Fourth of July in Wilmington: What to know about parades, concerts, fireworks and more

Cheryl M. Whitaker, Wilmington StarNews
Updated ·4 min read
Ella Hutchinson, Olivia Smutko, Scarlett Hutchinson and Lilly Smutko get ready to sing as hundreds of people came out to the North Carolina 4th of July Festival’s 24th annual Naturalization Ceremony on the Ft. Johnston Garrison House Lawn in Southport in 2023.
Ella Hutchinson, Olivia Smutko, Scarlett Hutchinson and Lilly Smutko get ready to sing as hundreds of people came out to the North Carolina 4th of July Festival’s 24th annual Naturalization Ceremony on the Ft. Johnston Garrison House Lawn in Southport in 2023.

Want to celebrate the nation's birthday? These six places in the Wilmington area give you plenty of options.

Hannah Block Historic USO Open House

Join the USO to celebrate July 4th Independence Day, noon to 4 p.m. at Hannah Block Historic USO/ Community Arts Center, 120 S. Second St., Wilmington. The staff will be in 1940s era costumes. Free coffee and doughnuts. Sodas will be for sale at the World War II price of five cents each. A documentary celebrating the USO building will be showing all afternoon. Free to attend. Details: 910-341-7860.

Wilmington's Fourth of July celebration

The city of Wilmington presents a Fourth of July celebration featuring the Wilmington Symphony Pops Concert at 7 p.m. at Riverfront Park. Dominic Talanca is the Wilmington Symphony Pops conductor. Gates open at 5 p.m. with family fun, music and DJ competitions.

The concert program will feature patriotic favorites (with special guest appearances), classical selections, and current pop songs including a new original piece of music, "Fanfare for the Fourth," written by local film and TV composers Matthew Morgan and Jose Villanueva. The WSO will also perform some of the duo's arrangements of pop songs, such as "Eye of the Tiger" and Taylor Swift's "Enchanted."

Fireworks at 9:05 p.m. in downtown Wilmington.

For Live Oak Bank Pavilion parking, guidelines and rules, please visit https://www.wilmingtonsymphony.org/july4pops#rules.

Fleet Feet Battle for Independence Road Race

Start Independence Day with a race. Participants have the chance to battle it out for either a 5K or one mile distance along Independence Boulevard on Wilmington’s Gary Shell Cross City Trail. The race begins and ends at The Pointe at Barclay, 1450 Barclay Pointe Blvd., Wilmington. The race is flat, fast and family friendly, open to runners and spectators of all ages. The course is also stroller and wheelchair friendly. Dogs are not allowed on this course. The event is free for spectators. The 5K begins at 7:30 a.m. and one-mile race at 8:15 a.m. Details/signup: https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Wilmington/BattleforIndependenceRoadRace.

Burgaw's 4th of July Parade

The town of Burgaw will be hosting its annual 4th of July Parade, beginning at 10 a.m. in downtown Burgaw. Participants and spectators are encouraged to dress and decorate with red, white and blue. Town staff and members of the Beautification Committee will be giving out free popsicles and water following the parade on the depot dock. Burgaw Fire Department will also be participating by setting up the ladder fire truck on site to spray water for the kids to enjoy. Burgaw has a new parade route this year.

Visit to view, town of Burgaw July 4th Parade Route.

North Carolina 4th of July Festival at Southport

Here are just a few events happening at The North Carolina 4th of July Festival for Independence Day:

  • The annual Fourth of July Festival Parade beginning at 11 a.m. at Moore and Howe streets.

  • The 440th Army Ceremonial Band will perform at 6 p.m. on Fort Johnston Garrison Lawn, 203 E. Bay St.

  • The 4th of July Fireworks will be at 9 a.m. at the Southport Waterfront Park.

More: From fireworks to pro wrestling, here's a complete list of NC 4th of July Festival events

Ocean Isle Beach July 4th activities

Ocean Isle Beach will hold a parade on July 4 beginning at 10 a.m. The parade will travel down East Second Street. Fireworks will be held at 9:15 p.m. and launched from the Ocean Isle Beach Pier at 1 W. First St. Free. For more, call 910-579-5163.

4th of July celebration at Old Bridge

The Old Bridge Historical Society invites the Sunset Beach community, residents and visitors, to join the society as they celebrate the 10th year of the Fourth of July at Old Bridge. The free event will be held on Independence Day at 9 a.m. with a parade. Children and adults are encouraged to don patriotic dress and bring their decorated bicycles, wagons, strollers or sneakers to ride or march across the Old Bridge with Uncle Sam leading the parade. Immediately following the parade, volunteers from the Old Bridge Historical Society have designed stations with adult supervised good old-fashioned, games, crafts and activities. There also will be light refreshments available.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: July 4th in Wilmington, NC: A list of events celebrating the Fourth