Whether you have relatives coming to town, or are looking for some fun to have with your little family at home, Des Moines and the surrounding area will surely not disappoint! Here is a list of local displays, parades, and shenanigans! Happy Independence Day!
Altoona has their Fireworks Spectacular at 9:45 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, weather permitting, at Adventureland Park. Prairie Meadows will also have a fireworks display on Thursday after the races. (If you haven’t attended the horse races, it is a really fun *FREE* thing to take your kiddos to! Mine loved watching the horses and running and playing in the big grassy area.)
Ames has a parade starting at 11 a.m. on July 4 on Main Street, with their Fireworks display on Friday night starting around 9 p.m. at Reiman Gardens after the Ames Municipal Band performs at 8 p.m. Timeline of events can be found here.
Ankeny Summerfest is July 9-12. With it comes a parade on the 11th at 9 a.m., a pancake breakfast, live music, adult bags tournament, talent show, and more!
Clive has their annual Clive Festival beginning July 16 and ending with “Thunder Over Clive” fireworks July 18 at 9:30 p.m. Details here.
Des Moines Symphony presents Yankee Doodle Pops July 2 at 8:30 p.m. on the West Terrace at the Iowa State Capitol Building. The evening will end with fireworks over the downtown Des Moines skyline.
There will also be fireworks July 2 and 3 after the Iowa Cubs games at Principal Park. Purchase tickets to the games here.
Grimes will be having fireworks at 10 p.m. on July 4 at the South Sports Complex.
Living History Farms will be celebrating Independence Day starting at 11 a.m. on the 4th with plenty of old-fashioned fun for the whole family… including a 19th century baseball game at 2:30 p.m. Details here.
Norwalk “Party Before the Works,” Friday, July 3, starts at 7 p.m. with a dance party and beer tent. Fourth of July Parade starts at 10 a.m. at Norwalk High School on Saturday, July 4 and fireworks display will begin at dusk on the 4th.
Pella is hosting tons of festivities starting July 4 at 9:30 a.m. with free fishing at Caldwell Park — bait AND poles provided! Central Park will have games, pony rides, and inflatables all day. Fireworks will begin at dusk east of Madison School. For a schedule of events, click here.
Perry will have a parade starting at 10 a.m. on the 4th, the Al Welch Orchestra at the bandshell in the afternoon, an ice cream social, and more. Fireworks will begin at 10 p.m. at Pattee Park. More info here.
Polk City has their annual Four Season Festival beginning July 17 at 3 p.m. through July 18. More info here.
Slater has a big celebration beginning on July 3 with inflatables at 4 p.m., a Kiddie Parade at 6 p.m., and more… all leading up to fireworks at 10 p.m. On July 4, enjoy the parade at 10 a.m., and if you’re looking for some more fun, sign up for the Mud Volleyball Tournament! More info here.
Urbandale hosts one of the largest celebrations in the area! On top of the fireworks display at 10 p.m. at Walker Johnston Park on the Fourth, there is a carnival that starts Thursday, a pancake breakfast, parade, and more! Find all the details here.
Waukee… We are partial to Waukee’s celebration as we have attended for two years in a row now. They begin the celebration at 2 p.m. on the 4th with a parade that begins at Locust & 7th Street and ends at Centennial Park where the day’s activities include inflatables, food vendors, live music, and more! More details here.
West Des Moines’ parade begins Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. and starts at Valley High School and ends in Valley Junction. Fireworks are at 9:45 at Raccoon River. (Don’t forget: Grand Avenue is closed down there. You’ll need this detour access map.)
Jordan Creek Town Center is kicking off their Live At The Creek Summer Concert Series on June 28, with fireworks beginning at dusk. Info detour access map.
Windsor Heights will have a parade at 1 p.m. on the 4th. There will be family-friendly activities (including face painting, inflatables, and more!), live music, food vendors, and a beverage garden. Fireworks start at 10 p.m. You can find more details here.
KCCI provides a fantastic list of all of the local displays and events! Check them out for more details and a more extensive list of local celebrations.
