re-open after cleanup crews have completed their inspection and removed any hazardous materials.

Fireworks may be cancelled due to inclement weather

The fireworks display may be delayed or cancelled if there is inclement weather, such as driving rain, high winds, lightning and/or low ceiling cloud cover in the area. Sign up for automated alerts by texting JULY4DC to 888777.

Other Viewing Areas

• Washington, D.C.: U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, National Mall, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the White House Ellipse, West Potomac Park, East Potomac Park, and Anacostia Park

• Virginia: George Washington Memorial Parkway, including US Marine Corps War Memorial, Netherlands Carillon grounds, Lyndon Baines Johinson Memorial Grove, Gravelly Point Park, and along the Mount Vernon Trail from the 14th Street Bridge to Theodore Roosevelt Island. Parking is allowed in designated parking areas only.

National Independence Day Parade

The parade kicks off at 11:45 a.m. at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW and proceeds west to 17th Street, wrapping up about 2 p.m.

Marching bands, fife and drum corps, floats, military units, giant balloons, equestrian, drill teams and more take part in the celebration of America's birthday. Learn more here.

Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. In that document, the 13 original colonies declared their independence from Great Britain.

During the pivotal summer of 1776, the pre-Revolutionary celebrations honoring King George III’s birthday were replaced with mock funerals as a symbolic break from the crown.

It was an exciting time in Philadelphia — the Continental Congress voted to break from the crown and, two days later on July 4, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the original 13 colonies —New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland. Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia — to adopt the Declaration of Independence.

The first annual commemoration of the nation’s independence was in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, while the Revolutionary War was ongoing. Fireworks have been part of Fourth of July festivities since the first celebration in Philadelphia.

Today, Americans celebrate with fireworks, parades, concerts, and family gatherings and barbecues. Celebrations, though, predate by centuries the designation of Independence Day as a federal holiday, which didn’t happen until 1941.