This is the year Long Island gets to go absolutely nuts for the Fourth of July and nobody can say it’s too much.

The United States turns 250 in 2026. The Semiquincentennial, the Quarter Millennium, the America250, whatever you want to call it, it is a genuinely big deal and Long Island is not sitting this one out. Jones Beach alone is putting on what may be the most ambitious Fourth of July event in the Island’s history. Add in the dozen-plus town fireworks shows, the harbor concerts, the Grucci spectaculars, the parade traditions stretching back generations, and you’ve got a holiday weekend that makes a normal Fourth of July look like a backyard sparkler.

Here’s your town-by-town guide to where the fireworks are happening this year. A word of caution before we get into it: some towns confirm their exact 2026 dates and lineups closer to the holiday, so always check with your local town or village for final details. Times and dates below are based on confirmed 2026 events where available and established annual patterns for the rest.

The Big One First: Jones Beach State Park

Jones Beach State Park, Wantagh (Nassau County) July 4, 2026 | Fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

Governor Hochul announced that the July Fourth weekend at Jones Beach will feature the United States Navy Blue Angels as part of the FourLeaf Air Show and Fireworks: Celebrating America250, with fireworks scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. on the Fourth.

This is not a normal fireworks show. Over 5,000 shells will be launched from a barge approximately 2,000 feet offshore, lighting up the sky for approximately 25 minutes, with live music beginning at 8 p.m. The air show headliners are the United States Navy Blue Angels, joined by international military jet teams including the Canadian Snowbirds, running Sunday July 5 and Monday July 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In past years this event has easily seen 200,000 people fill the beach on a single day, with parking lots filled by 8 a.m. When that happens, the parkways are closed and people are turned away. That was a normal air show year. This is the 250th anniversary. Plan accordingly.

Take the LIRR to Freeport station and connect to the N88 Nassau Inter-County Express bus to Jones Beach. Seriously, take the train. Parking is a $10 vehicle use fee and the lots fill fast. The fireworks are worth whatever logistical maneuvering it takes to get there.

Nassau County

Eisenhower Park, East Meadow

July 3, 2026 | Festivities from 5:30 p.m.

Eisenhower Park hosts Nassau County’s signature pre-Fourth celebration the night before the holiday. The event features live music at the Lakeside Theatre, with the evening capped off by a fireworks and drone display. Bring blankets or chairs. This one draws a massive crowd and the venue is large enough to accommodate it comfortably. Parking is available on site. It’s also a solid alternative for families who want to avoid the Jones Beach crowds on the Fourth itself.

Glen Cove

July 4, 2026 | Concert at 7:30 p.m., Fireworks around 9:15 p.m. Morgan Memorial Park, Glen Cove

Glen Cove’s annual July 4 celebration takes place at Morgan Memorial Park, with a concert followed by a fireworks show around 9:15 p.m. Bring blankets and chairs. The waterfront setting here is genuinely one of the nicest on the North Shore for this kind of event. The celebration invites families to bring blankets, chairs, and a festive spirit to enjoy a night of community pride by the harbor. It’s a proper town Fourth: free, family-friendly, and set against the water.

Oyster Bay / Massapequa (John J. Burns Town Park)

Typically held in early-to-mid July

The Town of Oyster Bay’s annual Salute to America is one of the most well-attended shows on the Nassau calendar. The celebration at John J. Burns Town Park in Massapequa features a live concert and Grucci fireworks show, typically held in the first week of July. Grucci, for anyone who doesn’t know the name, is the Brookhaven-based family that has been lighting up Long Island skies since 1850 and holds multiple world records in pyrotechnics. When Grucci is doing the show, it’s going to be a good show.

Long Beach

Typically mid-July | Along the Boardwalk

Long Beach does the Fourth of July the way you’d expect a barrier island beach city to do it. The City of Long Beach fireworks display is visible from anywhere along the boardwalk and beachfront. You can watch from the sand, from the boardwalk, or, if you time it right, from a spot along the Atlantic Avenue bridge. The combination of ocean air and fireworks over the water makes this one of the more atmospheric shows on the Island, even if it falls a week or so after the actual holiday.

Rockville Centre

Typically mid-July | Barasch Field

Rockville Centre’s annual fireworks show is a village celebration in every sense, beginning with a performance by the South Shore Symphony Orchestra followed by a Grucci fireworks show, with viewing from Pette and Barasch Fields only. The symphony-to-fireworks format is a genuinely elegant way to spend a summer evening, and the fact that it’s free makes it even better. If you’ve never spent a July night watching an orchestra warm up a crowd before Grucci takes over the sky, add this to the list.

Suffolk County

Brookhaven / Farmingville (Bald Hill)

July 4, 2026 | Gates at 5 p.m., Concert at 5:30 p.m., Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Catholic Health Amphitheater at Bald Hill, Farmingville

The Town of Brookhaven’s July 4th Star-Spangled Bash at Bald Hill is a free family event featuring a full concert lineup at the Catholic Health Amphitheater, with a Grucci fireworks show to close at 9:15 p.m.

Bald Hill has a geographic advantage that most fireworks venues don’t. The Bald Hill area sits at approximately 331 feet of elevation, one of the higher points in Suffolk County, which means the fireworks are visible from a wide surrounding area even if you can’t get into the main event. Locals have been setting up lawn chairs on nearby streets for years to catch the Grucci show from outside the venue. It works.

Port Jefferson

Fireworks: July 3 | Parade: July 4

Port Jefferson is the kind of place that treats the Fourth of July like it means something, because it does. The fireworks light up the harbor on July 3rd, followed by a festive Independence Day parade through the village the next morning. Come early, stake out a spot, and enjoy the coastal charm. The harbor setting makes this one of the best fireworks viewpoints on the North Shore.

The fireworks display is for residents only, viewed optimally from the East and West Beaches, with residents required to show ID. But the parade on the Fourth is open to everyone, and the village itself is worth the drive up. Grab breakfast at one of the Main Street spots, watch the parade, and make a day of it.

Montauk

July 4, 2026 | Around 9 p.m. Umbrella Beach, Montauk

The Stars Over Montauk Fourth of July fireworks show at Umbrella Beach offers stunning ocean views and small-town charm, with free parking available, or the option to book a cruise for views from the water. There is something about watching fireworks from a beach at the eastern tip of Long Island, with the Atlantic on three sides, that makes the experience feel different from any parking-lot-and-lawn-chairs setup. Montauk earns its reputation on the Fourth.

The village also tends to have a full day of celebrations around the show, which means you have a legitimate excuse to be out there for the whole day.

Greenport

Traditionally July 2 and July 5

Greenport does things at its own pace and on its own schedule, which is part of why people love it. The Greenport Fire Department hosts its fireworks display on both July 2 and July 5, bookending the holiday rather than landing squarely on it. The North Fork setting gives you harbor views and easy access to the village’s restaurants and shops before the show. It’s a more relaxed alternative to the packed South Shore celebrations, which is exactly what some people are looking for.

Riverhead

Typically mid-to-late July | Along the Peconic River

Riverhead holds its fireworks as part of a larger summer street festival rather than strictly on the Fourth, which actually makes it worth mentioning in a guide like this. The fireworks show happens on the Peconic River behind the Town Square, with viewing spots along Main Street, the River Walk boardwalk, and Grangabel Park. The event also features live music, craft beverages, local food, and a downtown crawl. If you miss the Fourth itself or just want another chance to stand by a waterway and watch things explode, Riverhead’s summer show is worth the trip.

Shelter Island

Typically mid-July | Crescent Beach, Shelter Island Heights

The Shelter Island Fireworks Spectacular takes place at Crescent Beach in Shelter Island Heights, typically in mid-July. Getting to Shelter Island requires a ferry, which adds a layer of planning but also keeps the crowds manageable relative to mainland shows. If you want a fireworks experience that feels genuinely local and not like you’re sharing a parking lot with thirty thousand strangers, Shelter Island is your answer.

Quick Reference: Long Island Fourth of July Fireworks 2026

A Few Tips Before You Go

This year is different. America turns 250 and Jones Beach is treating it accordingly. If you are anywhere near the Island on July 4th weekend and have even a passing interest in fireworks and fighter jets doing things that should not be physically possible, Jones Beach deserves to be at the top of your list. The Blue Angels have specifically moved from their usual Memorial Day slot to July 4th weekend for the 250th anniversary. That decision tells you everything you need to know about how seriously this is being taken.

Take the LIRR when you can. Nearly every major fireworks venue on this list has an LIRR station within reasonable distance. Parking on the Fourth of July on Long Island is a contact sport. The train is not.

Arrive earlier than you think you need to. The rule for any outdoor Long Island event in summer applies double on the Fourth. If you think you need to arrive an hour early, arrive ninety minutes early. Blankets spread fast, parking fills faster, and the best spots along any harbor or boardwalk are claimed before most people have finished dinner.

Check rain dates. Every show on this list has a rain contingency, usually the following day. Follow your local town’s social media or website in the days leading up to the event, especially if weather is in the forecast.

Know of a Long Island fireworks show we missed? Drop it in the comments and we’ll add it to the guide.