Where to Watch 4th of July Fireworks in Seattle

Looking for more ways to celebrate? Maybe you need other activities to fill your day? We also have a number of fantastic ways to celebrate our independence around the Southside aside from the traditional explosions in the sky.

Fireworks Displays in Seattle

• Angle Lake Park
• Des Moines Marina
• Seafair: Gasworks Park on Lake Union

More Fourth of July Events in Seattle Southside

• 27 Flags at the Museum of Flight
• Burien Independence Day Parade
• Normandy Park Fourth of July Celebration

Fireworks at Angle Lake Park

The family fun lasts all day at Angle Lake Park in SeaTac. Morning activities begin with a fun neighborhood street parade followed by the run around the lake competition. The afternoon will include swimming and boating races plus a dock/beach decoration contest for local residents around the lake. Enjoy the Parade of Decorated Boats at sunset (around 9PM) before the fireworks begin at approximately 10. After a hiatus, the fireworks display will relocate back to the center of Angle Lake this year! This is a great choice for active families with a lot of energy to burn. Bring coolers and picnic food, but keep in mind that the BBQ pits will likely get snagged early, so you may want to bring your own grill if you're planning on doing cooking. In addition to the lake itself, there's also a splash park to enjoy if it's a hot day out!

Parking is limited, so we recommend taking the Link Light Rail to the Angle Lake station, which is walking distance to the park.

Fireworks over Des Moines

A family friendly festival with food trucks, live music, and a beer/wine garden located near the Harbormaster's office at Quarterdeck help to make the fireworks celebration at Des Moines Marina a grand time. The fireworks start at 10:30PM, but there will be plenty of fun activities for the whole family all day. Picnic food and coolers are allowed, but alcoholic beverages and personal BBQs are not.

Due to construction at the Des Moines Marina, there will be no parking allowed in the north parking lot at the Des Moines Marina. As an alternative, we recommend that you take the 121, 122, 131 or 132 bus routes, which run along Marine View Drive, and walk down to the show.

Amazon Seafair Summer Fourth

It’s the traditional place to be in Seattle for the fireworks show – Gasworks Park on Lake Union. But it has its challenges – 50,000 people usually visit the park each July 4^th. Here are some tips for having the best experience:

• Arrive early and plan on spending the entire day there – bring a picnic, blankets, games, and sun block!
• Don’t try to drive – take public transit, and again get there early, because the area will become too congested for busses.
• While there are some family activities, the long campout can make this spot a tough sell for small children.

You can also view the fireworks from South Lake Union Park, which while it is slightly less crowded (at "only" 15,000 people) also has fewer activities available if you plan to be there all day. It's a smaller park than Gasworks, so you may feel the crowd a bit more, too.

To get to Gasworks Park, we recommend taking the Light Rail up to the U District station, then walking, biking, or taking the 31/32 bus route to Wallingford. South Lake Union Park is accessible by taking the Light Rail to Westlake Station, then taking the South Lake Union Streetcar to the park.

27 Flags at the Museum of Flight

From Betsy Ross' original stars and stripes to the modern 50-star flag in use today, our nation's flag has seen 27 different iterations over its history. You can see them all on display at the Museum of Flight in celebration of the Fourth of July. There will be presentations of the flags at 11AM and 2PM in the T.A. Wilson Great Gallery and admission to the presentations is included with your admission to the museum. Bookend your day by exploring the museum and seeing famous aircraft that helped to defend our country and learning about the people who served on those aircraft.

Burien Independence Day Parade

The 98th annual Burien Independence Day Parade takes place this year from 3-5PM in downtown Burien. This community parade is a fun, family friendly event that is open to all participants, both as spectators and as marchers! If you want to march in the parade, be sure to reserve your spot in advance.

Normandy Park Fourth of July Celebration

The Normandy Park Community Club is hosting a number of fantastic events to kick off your celebrations on the Fourth of July. Starting at 10 AM is a Fun Run which is all downhill, so it should be a very easy run even if you're not in the best of shape. After the run is a community parade, which all are welcome to march in. Finally, a gathering featuring a car show, free hot dogs and ice cream, and lots of community fun will be held at the Cove until approximately 2PM, leaving plenty of time for taking in other patriotic activities for the rest of the day.

Wherever and however you celebrate the holiday, have a safe and fun-filled weekend!