Chicago Navy Pier fireworks on July 4 expected to draw thousands to lakefront for America's 250th birthday
Tens of thousands of people are expected to watch Fourth of July fireworks at and around Navy Pier Saturday as the city celebrates America's 250th birthday.
Navy Pier holds fireworks displays every Wednesday and Saturday, and this year the 250th July Fourth falls on a Saturday. Navy Pier said it is hosting the longest fireworks display in its history to celebrate this very special Independence Day.
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On a hot July evening, Navy Pier was already bustling with tourists.
"We just came to see the Cubs, that's all we really did and it's Fourth of July weekend so we decided, you know, let's make a whole weekend out of it," said Tony Ponce, who is visiting Chicago from Houston.
With the holiday approaching, some visitors were making plans to come back downtown for the 250th.
"We plan to come back and catch the fireworks this weekend," said tourist Christian Linz.
Navy Pier Chief Marketing and Experience Officer SJ Luedtke said thousands are expected to take in the fireworks display on the lakefront, and the city is encouraging people to be prepared.
"We ask everyone to plan ahead and plan to come early," she said.
People are strongly encourage to take public transportation or rideshares to avoid heavy traffic. Attendees can expect potential road closures, and for garages to be at capacity well before the fireworks start.
There's also indoor space for likely rain Saturday, and resources to deal with the heat.
"We will have misting stations and a cooling center down at the AON Grand Ballroom. So, we encourage people to drink plenty of water and take a break when they need to," Luedtke said.
If you think the crowding will be constrained to the shore only, think again. Captain Lisa Dixon with Boat Safe Chicago said the waters of Lake Michigan will be pretty full too.
"The amount of boat traffic is almost tripled to what we normally see for Wednesday or Saturday night fireworks," she said.
Dixon said people should take steps to be safe, with a high volume of vessels on the lake expected.
"Make sure you have a working VHF radio, you have life jackets for every passenger on board, make sure that your navigation lights are working," she said.
The fireworks display begins at 10 p.m. Saturday at Navy Pier and is set to last 15 minutes.
