2026 July 4 Fireworks Guide For Reston

Fourth of July activities in Reston could have extra sparkle in 2026, the 250th anniversary, or semiquincentennial, of the Declaration of Independence.

The holiday falls on a Saturday in the middle of a three-day weekend, July 3-5. To help you fit it all in on your 4th of July calendar, Patch has put together a guide to fireworks and other celebrations in Reston and the surrounding areas.

July 4 Festivities

Reston-area Independence Day events include Fairfax County’s first drone light show at Lake Fairfax Park, a three-day America 250 celebration at Reston Station and a nearby July 4 celebration and fireworks display in Herndon.

Fairfax County’s First Drone Light Show
When: Noon to 10 p.m. June 27; drone show at 9:15 p.m.
Where: Lake Fairfax Park, 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston

Red, White, & Boom!
When: Thursday, July 2; event kickoff at 5:30 p.m., Star Spangled Banner live at 7:20 p.m., Bruce In The USA at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9:15 p.m.
Where: 1800 Reston Row Plaza, Reston Station

The Prince Project
When: 7:30-9 p.m. Friday, July 3
Where: 1900 Reston Metro Plaza, Reston Station

The Darby Brothers and The Sandlot Movie + Event
When: 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4; movie follows concert at 7:30 p.m.
Where: 1800 Reston Row Plaza, Reston Station

Celebration And Fireworks Display
When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4; fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
Where: Bready Park, Herndon

Celebrations around the country recall not only the events leading up to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, but also look forward and aim to make the 4th of July weekend a massive, multigenerational cultural moment focused on community connections and charitable giving.

America’s Block Party, an unprecedented coast-to-coast initiative, is one of the signature events of America 250, the congressionally chartered nonprofit overseeing the semiquincentennial celebration.

A Times Square Ball Drop, a rolling series of ball drops, timed to occur at midnight on July 3 in every U.S. time zone from Guam to American Samoa, is part of the “Giving 4th Broadcast Benefit Show,” creating a nearly 24-hour celebration of the 250th anniversary. It’s part of the broader “Giving 4th” initiative that aims to make and establish Independence Day the biggest annual day of giving.

A time capsule will be buried in Philadelphia to be opened in 2276 on July 4. It contains a carefully curated collection of letters and artifacts reflecting the leadership, institutions, and communities that shape the country today. It will include contributions from all three branches of the U.S. federal government and submissions from each of the 50 states, Washington D.C., and five territories.

Separately, the White House’s Freedom 250’s biggest spectacles are the Great American State Fair on the National Mall, running June 25 to July 10; the July 4 Salute to America Fireworks, also on the National Mall; “Sail 4th 250,” billed as the largest-ever flotilla of tall ships from around the world in New York Harbor; and Rushmore 250, an iconic 4th of July fireworks on July 3 alongside military concerts and live presidential reenactors.

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