1 Fireworks Friday Night

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It’s a special edition of the Family Friday Nights concert series featuring one of the most popular annual fireworks displays in the area. The light display bursts at a lower altitude, allowing for a variety of swirls and explosions of color.

Admission: free

3 Ingles Independence Day Celebration

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Venture to downtown Asheville for a day and night filled with activities for the family. Highlights include children’s activities, the Splashville Fountain, a fireworks extravaganza and more.

Admission: free; $3 for children's activities

4 Freedom Fest and Fireworks

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The old-fashioned street festival features great music throughout the day, arts and crafts, a children's activities area, watermelon-eating contest and more. The concert headliner performs at 8 p.m., followed by a fireworks show at 10 p.m.

Admission: free

6 33rd Annual Christmas in July Festival

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The two-day celebration takes over this small, charming town in the High Country, offering fun for the whole family. There’ll be live bands performing, roving street performers, children’s activities and more than 100 vendors. And in addition to the fireworks, the highlights of this festival are the Christmas tree growers competitions and appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Admission: free

7 Independence Day Festival and Parade

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Saturday offers music, games, and watermelon eating contests in the park for kids and adults. The parade will be down Main Street on Saturday, and the fireworks show will begin later that evening.

Admission: free

9 Annual Lumbee Homecoming

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Events span a week, recognizing the heritage of the Lumbee people in Robeson County. Activities include a golf tournament, 5K run, bike race, parade, car show, outdoor concerts and local markets selling Lumbee wares. The fireworks show takes place July 6 at 9 p.m.

Admission: cost varies; some events are free

10 Symphony in the Park & Fireworks

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Bring your picnic baskets, blankets and chairs, and enjoy performances by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Concessions will be available, including wine and local craft beer, plus you can bring your own coolers, food and drinks. There will also be a kids’ play area. Fireworks will begin immediately following the symphony’s performance.

Admission: free

11 Independence Day Weekend Celebration on the Lake

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Watch fireworks soar over the lake, after an evening of live music, food, vendors and more. You're encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket.

Admission: free; parking $7

12 Fourthfest: Fireworks and Concert

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Celebrate the holiday with a concert, bounce houses, a video game trailer and fireworks celebration at the Pinehurst Harness Track.

Admission: free

15 Celebrate America Fireworks Show

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After spending the day riding roller coasters at this amusement park, stick around for its biggest fireworks show of the season.

Admission: $45 and up (park general admission all day)

18 Fort Bragg’s 4th of July Celebration

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Celebrate with the men and women of the Armed Forces, featuring live concerts, parachute free-fall demonstrations, a patriotic flag ceremony, kids’ activities and fireworks.

Admission: free

19 Fourth of July Parade, Pie-Eating Contest and Fireworks

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The day begins with a reading of the Declaration of Independence, followed by a parade and plenty of fun activities such as a dunking booth and pie-eating contest. Live music takes place at Veterans Memorial Park.

Admission: free

20 Liberty’s July Celebration

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This annual street festival will feature arts and crafts vendors, food, live music, amusement rides for kids, and will culminate with a fireworks display.

Admission: free

22 North Carolina 4th of July Festival

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For more than 200 years, Southport has celebrated the nation's Independence Day in a big way, and its festival is North Carolina’s official celebration. Events will span several days, featuring picnics, arts and crafts in the park, a car show, parade, fireworks, firemen’s competition, children’s games, live entertainment, food and more. The finale, which will be the largest of the planned events, takes place July 4 at the Southport Waterfront.

Admission: free

24 Independence Day Fireworks by the Sea

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Celebrate Independence Day the evening before with live music, followed by fireworks after sunset. Arrive early to grab a spot at the gazebo or on the beach.

Admission: free

25 City of Wilmington Fourth of July Celebration

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Experience historic downtown Wilmington while being entertained by live music and enjoying local food vendors. Fireworks will begin at 9:05 p.m., being launched from a barge in the Cape Fear River.

Admission: free

26 4th of July Fireworks off the Pier

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Fireworks will illuminate the sky above the pier and will also be visible from Bogue Sound and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

Admission: free

27 27th Annual Independence Day Celebration

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Celebrate America's independence with live music and a fireworks show on the northern Outer Banks. The event will also feature food vendors, a cornhole tournament, watermelon-eating contest and children’s games.

Admission: free

28 Fireworks Over the Outer Banks

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Choose from one of these picturesque locations to watch Fourth of July fireworks shows on the Outer Banks, the site of the English’s first attempted colonization in the New World pre-dating Jamestown by 20 years.

• Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills.
• Nags Head Fishing Pier in Nags Head.
• Roanoke Sound and Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo.
• Avon Pier on Hatteras Island in Avon.

29 Sneads Ferry Shrimp Festival

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This annual three-day festival will feature live music, a Shrimparoo shrimp dinner, food, arts and crafts, rides, games and more. Plus, the second night caps off with fireworks.

Admission: adults, $6; children, ages 3-12, $3; under 3, free