Boston Fireworks Fourth Of July 2017: How To Watch And More

BOSTON, MA — Does anything scream 'Independence Day' more than a dazzling display of fireworks illuminating the Boston sky as Keith Lockhart leads the Boston Pops to a rousing crescendo? Whether you plan to watch on TV on at the Esplanade itself, we've got you covered. (You can see all the road closures, prohibited items, and more below.)

This year's festivities will be split between July 3 (dress rehearsal concert) and July 4, with the 21-minute fireworks display taking place at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. The gates open at 9 a.m. both days. You can watch the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular Tuesday night on WBZ-TV from 8-9 p.m. The National broadcast will be on Bloomberg TV.

The show features musical guests Andy Grammar, Melissa Etheridge, and Leslie Odom Jr. from the musical Hamilton. The highlight is expected to be when the Pops play Tchaikovsky's '1812 Overture,' which will be accompanied by church bells and cannon fire.

(You can see the full list of fireworks celebrations around Massachusetts here. Remember to stay covered by subscribing to Boston Patch and liking us on Facebook for more Hub news and alerts.)

It is strongly suggested you try as hard as humanly possible to not drive in with the intention of parking. Instead, take public transportation. MBTA will not collect fares from 9:30 p.m. until the end of service.

This year's show is being funded by David Mugar. The fireworks are from Grucci Fireworks.

What follows are the access points, prohibited and allowed items, and of course road closures, all courtesy of State Police:

Monday, July 3: The checkpoints on July 3 will open at 5 p.m. or at a time designated by the Incident Commander.

Oval: The Oval Checkpoint will be located between the Lagoon’s Clarendon Footbridge and the Berkeley Footbridge. Access to the checkpoint can best be accomplished by accessing the Esplanade from Berkeley Street after 4 p.m. Those arriving to the Esplanade prior to 4 p.m. should use the Dartmouth or Fairfield Street Footbridges over Storrow Drive.

Island /Lagoon: There will also be an Island/Lagoon area checkpoint. This checkpoint will be located on the Island/Lagoon by the Clarendon Bridge. This checkpoint will also open at 5 p.m. on July 3, and may be accessed from the Lagoon’s Clarendon, Exeter and Fairfield Footbridges. Access to the checkpoint can best be accomplished by accessing the Esplanade from Berkeley Street after 4 p.m. Those arriving to the Esplanade prior to 4 p.m. should use the Dartmouth or Fairfield Street Footbridges over Storrow Drive.

Tuesday, July 4

The checkpoints on July 4 will open at 9 a.m. or at a time designated by the Incident Commander.

Oval: The Oval Checkpoint will be located between the Lagoon’s Clarendon Footbridge and the Berkeley Footbridge. Access to the checkpoint can best be accomplished by accessing the Esplanade from Berkeley Street.

Island /Lagoon: Access to the Island/Lagoon checkpoints can best be accomplished by using Beacon Street to Clarendon Street or utilizing the Dartmouth or Fairfield Street Footbridges over Storrow Drive. Checkpoints will be located at the Clarendon and Exeter Footbridges. The Fairfield Footbridge over the Lagoon will be designated as EXIT Only from the Island over the Lagoon

Open the documents to view information about prohibited items, road closures and traffic restrictions, pedestrian access points into the Esplanade, boating restrictions and guidelines, Text-A-Tip line for reporting suspicious activity, and UAV (Drone) Prohibition.
For more information on these and other guidelines, please view the accompanying documents.

Here are prohibited items:

1. No coolers on wheels.
2. No backpacks.
3. No firearms, weapons, sharp objects or fireworks.
4. No glass containers.
5. No cans.
6. No pre-mixed beverages.
7. All liquids will be carried in sealed clear plastic containers not to exceed 2 liters in
size.
8. No grilling, propane tanks or open flames.
9. No Alcoholic beverages.
10. No bicycles will be allowed through the checkpoints into the Oval or Island/Lagoon areas. Bicycles are allowed throughout the rest of the venue but must not be left unattended. Bicycles attached or locked to security fences, poles, or other structures may be subject to removal. (This measure is being enacted for public safety and crowd management in the event a speedy evacuation becomes necessary at the Esplanade.)
11. No one entering the venue will be allowed to bring an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), commonly referred to as a “drone,” onto the premises. (Also, please see separate section prohibiting UAV use over the venue.)

The following items are allowed:

1. Pop up Tents/Canopies with no sides - maximum size 10’ x10’. (Above for July 4th only; No Tents/Canopies allowed on July 3rd).
2. Blankets or tarps no bigger than 10’ x 10’.
3. Folding/Beach Chairs only.
4. Coolers, which must be carried in by shoulder strap or single handle (no wheeled coolers).
5. All personal items must be carried in clear bags only.
6. After inspection, small clutch bags/purses may be taken into the venue with the clear bag.

Here are the Road Closures: