Boston July 4th Fireworks, Festivities And More: 2018 Guide

BOSTON, MA — It's going to be one hot Independence Day in Boston. The fireworks on the Esplanade and the Boston Pops concert will be sure to heat things up even more. Below is everything you need to know about Boston's Fourth of July festivities.

The National Weather Service is predicting a high near 91 degrees with a 20 percent chance of rain throughout the day. Perfect for a beach day or a parade or pool party or a picnic along the Esplanade as you wait for the main event. Just bring enough water, folks. Forecasters say by fireworks time Wednesday night it will be partly cloudy, with a low around 73.

It wouldn't be July 4 in Boston if it weren't for the military flyover and the mouth-dropping display of fireworks illuminating the Boston sky as Keith Lockhart leads the Boston Pops to a rousing crescendo. And this year this special tradition celebrates its 45th anniversary.

Whether you plan to watch on TV on at the Esplanade itself, we've got you covered. Subscribe to Boston Patch for more Hub news and real-time alerts:

(You can see all the road closures, prohibited items, and times 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. Wednesday. The gates open at 5 p.m. on Tuesday and 9 a.m. on Wednesday. You can watch the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular Tuesday night on the Bloomberg TV. (check out more websites to stream it below).

Hold onto your hats, folks, the headliner for the 2018 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular, under the direction of Lockhart, is fight song fame Rachel Platten, the popular American singer/songwriter who grew up in Newton Centre. Platten's hit release, "Fight Song," topped multiple charts worldwide with its release in 2015, and her 2016 album Wildfire was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The show also features the Indigo Girls and Rhiannon Giddens and singer/actor/dancer Rita Moreno will make a special appearance. The Fireworks Spectacular will also pay tribute to the legendary American musician Leonard Bernstein as part of an international celebration marking the centennial of his birth.

But the highlight is expected to be when the Pops play Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture," which will be accompanied by church bells and cannon fire and that 21-minute pyrotechnic extravaganza from Grucci Fireworks.

“Each year, the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular inspires us all to feel tremendous pride in our fantastic city, which played such an essential role in our country’s founding, and which continues in a profoundly meaningful way to reflect the great American spirit," said Lockhart in a statement.

What is the music that will play with the Fireworks?

• Liberty Fanfare, Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops
• 4th of July, AMY MACDONALD
• ROCK in the USA, JOHN MELLENCAMP
• Back in the USA, CHUCK BERRY
• Men of Yorktown, Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops
• Don’t Let Me Down, CHAINSMOKERS ft. DAYA
• Roots, ZAC BROWN BAND
• Color Me America, DOLLY PARTON
• Kiss the Sky, JASON DERULO
• America, SIMON & GARFUNKEL
• Rock in America, NIGHT RANGER
• America the Beautiful, Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, Yolanda Adams, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus

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It is strongly suggested you try as hard as humanly possible to not drive in with the intention of parking. Instead, take public transportation, walk or bike. MBTA will not collect fares from 9:30 p.m. until the end of service. Also: If you're wondering what the road closures are going to look like, check this handy guide out.

What time to get there?

Tuesday, July 3:

• 5 p.m. Gates open
• 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. Dress rehearsal concert

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. (In case you're wondering what the "Oval" is? It's the grass-filled area directly in front of the DCR Hatch Shell.).

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.

Wednesday, July 4:

• 9 a.m. Gates open
• 8 p.m. - 10: 30 p.m. Concert
• 10:30 p.m. - 11 p.m. Fireworks

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

Where are we going?

The event takes place along the Charles River, at the DCR Hatch Shell on the Esplanade between the Longfellow and Massachusetts Avenue Bridges, on both the Boston and Cambridge sides of the river.

Sadly there will be no fireworks viewing allowed from the Longfellow and Mass. Ave Bridges.

There are two main gates to secured areas. The Oval and the Island/Lagoon. Spectators entering these areas will be required to pass through one of the bag check/screening entrances and will receive a wristband specifically for that area, which must be worn at all times during the event to ensure access in and out of that secured area. When the secured areas are full on July 3rd and July 4th, NO additional wristbands will be distributed.

The Oval and Island entrances to the Esplanade are best accessed from Storrow Drive at Berkeley, Clarendon and Dartmouth Streets. Arthur Fiedler foot bridge will be closed to foot traffic.

Donde Esta El Bano?

There will be port-a-potties. You'll see them.

Food?

There will be vendors on both sides of the river.

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.
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.

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.

So the Esplanade is too crowded for you? Try these spots:

Hang out on the Cambridge side.

Check out Castle Island — Venture out to Castle Island. The park overlooks the Boston Harbor, and if its a clear night, you’ll be able to see other towns’ fireworks along with Boston’s own show on the Esplanade.

Go to the top of the hill at Larz Anderson in Brookline if it's a clear night.

Or head to the top of the Arnold Arboretum in JP.

Here's how to watch fireworks in Newton>>Avoid the Boston crowds, head to Newton for their July 4.

Can't be there in person? Try these options.

Bloomberg TV can be found on the following channels: DISH: Channel 203; Verizon: Channel 104; and DirectTV: Channel 353. Comcast, 45, 757 or 844. New this year? It will be streaming online at Bloomberg.com, which broadcast the live stream last summer, or you can check it at bostonpopsjuly4th.org. Last year the pops introduced a app for this, too. Look for the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular App for iOS and Android devices, providing up-to-the-minute detailed event, broadcast, and schedule information.

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