Liberty by the Bay | City of Tampa

The City of Tampa is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with one of the largest Fourth of July events in Tampa Bay — Liberty by the Bay at Julian B. Lane Park.

This free, family-friendly waterfront celebration will feature a 250-drone light show honoring America’s 250th birthday, followed by a fireworks finale, along with an afternoon and evening full of activities, live entertainment, food, and fun for all ages.

Event Details

Date: July 4, 2026Time: 4:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.Location: Julian B. Lane ParkCost: Free and open to the public

What to Expect

Kids Zone with family-friendly activitiesFood trucks and local vendorsBeer gardenLive music and DJ entertainmentPatriotic Pet ShowWater ski show on the Hillsborough RiverKids Liberty Procession250-drone light showFireworks finale

Full Event Schedule

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. DJ
4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Kids Zone
4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Food Trucks
4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Beer Garden

4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Live band performance
5:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. DJ
5:15 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Patriotic Pet Show (hosted by Humane Society of Tampa Bay)

5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Live band performance
6:15 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Water ski show (hosted by Friends of the Riverwalk) / DJ

6:45 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. Kids Liberty Procession (hosted by Glazer Children’s Museum)

7:00 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. Live band performance
7:45 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. DJ
8:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. Live band performance

8:45 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Closing remarks, National anthem, Mayor’s proclamation

9:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Drone show (250 drones) followed by fireworks display

Additional Riverwalk Activities

The celebration extends along the Tampa Riverwalk with additional festivities, including:

Getting There & Parking

We encourage attendees to plan ahead and consider all transportation options:

On-site parking available at Julian B. Lane Park (limited)Parking available at the Bob Buckhorn River CenterMultiple City of Tampa parking garages available throughout downtown

View a full list of downtown parking options here:
tampa.gov/parking

Alternative transportation options:

Ride the free TECO Line Streetcar System from Ybor City to downtownUse rideshare services for easy drop-off and pickup

Stay Connected

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Text TAMPA250 to 888-777 to sign up for event updates.