Freedom Festival and Fireworks 2026

Celebrate Independence Day with PLAY Roanoke on Friday, July 3rd, 2026, at River’s Edge North!

Freedom Festival & Fireworks is back July 3 at River’s Edge Park!  We’ve got lots of returning favorites for you, plus a few new additions to announce. Check it out below:

RETURNING FAVORITES:
- Music & Fun Zone > Free and family-friendly, there will be inflatables, face painting, 5-minute portraits, and more! Food trucks will be set up onsite. Fun Zone is open from 4:00 PM – 9:30 PM

- 5PTS Outdoors @ Freedom Fest > 5 Points Music Sanctuary will be back with a great musical lineup, plus beer and wine for sale. 

As part of our commitment to the tight knit community of musicians and creative mavens within our region, this year will feature an All-Star lineup of your favorite artists from dozens of local and regional bands. Spearheading this collective collaboration will be Roanoke’s best Yacht Rock band, Empty Bottles, as they welcome to the stage special guest performances from other local musicians. 

Coming together to create a symphonic expression of our region’s creative talent, the event will feature 4 hours of live entertainment from the musical community that have helped anchor SWVA and Roanoke as a premier destination for amazing music and live entertainment.

4:45-5:45pm: TBD
6:00-7:30pm: Empty Bottles featuring a Roanoke All-Stars Jam Set 1
7:45-9:15pm: Empty Bottles featuring a Roanoke All-Stars Jam Set 2
 
Fireworks Display > Starting at 9:30

Did you know? By hosting this event on July 3rd, the City of Roanoke is able to offer a more impressive fireworks show than would be possible on the 4th?

⚠ Updates/Alerts > Stay informed on any updates (due to weather, etc.) by texting the word “FREEDOM” to 67283. You can also follow @playroanoke on Facebook or Instagram for updates.

For details on how to find updates on fireworks in the event of severe weather, etc. – see the FAQs on the event website.