Schedule of Events for July 4 Celebrations and Fireworks in Colonial Williamsburg
Where is the best place to see July 4th fireworks in Colonial Williamsburg? BEST FIREWORKS VIEWING LOCATIONS: Palace Green, Market Square, and the East Lawn of the Art Museums
What are all the events happening in Colonial Williamsburg on July 4th? There is a lot of programming for locals and visitors to attend during the Birthday of our Nation plus a beautiful display of fireworks. The day will start as it has in past years with the Reading of the Declaration of Independence….keep scrolling for the entire list!
July 4th Schedule of Events Colonial Williamsburg:
9:30 a.m – 9:50 a.m. – Reading of the Declaration of Independence – Gather with the citizens of Williamsburg on July 25, 1776 to hear a reading of the Declaration of Independence with Thomas Jefferson. At the Capitol West Balcony. No Event Ticket Required
10:30 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. – Salute to the States – Set to the pomp & pageantry of the CW Fifes & Drums, The Virginia Military Garrison presents musket volley salutes to the original thirteen states of the Union. Market Square North (behind Courthouse). No Event Ticket Required .
10:15 AM – 10:40 AM, 11:15 AM – 11:40 AM and 1:15 PM – 1:40 PM – CONCERT OF CELEBRATION – Hear the Jug Broke Theatre Company play the music of the season! An audio festival of 18th-century songs and tunes that celebrate the current or historical holidays that Williamsburg is celebrating. Playhouse Stage. Approximately 20 minutes. CW Day Pass, Annual Member or Good Neighbor Pass ticket required.
11 a.m. – Shields Tavern Independence Day Buffet offered until 5 p.m. – AN AMERICAN ORIGINAL: 200 YEARS IN THE MAKING 11:00AM – 5:00PM This event is your opportunity to secure your pre-paid reservations for a delicious buffet at Shields Tavern. Plan to add this event to your full day of patriotic festivities in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area. Visit here to see menu and make your reservation
12:00 p.m.- 12:20 p.m. – Noon Reading of the Declaration of Independence – Residents of the 18th-century Williamsburg community read the Declaration of Independence from the steps of the Courthouse and surrounding area. Immediately following, they share their personal perspectives on the meaning of this historic document. No Event Ticket Required – Open to the Public
1:30 PM & 3:00 PM- Nation Builders Discuss the Cost of Freedom – Join two Nation Builders to discuss the Cost of Freedom during the formation of the United States; the impact on soldiers and civilians in the war, the fight for religious freedom and separation of church and state, the arguments at the Constitutional Convention regarding the Bill of Rights, the self-liberation and emancipation of some enslaved people and the return to and continuance of bondage for others, the impact on families that stayed intact and those that were split apart, etc. Speak with the Nation Builders, and the historians who portray them, to give context to the ins and outs of their 18th-century world. Hennage Auditorium at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. Admission ticket required (or use your Good Neighbor Pass)
4:00 p.m. – 4:35 p.m. Created Equal – The Declaration of Independence asserts that ‘all men are created equal’ and are endowed with certain unalienable rights—‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ When those words were written, over 52 percent of Williamsburg’s population was enslaved. Experience this museum theatre exploration of African American perspectives on the Declaration, the revolutions it inspired, and the ongoing struggle for equality and freedom in America. Outside at the Charlton Stage. CW Admission Required or Good Neighbor Pass
5:00 PM – 10 PM FAMILY FUN EVENT Join the party on the lawn of the Art Museums before the fireworks. From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., enjoy music from Good Shot Judy. Coordinated by CultureFix. FREE and Open to the Public. On the Lawn of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
Lighting of the Cressets.
Evenings are July 1 – 4, 2022 from 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Head down to the historic Duke of Gloucester Street (DoG St) for the Lighting of the Cressets. Enjoy the evening as they bring our 18th-century streets to life at night with strolling musicians. Stop and have a drink in a tavern or shop and dine at one of the Colonial Williamsburg shops or restaurants.
Or just go out in the evening air and enjoy the most enchanting of streets in America. Evenings are July 1 – 4, 2022 from 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm. See the schedule here or check our daily calendar.
8:00-9:30 PM – LIGHTS OF FREEDOM: – Palace Green
LIGHTS OF FREEDOM – As the prelude to the thrilling Fourth of July Fireworks display, The American Music Concert Series concludes with a celebration of the words and music of the American Revolution. Highlights include Thomas Jefferson’s reading of the Declaration of Independence, American marching music of the Revolution, a patriotic sing-along, and the CW premiere of The Music for the Royal Fireworks by George Frideric Handel performed by the CW Fifes & Drums Sr. Corps culminating in a grand display of fireworks at 9:30 p.m
9:30 p.m. – FIREWORKS
Fireworks display above the Governor’s Palace; fireworks last approximately 20 minutes and can be seen from Palace Green, Market Square and the eastern side of the Lawn of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.
For more Colonial Williamsburg Events visit them online or visit Colonial Williamsburg and to see more events in the Williamsburg & Yorktown area on July 4th visit here.
