Below is a list of more than 100 upcoming fireworks displays in Iowa in celebration of Independence Day. This list has events from 96 cities around the state!
But before I get to that, a little history about why we celebrate Independence Day and why we do it with fireworks.
What we’re celebrating
Independence Day marks the day the United States ratified the text of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, on July 4, 1776—247 years ago. (Congress voted to declare independence two days earlier, on July 2, 1776.)
A copy of the Declaration made its way to British King George III months after publication. Britain’s response? Calling its authors “misguided Americans” who made an “extravagant and inadmissable Claim of Independency.”
The Revolutionary War would keep raging for years, until George Washington’s Continental Army—with the help of the French Army and Navy—turned the tide in their favor at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. Britain formally recognized US independence on Sept. 3, 1783, with the Treaty of Paris.
Despite all that, there was no lasting bad blood between the old nation and the new: The UK and US established diplomatic relations two years later in 1785. And though we were on a short break during the War of 1812, we’ve been besties ever since.
Why do we celebrate with fireworks?
Ironically, because England did it first!
Celebratory displays of fireworks were first used at the wedding of King Henry VII in 1486. Queen Elizabeth I apparently was so fond of fireworks in the 1500s that she appointed a royal Fire Master of England for fireworks shows.
After the famous Gunpowder Plot to blow up Parliament in 1605 was foiled, the annual commemoration of that event featured a fireworks display and was called Fireworks Night.
By the 1700s, Europe’s fireworks displays had grown extravagant and were a popular way of celebrating national prosperity and patriotism—something that easily migrated across the Atlantic Ocean.
But it was John Adams’ letter to his wife, Abigail, that sealed the deal for US Independence Day celebrations. The Fourth of July, he wrote, “ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with [Shows], Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
Fireworks 2023, by city:
Adams: Sunday, July 2, 10 p.m., Lake Icaria
Altoona:
- Monday, July 3, dusk, Prairie Meadows
- Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Adventureland Resort
Amana Colonies: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Lily Lake
Ames: Monday, July 3, 9:45-10:15 p.m. (or after dusk), near Jack Trice Stadium
Anamosa: Monday, July 3, 9:30 p.m., Downing football field (rain date July 4)
Arnolds Park: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Arnolds Park Amusement Park/Preservation Plaza
Atlantic:
- Saturday, July 1, dusk, Cass County Fairgrounds
- Monday, July 3, dusk, Bike Farm (55717 Olive St.)
Aurora: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Aurora Park
Avoca: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Edgington Memorial Park
Belle Plaine: Tuesday, July 4, dusk
Bellevue: Sunday, July 2, dusk, South Riverview
Belmond: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Belmond-Klemme High School football field
Bettendorf: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Middle Park (rain date July 8)
Bonaparte: Saturday, July 1, 10 p.m., across from City Park
Boxholm: Saturday, July 1, dusk, school ball diamond
Bronson: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Bronson City Park
Brooklyn: Saturday, July 1, dusk, Holiday Lake/Powell Park (rain date July 2)
Buffalo: Saturday, July 1, dusk, Terry Adams Memorial Park
Carlisle: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., North Park
Cedar Rapids:
- Sunday, July 2, dusk, Ellis Park
- Tuesday, July 4, dusk, McGrath Amphitheatre
Chariton: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Northwest Park
Charles City: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m. Main Street Bridge
Clarinda: Saturday, July 1, following the Clarinda A’s game, Municipal Stadium
Clear Lake: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., over Clear Lake
Colesburg: Saturday, July 1, dusk, Pride Park
Coralville: Tuesday, July 4, 9:45 p.m., S.T. Morrison Park
Council Bluffs: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Lake Manawa
Cresco: Saturday, July 1, dusk, Cresco Country Club
Creston: Tuesday, July 4, 9:30 p.m., McKinley Park
Davenport: Monday, July 3, 9:30 p.m., Modern Woodman Park/LeClaire Park
Defiance: Friday, June 30, dusk, Defiance Walking Park
Des Moines:
- Saturday, July 1, 9:30 p.m., Iowa State Fairgrounds
- Monday, July 3, at conclusion of Yankee Doodle Pops, West Terrace, Iowa State Capitol
- Tuesday, July 4, at conclusion of Iowa Cubs game, Principal Park
Dubuque: Monday, July 3, 9:45 p.m., A.Y. McDonald Park
Dunlap: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Pleasant View Park
Dyersville: Monday, July 3, dusk, Commercial Club Park
Dysart: Tuesday, July 4, dusk
Earlham: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., City Park
Earlville: Tuesday, July 4, dusk
Exira: Tuesday, July 4, 9:45 p.m., Spartan football field
Farley: Saturday, July 1, dusk, Main Street
Fort Dodge: Friday, June 30, 10 p.m., Sports Park Raceway
Fort Madison: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Riverview Park
Grand Mound: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, ballpark
Grandview: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Academy Park
Grimes:
- Saturday, July 1, 10 p.m., Cutty’s Camping Resort
- Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Grimes South Sports Complex
Grinnell: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Ahrens Park
Hampton: Monday, July 3, dusk, Franklin County Fairgrounds
Independence: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Riverwalk Parks
Indianola: Sunday, July 2, dusk, Deer Run Golf Club
Iowa City: Saturday, July 1, 9:30 p.m., main stage, Iowa City Jazz Festival, downtown
Iowa Falls: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Riverbend Park
Keokuk: Monday, July 3, during first break of performance by Ozark Drive, Southside Boat Club
Le Mars: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Plymouth County Fairgrounds
Mapleton: Monday, July 3, dusk, Bill Mac Field (rain date July 4)
Marengo: Monday, July 3, dusk, Gateway Park
Marion: Monday, July 3, dusk, Klopfenstein Amphitheater, Lowe Park
Marne: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Marne Park
Marshalltown:
- Tuesday, July 4, 6-8 p.m., Journey Church
- Tuesday, July 4, 7:30 p.m., Central Iowa Fairgrounds
Mason City: Monday, July 3, following a performance of the Mason City Municipal Band, MCHS Stadium
Minburn: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Meek Park
Mitchell: Monday, July 3, dusk, Interstate Park
Mitchellville: Saturday, July 1, dusk, City Park
Monticello: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Fairgrounds
Morning Sun: Tuesday, July 4, dusk
Muscatine: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, downtown
Newhall: Monday, July 3, dusk
New Market: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Park
Newton: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Agnes Patterson Memorial Park
North Liberty: Monday, July 3, 9 p.m., Penn Meadows Park
Northwood: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., airport
Norwalk: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, McAninch Park
Oskaloosa: Tuesday, July 4, 9:30 p.m., Lacey Park
Ottumwa: Tuesday, July 4, 9:30 p.m., Ottumwa Park
Oxford: Monday, July 3, dusk, Creekside Park
Oxford Junction: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Wapsi Park
Pella: Saturday, July 1, 10 p.m., Central College
Perry: Tuesday, July 4, 9:30 p.m., Pattee Park
Prescott: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Prescott Eagle’s Nest (801 First St.)
Reinbeck: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Elmwood Park
Sheldon: Monday, July 3, dusk, Village Northwest Unlimited
Shell Rock: Monday, July 3, 10 p.m.
Sigourney: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Keokuk County Expo
Sioux Center: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Mouw Motor and Ver Hoef Automotive parking lots
Sioux City: Saturday, July 1, following the Earth, Wind & Fire concert, Grandview Park
Slater: Monday, July 3, 10 p.m., Grimm Park (rain date July 4)
Sperry: Monday, July 3, dusk, Sperry Fireworks (18876 111th Ave.)
Spillville: Saturday, July 1, dusk, Riverside Park
Storm Lake: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Chautauqua Jetty
Urbandale: Tuesday, July 4, 10 p.m., Walker Johnston Park (rain date July 5)
Waterloo:
- Saturday, July 1, at the conclusion of the Waterloo Bucks game, Riverfront Stadium
- Saturday, July 1, 10 p.m., Riverloop Amphitheatre
- Tuesday, July 4, at the conclusion of the Waterloo Bucks game, Riverfront Stadium
Waukee: Tuesday, July 4, 9:30 p.m., Centennial Park
West Burlington: Tuesday, July 4, 10:01 p.m., downtown
West Des Moines: Tuesday, July 4, 9:30 p.m., West Des Moines City Campus
Westfair: Saturday, July 1, dusk, Westfair Fairgrounds and Amphitheater
Windsor Heights: Tuesday, July 4, dusk, Colby Park
by Amie Rivers
6/27/23
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1 Comment on "Have A Blast At These Iowa 4th of July Fireworks Displays"
Very nice story with very interesting and helpful information. Thank you!
And I hope Iowans will attend and enjoy those official celebrations instead of going the illegal route. Illegal fireworks are not only dangerous and frightening to many people and pets, but cause a lot of harm to wildlife, as pointed out by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Nest abandonment is just one of many problems that result. Let’s celebrate in ways that are kind to others.