The Fourth of July always seems to arrive before we know it, the height of summer here already. With the holiday weekend comes fireworks; read on to find the best show in and near Aurora.
If no time is mentioned, most displays begin at dusk after 9:15 p.m. and last about half an hour.
Aurora: The city of Aurora will host an Independence Day fireworks display on July 3, best viewed from RiverEdge Park (360 N. Broadway Ave.) with music from DJ Suave Smooth; and McCullough Park (150 W. Illinois Ave.) with music from DJ Pena. Parade at 10 a.m. July 4 downtown; aurora-il.org
Batavia: The Batavia Sky Concert will be 9:30 p.m. July 4 with fireworks set to music. A concert by the Batavia Community Band begins at 8:30 p.m.; bataviafireworks.org
DeKalb: Come to Hopkins Park (1403 Sycamore Road) for music and festivities starting at 2 p.m. July 4, fireworks will begin about 30 minutes after sunset; dekalbparkdistrict.com
Downers Grove: The Village of Downers Grove Independence Day Parade is 1 p.m. July 4, from Main Street and Grant. The joint Woodridge-Downers Grove fireworks display is 9:30 p.m. July 4 (corner of 75th Street and Lemont Road); www.woodridgeil.gov
Downtown Chicago fireworks at Navy Pier: Every Wednesday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 10 p.m., including 9 p.m. July 3; more at navypier.org
Elburn: The Lions Club of Elburn will present a fireworks show July 6 at Lions Park (500 Filmore St.). Food and nonalcoholic concessions will be available; elburnlions.com/fireworks-show
Elgin: The parade kicks off at 9 a.m. July 4 at the intersection of Douglas and Slade. Starting at 5 p.m., the city will host concerts in Festival Park (132 S. Grove Ave.) and the night will end with a fireworks display at about 9:20 p.m. on the Fox River; cityofelgin.org
Glen Ellyn: The Fourth of July Parade begins at noon on Fawell Boulevard, with fireworks at dusk at Lake Ellyn Park (645 Lenox Road); glenellyn4thofjuly.org
Lisle: The village will have July 3 fireworks at Community Park (1800 Short St.) at 9:30 p.m., following live music beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Van Kampen Stage. On July 4, a parade kicks off at 10 a.m. from Lisle Junior High School (5207 Center Ave.); villageoflisle.org
Naperville: The hometown Naperville Salute will be at Rotary Hill (440 Aurora Ave.) July 5-7; napervillesalute.org. Community fireworks will again be 9:30 p.m. July 4 at Frontier Sports Complex (3380 Cedar Glade Drive); napervilleparks.org
Oak Brook: The annual Taste of Oak Brook returns at 4 p.m. July 3 at the Village Sports Core Fields (700 Oak Brook Road). Fireworks at dusk; oak-brook.org
Oswego: The annual Fourth of July fireworks will be held at 9:30 p.m. July 4 at Prairie Point Park (4120 Plainfield Road); oswegoil.org
Romeoville: Three simultaneous firework shows at 9:30 p.m. July 3 at Lukancic Middle School (725 Normantown Road), Volunteer Park (1100 Murphy Drive) and Discovery Park (300 S. Highpoint Drive); romeoville.org
Sandwich: The annual Sandwich Freedom Days is back with a 10 a.m. parade, starting at Lisbon and Ash streets. Fireworks at dusk July 6 at Sandwich Fairgrounds (1401 Suydam Road); sandwichparkdistrict.org
Schaumburg: The popular way to see fireworks in Schaumburg is to catch a Schaumburg Boomers baseball game at Wintrust Field (1999 S. Springinsguth Road). There will be fireworks after select home games, including July 3 and 4; boomersbaseball.com
St. Charles: The St. Charles Park District is planning fireworks at dusk July 4, launching from Langum Park. Best viewing will be on the south side of downtown St. Charles; stcparks.org
Warrenville: Organized by the Warrenville Friends of the 4th, the celebration kicks off with a downtown parade 6 p.m. July 3. Then fireworks will follow live music starting at 7:30 p.m. July 4 at Cerny Park (4S150 River Road); facebook.com
Wheaton: Independence Day will be celebrated with a carnival from 5:30 p.m. and fireworks around 9 p.m. July 3 in Graf Park (1855 Manchester Road), plus a downtown parade at 10 a.m. July 4; wheatonparkdistrict.com
Woodridge: The annual 4th of July Picnic is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Castaldo Park (3024 71st St.) Later, the joint Woodridge-Downers Grove fireworks display is 9:30 p.m. July 4 (corner of 75th Street and Lemont Road); www.woodridgeil.gov
Yorkville: The town is planning a July 4 celebration with a parade starting at 9 a.m. at Yorkville High School on Game Farm Road and ending at Town Square Park. Fireworks begin at dusk near the corner of Route 47 and Countryside Parkway. Plus viewing from the Yorkville American Legion Parking Lot (9054 E. Veterans Parkway); yorkville.il.us
