Alexandria's fireworks come with its city birthday party at Oronoco Bay Park. In 2026 the show was 9:30 p.m. Saturday, July 11. Home fireworks are illegal.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year. The 2027 date is not out yet, so this page describes the 2026 celebration from the city’s birthday celebration page and event announcement, and the Alexandria Fire Department’s fireworks warning.

Alexandria’s big fireworks show comes with its own birthday, not on the Fourth of July. The city holds a free Alexandria and USA Birthday Celebration on a Saturday in July at Oronoco Bay Park, 100 Madison St., on the Old Town waterfront, and ends it with fireworks over the Potomac. In 2026 the city marked its 277th birthday and the nation’s 250th on Saturday, July 11, with the fireworks at 9:30 p.m. The 2027 date will be posted on the city’s birthday page; we will update this page when it is.

Who to call

  • Event questions: Alex311, 311 or 703-746-4311
  • Report illegal fireworks, any hour: 703-746-4444
  • Emergency: 911

The 2026 celebration

Admission was free. The schedule ran:

Time What
6 p.m. Opening music by the Decades Band, with NBC4 Washington reporter Molette Green as host
7:30 p.m. Town crier introduces Mayor Alyia Gaskins; a poem by Alexandria Poet Laureate Cristi Donoso
8 p.m. Birthday cupcakes handed out by City Council members, while supplies last
8:30 p.m. The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra
9:30 p.m. Fireworks, with ceremonial cannon fire from the Presidential Salute Battery
9:45 p.m. Closing remarks

Port City Brewing sold beer and food trucks lined Pendleton Street. The rain date was Sunday, July 12, at 6 p.m.; on the morning of July 11 the city said the event would go ahead as scheduled.

Where to watch

Besides Oronoco Bay Park, the city lists these viewing spots along the waterfront and beyond:

  • Canal Center Plaza
  • Rivergate Park, 2 Montgomery St.
  • Founders Park, 351 N. Union St.
  • Waterfront Park, 1A Prince St.
  • Point Lumley Park, 1 Duke St.
  • Windmill Hill Park, 501 S. Union St.
  • Jones Point Park, Jones Point Drive
  • George Washington Masonic Memorial, 101 Callahan Drive

On July 4 itself, the Fire Department notes that many fireworks shows across the Washington region can be seen from Alexandria’s waterfront.

Getting there and what to bring

  • Leave the car. The city asks people to walk, bike or take transit. Free bike, scooter and stroller parking was set up on Fairfax Street at the entrance to Wythe Street Park. Accessible parking was on the 500 block of North Fairfax Street. Garages are listed in our getting around guide.
  • Bring lawn chairs or blankets for the lawn.
  • Leave at home: grills, tents, large or staked umbrellas and pets. Smoking is discouraged.
  • Heat: in 2026 Virginia American Water ran a misting tent and free water on the Madison Street side, and DASH parked two cooled buses at Madison and Wythe streets.
  • Lost people were reunited at the main stage and at the information tent by the Mount Vernon Trail.

Fireworks at home are illegal

Fireworks of any kind are illegal in Alexandria, the Fire Department says, including sparklers and novelty items, even if they were legal to buy in a nearby county. The Fire Marshal’s Office can seize them, and anyone caught with fireworks can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail, a $2,500 fine or both. Report illegal fireworks at 703-746-4444; the same number arranges a no-penalty pickup if you want to hand fireworks over.

What this means for you

  • Plan for a Saturday in July, not July 4, and check the city’s birthday page in June.
  • Take DASH, Metro or a bike; Old Town streets fill early.
  • Watch the professionals; home fireworks can bring a criminal charge.

Related guides: parks and trails in Alexandria, things to do this month and Alexandria history and landmarks.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Alexandria fireworks?

Alexandria sets off its fireworks at its city birthday celebration in July, not on July 4. In 2026 the 277th birthday party was Saturday, July 11, at Oronoco Bay Park, with fireworks at 9:30 p.m. The 2027 date has not been announced.

Where can I watch the Alexandria fireworks?

The city lists Oronoco Bay Park plus Canal Center Plaza, Rivergate Park, Founders Park, Waterfront Park, Point Lumley Park, Windmill Hill Park, Jones Point Park and the George Washington Masonic Memorial.

No. Buying, selling, storing or using any fireworks in the city is illegal, including sparklers, even if they were legal where you bought them. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

How do I report illegal fireworks in Alexandria?

Call 703-746-4444 at any hour. The same number arranges a no-penalty pickup by the on-duty fire marshal if you want to turn fireworks in.