Norfolk's July Fourth: the Great American Picnic at Town Point Park, 5 to 10 p.m., with fireworks over the Elizabeth River at 9:30 p.m. Free. Home fireworks are banned.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year. Details come from Norfolk Festevents’ 2026 event page (via the Internet Archive copy, since the live page has been taken down) and the City of Norfolk fireworks ordinance. The 2027 plans have not been announced; this page describes the 2026 celebration until they are.

Norfolk’s big Fourth of July night is the Great American Picnic and Fireworks at Town Point Park on the downtown waterfront. In 2026, the 43rd year, it ran 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. high above the Elizabeth River. It is free and open to the public, according to Norfolk Festevents, which organizes it.

Who to call

  • Event questions: Norfolk Festevents, festevents.org
  • Illegal fireworks, not an emergency: Norfolk Police non-emergency line, 757-441-5610
  • Fire or injury: 911
  • Fireworks permits: Norfolk Fire-Rescue, Fire Marshal’s Office

The 2026 celebration

  • What: live patriotic music, food and family activities, then the fireworks.
  • Food: hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue, seafood, cotton candy and more, Festevents said.
  • Fireworks: 9:30 p.m., presented by Carnival Cruise Line.
  • Where: Town Point Park, on the downtown Norfolk waterfront.
  • Cost: free.

In 2025, the 42nd picnic on Friday, July 4, followed the same pattern, with the U.S. Fleet Forces Wind Ensemble and the U.S. Fleet Forces Band among the performers, the 2025 event page shows. That year Festevents also folded the city’s Juneteenth fireworks into the Fourth of July show.

Getting there

Downtown fills up early on the Fourth. The city lists its garages and lots on its parking garage map, and you can pay at meters with the ParkNorfolk app. The Tide light rail stops downtown; check Hampton Roads Transit’s schedule for holiday service before you go. See our getting around guide for more.

Fireworks at home are illegal

Norfolk does not allow consumer fireworks. Under the city’s fireworks ordinance:

  • The possession or use of fireworks is prohibited in the city except under a permit from the fire official.
  • Norfolk’s definition of fireworks also covers pinwheels, fountains and pharaoh serpents.
  • No fireworks of any kind may be set off in, or thrown into, a city park; displays in parks need a permit from the parks director approved by the fire chief.

Where the city ordinance is stricter than state law, the city rule applies, the Fire Marshal’s Office says.

Pets and noise

The Norfolk Animal Care Center, 5585 Sabre Road, 757-441-5505, takes in lost pets; keep dogs indoors on fireworks night and make sure their tags are current. Norfolk requires a pet license; see our moving to Norfolk guide.

What this means for you

  • Plan for the downtown show at 9:30 p.m. on July 4; 2027 details will be added here when Festevents posts them.
  • Leave the backyard fireworks in the store; they are illegal in Norfolk.
  • Arrive early, or take The Tide, to avoid the parking crush.

Related: things to do this month, parks and trails and the weekend guide.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Norfolk Fourth of July fireworks?

In 2026 the fireworks launched at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4, over the Elizabeth River at Town Point Park, at the end of the 5 to 10 p.m. Great American Picnic. The 2027 details had not been announced when this page was last checked.

Are the Norfolk July 4 fireworks free?

Yes. Norfolk Festevents lists the Fourth of July Great American Picnic and Fireworks at Town Point Park as free and open to the public.

No. Norfolk city code bans the possession and use of fireworks, including pinwheels, fountains and pharaoh serpents, without a permit from the fire official, and bans them in city parks.

What happened to Norfolk’s Juneteenth fireworks?

In 2025 Norfolk Festevents moved the Juneteenth fireworks into the Fourth of July celebration at Town Point Park, combining them into one larger show.