Top Events in the United States This July

by Scott Hartbeck
Last updated: 1:35 PM ET, Mon June 30, 2025

If you're looking for somewhere to go and something thrilling to do this July, look no further than the following list, which is stacked with patriotic events, great concerts and festivals full of true American flavor. Scroll down to find a great July event near you.

The July 4th Celebration - Seward, Nebraska

Ever since the citizens of Seward first gathered on the courthouse square in 1868 and dug a well, stitched a brand-new American flag and gave fiery patriotic speeches, Independence Day has been the signature event of this small Nebraska town.

Officially declared the Cornhusker State’s “Fourth of July City,” today that same square still anchors a red, white & blue bonanza (July 3–5) including but not limited to a grand parade featuring vintage cars, craft stalls, live music an organized freedom run which all builds to a fantastic fireworks finale.

Visit philadelphia, wawa welcome america, fireworks, independence day, 4th of july

Wawa Welcome America Festival – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Once again, the City of Brotherly Love will welcome revelers from around the nation (and world) eager to celebrate the nation's independence in the city of its birthplace. The main festivities here take the form of the Wawa Welcome America Festival (runs through July 4), which is the largest Independence Day bash in the nation and one of the biggest free festivals anywhere for any occasion. Things hit their patriotic peak on July 4 with a blowout concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway starring A-list names Jazmine Sullivan and LL Cool J followed by a fireworks finale that lights up the skies over the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Melaleuca Freedom Celebration – Idaho Falls, Idaho

For the 32nd year, the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration (July 4) will fill the sky with one of the most elite fireworks displays west of the Mississippi. A display which will serve as the grand finale for a day filled to the brim with red, white and blue revelry. Things will kick off with Riverfest, where live music, food trucks and family-friendly fun take over the banks of the Snake River, but come nightfall the skies fill up overhead with thousands of shells choreographed to a stirring soundtrack that pays tribute to America’s Founding Fathers, veterans and service members.

Fourth of July Celebration - Bristol, Rhode Island

Independence Day parties don't get more authentic than the Bristol Fourth of July Celebration, which is the oldest continuously running celebration of its kind in the country (runs through July 4). This time-honored Rhody tradition builds over several days and features everything from a Fourth of July ball and sporting events to carnivals and events honoring veterans. Everything leads up to the big show: a legendary parade where drum corps, marching bands from across the nation and patriotic floats roll through streets lined with American flag-waving crowds. It's worth knowing that Bristol's big fireworks display takes place on the evening of July 3.

Summerfest - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

A music festival that has become absolutely synonymous with the season in Milwaukee, Summerfest hits its crescendo on July 3–5 with another weekend of unrivaled concerts—but what else would you expect from the largest (and arguably best) music festival in the world? Just a few of the artists you'll be able to catch this July are as follows: The Lumineers, Benson Boone, James Taylor, Hozier, Dirty Heads, 311, Richard Marx and dozens more. Come for the music, stay for one of the Midwest's coolest cities.

Pops on the River, Little Rock, Fireworks, July 4th

Pops on the River – Little Rock, Arkansas

2025 marks the 41st Annual Pops on the River event, a beloved Fourth of July tradition that pairs up the stirring sounds of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra with an awe-inspiring arrangement of fireworks on the banks of the Arkansas River. Once again, entry to the festival starts in the late afternoon allowing revelers to enjoy excellent food & drink vendors before the big show gets underway.

Golden Days – Fairbanks, Alaska

This weeklong, midnight-sun-soaked celebration (July 13–20) pays homage to the city’s gold rush roots with a dash of Alaska’s fun-loving personality on the side. Once again, the event is set to be a spirited affair full of quirky events, food and drink galore and more Last Frontier flair than you can shake a gold pan at. The main event? Alaska’s biggest parade, followed by the always funny Rubber Duckie Race which sees thousands of yellow duckies bob down the Chena River. Add in a bustling street fair, costume contests, live music, old-school games and you've got something truly special.

Comic-Con – San Diego, California

America's favorite pop culture show will once again take over America's Finest City this July (July 24–27). Expect the usual fan frenzy as stars from some of your favorite entertainment properties hit packed panels, while exclusive reveals and first-look trailers drop to the delight of the crowds. On the show floor, there will be a much-talked-about John Cena collectible set reveal and when you throw in world-class cosplay, late-night merch hunts and that one-of-a-kind Comic-Con energy, you've got the makings of yet another stellar fest.

Wildflower Festival – Crested Butte, Colorado

Tucked high in the Rockies, Crested Butte is a fine destination all year round but it might just be at its best during the Wildflower Festival (July 11–20). This bloom-filled bash offers more than 150 ways to dive into the town's famed wildflowers with guided hikes through flower-filled meadows, painting and photography workshops, garden tours and even wildflower-inspired cooking classes and cocktail hours being just the tip of the list of flowery fun options.

Blue Angels Week – Pensacola, Florida

You didn't think the patriotic events ended on July 4, did you? Tucked away on the Florida Panhandle, Pensacola is one of the most underrated cities in the South and it never shines brighter than during Blue Angels Week (July 9–12). It all kicks off Wednesday at sunrise with Breakfast with the Blues, when the locally based Blue Angels arrive and thunder overhead the city's beautiful white sands, while Thursday brings a full practice show followed by Friday's dress rehearsal. Then comes Saturday’s grand finale: the Official Pensacola Beach Air Show, with all the heart-pounding thrills you'd expect from the legendary Blue Angels.

National Cherry Festival – Traverse City, Michigan

Each summer, Traverse City turns cherry red when the National Cherry Festival returns (runs through July 5). This beloved Michigan tradition blends big-time fruit-based fun with all-American charm (think pie-eating contests, air shows over the bay and practically everything cherry-flavored) and you're sure to remember the good time you had here long after the summer heat fades. There's also some great entertainment scheduled this year, with Weird Al Yankovic, T.I., Buckcherry, Bowling for Soup and .38 Special being just a few of the big names set to impress the crowds.

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival - Incline Village, Nevada

There's no better way to spend a July evening at Lake Tahoe than by sitting outdoors and taking in some theater and that's what the Tahoe Shakespeare Festival is all about. There’s no theater quite like Lake Tahoe’s Sand Harbor stage, where pine trees frame the scene and the lake shimmers behind the action on stage. The Tahoe Shakespeare Festival returns all month long with Twelfth Night bringing the laughs from The Bard and the modern-day tale Peter and the Starcatcher serving up swashbuckling origin-story magic for everyone's favorite Peter Pan characters.

Roswell UFO Festival - Roswell, New Mexico

Roswell is always proud of its out-of-this-world heritage but things get cranked up a notch each year at the UFO Festival (July 4–6). This year, the fest will be marking 77 years since the world's most famous (alleged) alien crash landing and you can expect three days of alien oddities including the always-enthralling Alien Costume Contest, an intergalactic Pet Parade, live music, a laser light show and much more.

Frontier Days - Cheyenne, Wyoming

Wyoming’s wildest and wooliest summer tradition returns for its 129th year on July 18–27, bringing with it 10 days of Western spirit, rodeo thrills, carnival fun and big-name country concerts. Known as the “Daddy of ’em All,” this iconic Western party will blend bronc-busting action with parades, a Chuckwagon Cook-off and concerts from the likes of Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson, Brooks & Dunn, Bailey Zimmerman, Travis Tritt and Megan Moroney.

Ohio State Fair - Columbus, Ohio

Simply put, the Ohio State Fair is peak summer (July 23 – August 4). Once again, Columbus will host this over-the-top tradition where deep-fried everything meets tractor pulls, carnival thrills and A-list concerts. To say nothing of that famous butter cow sculpture. Just a few of the artists scheduled to take the stage this year include T-Pain, AJR, Tauren Wells, Foreigner, Morris Day & The Time, Trace Adkins and many more.

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