Image via Btezra, Wikimedia Commons
In the heart of Pittsburgh, just a short drive away in the neighboring suburbs or further away in about an hour’s drive, you can enjoy fireworks displays.
Nothing says summer like fireworks, and luckily for those who will be in Pittsburgh on July 4th, there are plenty of fireworks shows in the area to choose from. Each location has its merits, and while some are closer to Oakland, some will require a car.
Either way, all of the Western Pennsylvania Independence Day excitement has at your fingertips. After the year we’ve all had, a spirited celebration of good greasy food and huge exploding paint bombs is well deserved.
In the heart of Pittsburgh, just a short drive away in the neighboring suburbs or further away in about an hour’s drive, you can enjoy fireworks displays. There are good reasons to go to each one, and even go to more than one if you have the time. Many of these celebrations don’t stop after the fourth as the fireworks shows keep coming.
Point State Park
The official fireworks of the city of Pittsburgh take place every year in Point State Park. And there’s a lot to discover while you wait for the show to begin.
The festivities start long before the fireworks show – you can head to Point State Park at noon and dive right into the party. The Fort Pitt Museum On-site offers family-friendly activities for all ages from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There are several music acts, two of which play local Pittsburgh bands Ostwind Symphony Orchestra and the Munhall Community Band.
The fireworks start at 9:35 PM, but be there a few hours in advance to secure a good spot. Hard to hit fireworks over Pittsburgh’s iconic rivers, but even better, those fireworks come to you for free.
Kennywood Park
Would you like to combine your July 4th celebrations with a breathtaking and dazzling roller coaster ride? Kennywood got you covered. And if you can’t make it to the Fourth celebrations, or if one day of fireworks isn’t enough for you, Kennywood has nightly shows from Independence Day through July 30th.
There is of course a fee to enter the park. The price of entry for a ticket is $ 60. But you can get them cheaper on-line if you plan and buy in advance. Remember, their July 4th series of events is unsurprisingly the densest. So the waiting times for the ride will likely be quite long. But if you go on that day, look forward to special events like the hot dog eating contest and the Weiner 100 Dachshund Races.
The big butler fair
These fireworks will be more of a journey. The hotel is located in Prospect, Pennsylvania, approximately 45 minutes north of Oakland by car. But for the wonder and craziness of The Big Butler Fair, it’s definitely worth the drive. Ask your friends to fill in for gas money.
From July 2nd to July 10th, The Big Butler Fair will have fireworks on the 4th, but no matter what day you go there are quite a number of events to pass your time. If you go for the fourth, the fair opens at 9 a.m. and has festivities like a school bus demolition derby and an antique tractor ride.
General admission to the fair is $ 8 per person, and admission to additional areas of the fair is more.
Carnegie Park
If you’d like to start the Independence Day game a day earlier, head to Carnegie Park, which is just a twelve-minute drive west of Oakland. This local Carnegie fireworks event has everything you could need for a party, with food trucks, live music, and even a local skateboarding competition.
While the skate competition has an entry fee of $ 10, this show is free for all participants. So if you can’t wait until July 4th to see the fireworks, this is the place to go. Or when you feel like your skate skills are up to date, toss your hat in the ring and show off all of the neighborhood kids.
Canonsburg celebration
Combine your July 4th fireworks display with a parade in Canonsburg, just minutes south of Oakland. The party starts bright and early in this suburb of Pittsburgh as the parade celebrates its 53rd anniversary.
But this year the parade has been postponed to the previous day, July 3rd, so make sure you don’t mix up the dates. Once the parade ends, the fireworks will start later that night at around 10 p.m., but the gates to the Canonsburg Memorial Stadium, where the fireworks can be viewed, will open at 9 p.m. It’s free for everyone as long as you line up and wait for your turn. Overall, a great option with a 2-in-one day event on July 3rd.
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