4th of July in South Florida: Find parades, pool parties, festivals, fireworks — and drone shows!

Drones are really having a moment right now, and some Fourth of July festivities in South Florida are jumping on the trend with the quieter, more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fireworks.

Deerfield Beach joins Lauderhill and Seminole Casino Coconut Creek this year in unleashing a fleet of synchronized drones equipped with lights and programmed to display an ooh-and-ahh-inspiring patriotic theme to entertain crowds.

But don’t worry, plenty of cities are still planning to bring the boom with fireworks launching across Broward and Palm Beach counties before and on the holiday. You can also expect other hometown holiday traditions such as parades, pool parties, games for the kids and live music.

In Fort Lauderdale, you won’t have to be a VIP to kick it with rapper Vanilla Ice, as he and other hip-hop personalities bring the I Love the 90’s Tour to A1A Beachfront Avenue (well, a stage on the beach … close enough, right?)

With so much red, white and blue revelry to be had, we’ve compiled a handy guide with all the details. Keep in mind: Some cities plan to start the holiday early with events on Wednesday and Thursday. Additionally, the weather forecast shows a potentially wet weekend on the horizon, so be sure to check ahead before you head out.

Have fun and stay safe!

BROWARD COUNTY

Coconut Creek

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, 5550 NW 40th St., will start its Independence Celebration early with an event that benefits SOS Children’s Villages Florida. Gates open at 7 p.m. Thursday with entertainment and food trucks. At 10 p.m., 500 synchronized drones are scheduled to take to the sky featuring aerial designs highlighting American icons, symbols of freedom and patriotic messages. After the drones come down, the fireworks go up for an 18-minute show. Viewing areas are situated outside the casino along the east exterior. Free general admission. Premium reserved seating is available for $54.10 and $81.80 at Ticketmaster.com.

Coral Springs 

The city’s Fourth of July Celebration will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at Mullins Park, 10000 Ben Geiger Drive, with the Remix Band, appearances by Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty stilt walkers, lawn games, an inflatable zone, arts and crafts, interactive games and contests, and vendors. The fireworks ceremony is set for 8:45 p.m. Free admission. Visit coralsprings.gov/fourthofjuly.

Deerfield Beach

The city will have its first drone show to cap off the 4th of July Celebration from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Main Beach Parking Lot, 149 SE 21st Ave. Also planned: entertainment, food trucks, vendors and kids’ activities. Free admission. Visit deerfield-beach.com.

Fort Lauderdale

The city’s 4th of July Spectacular! will have traditional activities during the day, including bands, a kids’ zone, beach games, contests and family activities, at Las Olas Oceanside Park, 3000 E Las Olas Blvd., and Fort Lauderdale beach starting at noon Friday. At 7:30 p.m., it will be time to stop, collaborate and listen as rapper-turned-reality-TV-star Vanilla Ice headlines the I Love the 90’s Tour on the beach stage. He’ll be joined by other hip-hop stars from the era such as Young MC, Tone Loc and Rob Base. The fireworks show will begin at 8:45 p.m. Free admission. Visit parks.fortlauderdale.gov/special-events.

Hollywood

Head to the Centennial Celebration: Star Spangled Spectacular along State Road A1A between Dania Beach Boulevard and Hallandale Beach starting at 5 p.m. Friday for entertainment and a fireworks display at 9 p.m. Free admission. Visit hollywoodfl.org.

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

A water slide, face painting, music and food will be part of Fourth of July Family Fun Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at El Prado Park, 4500 El Mar Drive. Fireworks will be launched at 9 p.m. Free admission. Visit lauderdalebythesea-fl.gov.

Lauderhill 

Start the celebration two days before the big day at the Pre-Independence Day Drone Light Show from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Lauderhill Sports Park, 7500 W. Oakland Park Blvd. A drone display will light up the sky, and food trucks, music and a bounce house will also be part of the festivities. Free admission. Visit lauderhill-fl.gov.

Margate 

The city has a full slate of Fourth of July events planned on Friday. A parade kicks off at 9 a.m. and runs along Margate Boulevard between Northwest 76th Avenue and the Clock Tower. Stay for refreshments (hot dogs, chips and drinks) and bounce houses. A pool party runs from 1 to 4 p.m. at Calypso Cove, 6200 Royal Palm Blvd., featuring a DJ and caricature artists. (Regular admission rates apply.) A Fourth of July Extravaganza, on the northwest corner of Margate Boulevard and State Road 7, will feature music and food trucks starting at 5 p.m., with more than 3,000 fireworks to be set off at 9 p.m. Free admission. Visit margatefl.com.

Miramar 

The city’s 4th of July Celebration starts at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Miramar Regional Park, 16801 Miramar Parkway. The Miramar Land Kid Zone will have big games, food trucks and a DJ dance party. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Fireworks begin at 9 p.m. Free admission; parking is $10. Visit eventbrite.com.

Pembroke Pines

The city’s Independence Day Celebration from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Pines Recreation Center, 7400 Pines Blvd., will include games and rides, arts and crafts, a pie-eating contest, music and food trucks. The fireworks display will be from 9 to 9:30 p.m. Free admission. Visit ppines.com.

Plantation 

The annual Independence Day Parade begins at 9 a.m. Friday at the corner of Broward Boulevard and Northwest 46th Avenue and culminates at City Hall, 400 NW 73rd Ave., with an awards ceremony. Afterward, head to the Patriotic Pool Party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Plantation Aquatic Complex, 9151 NW Second St., and round out the festivities with a kids’ zone, concert and fireworks at the Central Park Ball Fields. Children’s activities begin at 6 p.m, Brass Evolution will perform at 7 p.m., and the fireworks will start at 9 p.m. Food will be available for purchase. Admission to all the events is free. Visit plantation.org.

Pompano Beach 

The city’s July 4th Fireworks Spectacular is a beachfront celebration from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at the Fisher Family Pier, 222 N. Pompano Beach Blvd. Enjoy musical performances before the fireworks start at 9 p.m. Free admission. Visit pompanobeachfl.gov.

Sunrise 

The city has planned a day and night full of patriotic festivities, starting with “The Great Outdoors” Parade and Family Fun Day from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at City Park, 6600 Sunset Strip. Cheer on floats and marching units as they travel west along Sunset Strip from Northwest 12th Street to the park. Get snow cones, play on the park’s playground and splash pad, or in the fun zone with an inflatable water slide, obstacle course and rock wall. Free admission, with food and drinks available for purchase. Then head to the outdoor Concert & Fireworks celebration at Amerant Bank Arena, 1 Panther Parkway, starting at 6 p.m. featuring music from the Paradigm Party Band, a children’s fun zone and food and beverage vendors. Fireworks will light up the sky at 9:30 p.m. Free admission. Visit sunrisefl.gov.

Tamarac 

The city will have two events on Friday, starting with a Patriotic Splash party at Caporella Aquatic Center, 9300 NW 58th St., from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Arts and crafts, lawn games, photo opportunities with characters and open swim play time are on the agenda. Admission is $5, and advance registration is required at tamarac.me/events. An All-American Celebration kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at the Tamarac Sports, Complex, 9901 NW 77th St., with food trucks, an artisanal and handcrafted market, music and a kids’ zone. Free admission. Visit tamarac.gov/specialevents.

Weston

• The Hometown Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration will have interactive games, photo stations and a performance by Blonde Ambition from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Weston Regional Park, 20200 Saddle Club Road. The fireworks grand finale is set for 9 p.m. Food will be available for purchase. Free admission. Visit westonfl.org.
• “Red White Blue & Weston Proud” is the theme of this year’s Hometown Fourth of July Parade from 10:30 a.m. to noon Friday. Performing and community groups, fire trucks, police vehicles, businesses and more will travel from the corner of Town Center Boulevard and Three Village Road, winding through Weston Town Center along Bell Tower Lane to the heart of Main Street. Free admission. Visit westonfl.org.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Boca Raton

• Fabulous Fourth, a daylong citywide celebration, features four events on Friday, kicking off with the Firecracker 5K Run/Walk at 7:15 a.m. at Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road. The $40 registration fee includes a race shirt, finisher medal and post-race snacks. Advance registration online only at runsignup.com. The Liberty Cup Racquet Tournament takes place at 9 a.m. at Patch Reef Park, 2000 Yamato Road, and Boca Raton Racquet Center, 21626 St. Andrews Blvd. Divisions are based on skill level. Registration is $20 and includes a participant shirt. Advance registration only at myboca.us. From 1 to 4 p.m., the Fabulous Fourth Block Party will take over Sugar Sand Park, 300 S. Military Trail, with yard games, music, food trucks and crafts for kids. Free admission. The festivities end with the Fabulous Finale from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Countess de Hoernle Park, 1000 Spanish River Blvd. On tap are music, food trucks and a 20-minute fireworks show starting at 9:15 p.m. Free admission. Visit myboca.us/1456/Fourth-of-July.
• Friday’s 4th of July Celebration at Sunset Cove Amphitheater, in Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park, 20405 Amphitheater Circle, will feature Giaco Pop Rock, food trucks, bounce houses, games and recreational activities. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and fireworks are set for 9 p.m. Free admission. Visit pbcamphitheaters.com.

Boynton Beach

Get ready for Red, White & Blue with a Waterfront View from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at Intracoastal Park, 2240 N. Federal Highway. The national anthem will kick off the celebration along with a presentation of the colors by members of the Boynton Beach Police and Fire Rescue Honor Guard units and appearances from U.S. military service members. The event will feature music, food vendors, glow games and mechanical rides, as well as a Polynesian fire show on the waterfront at 8:45 p.m. and a 25-minute fireworks display over the Intracoastal Waterway at 9:05 p.m. Free admission. Visit boynton-beach.org/4thOfJuly

Delray Beach 

The city’s 4th of July Celebration gets started at 6 p.m. Friday with a 60-foot flag raising ceremony and singing of the national anthem at East Atlantic Avenue and State Road A1A. Throughout the evening, find food trucks and vendors, children’s activities and games, music and more. The fireworks display will start at 9 p.m. Free admission. Visit delraybeachfl.gov/July4th.

Greenacres

Ignite the Night from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday at Samuel J. Ferreri Community Park, 2905 Jog Road, will feature music, food and craft vendors, a stilt walker, games and more. Fireworks will start at 9:10 p.m. Wristbands for inflatable rides and face painting are $10 each. Free admission. Visit greenacresfl.gov.

Lantana

The town’s Independence Day Celebration will be from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at Bicentennial Park, 321 E. Ocean Ave. Festivities include a concert by Nikki Kidd & The Collective, food and craft vendors, a stilt walker, family games and the “Most Patriotic Baby” contest. The fireworks show is set for 9:05 p.m. Free admission. Visit lantana.org.

Palm Springs

The city’s holiday event, set to begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Palm Springs Athletic Complex, 226 Cypress Lane, is called Stars, Stripes & Village Vibes 4th of July Celebration. There will be music, a kids’ zone, food and craft vendors, plus a fireworks display at 9 p.m. Free admission. Visit vpsfl.org.

Royal Palm Beach

Early morning fishing, golf and volleyball tournaments kick off the 4th of July Celebration on Friday at Royal Palm Beach Commons Park, 11600 Poinciana Blvd. Then from 3 to 10 p.m., enjoy carnival rides, bounce houses and a rock wall, arts and crafts, a cornhole tournament and tribute bands. The fireworks display will light the sky at 9 p.m. Free admission. Visit royalpalmbeachfl.gov.

Wellington

The village has organized two events to honor the holiday on Friday. Dive into the Patriotic Pool Party at the Wellington Aquatics Complex, 12072 Forest Hill Blvd., from noon to 7 p.m. with hourly games and activities. Free admission for guests age 2 and younger, $3 for age 3 to 17, $5 for adults 18 to 54, and $2 for seniors age 55 and older. The 4th of July Celebration returns to Village Park, 11700 Pierson Road, from 6 to 9 p.m. with music, food trucks, bingo, bounces houses and inflatables, games, entertainers, face painting, a petting zoo and climbing wall. New this year is a Dinosaur Dig for visitors age 4 to 15. A 20-minute fireworks show will be set off at 9:15 p.m. Free admission. Visit wellingtonfl.gov/July4th.

Westlake

FourthFest will kick off at 5 p.m. Friday along Kingfisher Boulevard with music, food trucks, a game truck, Ultimate Foam Experience, bounce houses and obstacle courses, face painting, family games and local market vendors. Fireworks will end the night at 9 p.m. Free admission. Visit westlakegov.com.

West Palm Beach

• • • The 37th annual 4th on Flagler will celebrate the holiday from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday with three music stages, games, crafts, food vendors and more along Flagler Drive, between Banyan Boulevard and Fern Street. Other activities starting at 6 p.m. at the Great Lawn, 100 N. Clematis St., include the national anthem, a color guard presentation, drumline and bagpipe music, and a large flag unfurling with over 50 volunteers. An 18-minute FPL Fireworks display over the Intracoastal Waterway begins at 9:09 p.m. Staying home? Tune in to the WPBF-Ch. 25 Special: 4th on Flagler LIVE Fireworks from 9 to 9:30 p.m. Free admission. Visit wpb.org/events.

Originally Published: July 2, 2025 at 11:04 AM EDT