There are so many ways to celebrate the 4th of July with your family this year. New Orleans is full of places to watch fireworks, have a picnic, and even find free inside fun to escape the hot weather.
Friday, July 3
Uncle Sam Jam Lafreniere Park Music & Fireworks
Celebrate Independence Day at beautiful Lafreniere Park in Metairie at Uncle Sam Jam! Festival-goers look forward to live music, delicious food, and great company each year! Uncle Sam Jam is a FREE festival featuring top local and national acts and fireworks to close the night. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and get ready for a great night of fun and of course the fireworks show, that lights up the Metairie sky with bursts of color and patriotic spirit, after the headliner finishes their set. (approximate 9:00pm). All the free fun happens on the Al Copeland Concert and Meadow Stage. Hours: 4:00 PM - 10:45 PM (gate opens at 3:00 PM); For more info: Click here. 504-838-4389; 504-628-4459.
Happy 3rd of July Celebration at City Park
New Orleans City Park will celebrate the Fourth of July a day early with a spirited gathering of our community from across the region for a free night of music and fireworks on the Great Lawn. The patriotic program has several musical acts and the vening culminates with fabulous fireworks atop the Peristyle at 9 pm. Beer, seltzers, snowballs, soft drinks, water, and wine will be available for purchase, along with food from Chick-fil-A, Dat Dog, French Truck Coffee, Hubig’s Pies, and La Cocinita. Guests are encouraged to arrive early with chairs and blankets while donning red, white, and blue! Hours: 6:00 P.M. - 9:15pm; Admission: Free; For more information, click here.
Saturday, July 4
Audubon Zoo, Cool Zoo, and the Aquarium
Take the kids to see the animals, fish, butterflies, and insects! All of Audubon Institute's attractions are open on July 4th! For more info: https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/
Independence Day Celebration at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Join the New Orleans Concert Band for our annual family friendly Independence Day celebration at Ogden Museum of Southern Art, featuring patriotic favorites, a salute to our armed forces and a few surprises.Independence Day Celebration with the New Orleans Concert Band /// July 4 @ 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm. Doors: 12:30 pm; Concert: 1:00 pm. Free and open to the community, seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. (capacity: 200). Refreshments available for purchase.
Go 4th on the River Fireworks Display
Celebrate America’s birthday along the historic New Orleans Riverfront with the FREE Go 4th on the River Fireworks Show at 9:00 p.m. on July 4th! The fireworks are a backdrop for the Fourth of July festivities - there will be food to purchase and live music. This spectacular fireworks display can be seen from the East and West Banks of the Mississippi River from Riverwalk Outlets and Hilton New Orleans Riverside to the Moonwalk and Crescent Park in the French Market District. And there’s more! This cherished family tradition will feature more colorful and dramatic pyrotechnic shells than ever, plus hundreds of special-effect features that have never been seen before! Get your cameras ready! The evening will include live music, food, and beverage sales, and end with the Go 4th on the River fireworks display over the Mississippi River.
Live Music in the French Market District
Catch a performance by Alicia Renee aka Blue Eyes 2pm-3pm!
The Port of New Orleans will bring out the General Roy S. Kelley fireboat again this year with its famed water show with plumes of red, white, and blue fountains from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Built in 1994, the General Kelley was used by the Port of New Orleans to fight fires, give tours, and conduct search-and-rescue missions on the Mississippi River.
Fourth Of July at the WWII Museum
Commemorate America’s 250th anniversary at The National WWII Museum! This Fourth of July, celebrate your independence by honoring those who fought to defend it. Immerse yourself in the wartime experiences of the WWII generation and reflect upon the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today. Fourth of July at the Museum will include: Storytime: Happy Birthday to You! by Dr. Seuss | 10:00 a.m., Louisiana Memorial Pavilion Stage; Free Performance by the Victory Belles | 1:00 p.m., US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center; Custom Dog Tag Stations | All Day, Available for Purchase at Multiple Locations around Museum; The American Sector Restaurant & Bar Food and Drink Specials | Open 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; Rosie’s on the Roof Food and Drink Specials and Fireworks Viewing | Open 3:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Fourth of July Fireworks in Abita Springs
Bring your chairs, blankets, family and friends to the Abita Springs Trailhead Park on Saturday, July 4, 2026, for the town's 4th of July Celebration! The festival features military appreciations, live music by Four Unplugged, fireworks, food and more, from 2 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Admission is free. No outside food or drinks. Fireworks will begin approximately at 9 p.m.
PATRIOTIC FUN
•Fourth of July Quiz - Who Can Answer the Most Questions Correctly
•Patriotic Parfaits
•Why We Celebrate the Fourth of July
