Chicago residents hoping to watch fireworks on July 4, 2025, will have to look beyond the city limits. This year, no fireworks are scheduled in downtown Chicago on the holiday itself.

The reason? July 4 falls on a Friday in 2025 — and Navy Pier, the city's primary fireworks host, only offers its summer displays on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

That means the nearest shows will happen on Wednesday, July 2 at 9 p.m. and Saturday, July 5 at 10 p.m. Navy Pier confirmed that the Saturday display will be a special extended fireworks show.

The City of Chicago has not hosted a government-sponsored Fourth of July fireworks show in years.

In the past, Chicago held large-scale Fourth of July celebrations downtown, but the event was eventually scrapped due to crowd concerns and budget constraints.

Despite the absence of fireworks on the Fourth, plenty of suburban communities will keep the tradition alive. Displays are planned in places like Evanston, Skokie, Tinley Park, Oak Lawn, Mount Prospect, and more throughout the weekend.

Chicagoans can still head to the lakefront earlier or later in the week for a show — just not on Friday night.

For a full list of suburban fireworks and events, visit the official Navy Pier website or check with local municipalities.