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10 top fireworks shows in the suburbs

Skies over the suburbs will be full of sparkle and light as towns send up Fourth of July fireworks displays meant to dazzle viewers with their beauty and ferocity.

The long Independence Day weekend means plenty of chances to see two or more displays this year, with some of the biggest set for July 3.

National and hometown pride come together at celebrations that climax with the patriotic pyrotechnics. While it's no easy choice deciding where to watch, here's our list of fireworks shows that provide an especially big bang.

Arlington Heights

What makes these fireworks so attractive is the venue: Arlington International racetrack, which means there's plenty to do, room to stretch out and great fireworks besides - and as a bonus the show is on July 3 so you can head back out the next night for another great show somewhere else. Gates open at 1 p.m. and there's a full day of racing (first post at 3 p.m.) followed by fireworks at dusk. Dave Tamkin & Co. plays live music 4-9 p.m. on the Miller Lite Band Stage. Wayne Messmer will sing the national anthem before the fireworks; more musical entertainment from the dueling pianos of Felix & Fingers.

Arlington International Racecourse, 2200 W. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights. Fireworks at dusk on Sunday, July 3. $4 child, $20 adult. arlingtonpark.com.

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Batavia

Paid for entirely by fundraisers and donations from local citizens, Batavia's “Sky Concert” fireworks show is a Fourth of July tradition. The festivities, which are held at Engstrom Park, include food vendors and live music by We're Not, a cover band playing music from the 1970s to today. Food vendors open at 5 p.m. and the concert begins at 6 p.m. This year's theme is “Flag and Country” in honor of the 100th anniversary of Flag Day. The fireworks can also be viewed from the Batavia High School athletic practice fields.

Engstrom Park, 326 Millview Drive. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Monday, July 4. $5 donations accepted at local parking lots. Bataviafireworks.org.

Elgin

What's better than a summer view of the Fox River to celebrate Independence Day? Elgin's Fourth of July festivities will include a free concert at Festival Park along the river, including Mark Farner, Rare Earth, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals and Cool Rockin Daddies. The concert begins at 5 p.m. on Monday, July 4. A fireworks show will be set off from the nearby National Street bridge. There will be food and beverage vendors, and alcohol sales for those who get a wristband by showing an ID. Parking is free at the Grand Victoria Casino garage and city parking decks.

Festival Park, 132 S. Grove Ave. Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Monday, July 4. Free. Info: cityofelgin.org.

Great Lakes

Want two days of festivities and fireworks in a unique setting? Take Ross Field at the 105-year-old Naval Station Great Lakes, the Navy's only basic training facility, add in a Fourth of July festival that honors survivors of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on the 75th anniversary of the surprise attack and you've got an Independence Day weekend celebration dripping with history and patriotism. There's plenty of main stage live music, food and activities for children and adults from 3 to 10 p.m. on Sunday, July 3, and Monday, July 4, capped off by fireworks both nights.

Naval Station Great Lakes, Ross Field, 530 Farragut Ave., Great Lakes. Fireworks at 9:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 3, and 9:30 p.m. on Monday, July 4. Free. www.mwrgl.com.

Lake Zurich

You can pick your vantage point for fireworks over the water in Lake Zurich. Fireworks - which officials say will include shells larger than those used in previous years - are scheduled to blast off Monday, July 4, from a barge in the middle of Lake Zurich. The fireworks will be part of a larger family festival that begins at 10 a.m. at Paulus Park with music, games, swimming, food and more.

Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich. Other fireworks viewing options are the Promenade and Breezewald Park. Fireworks at 8:45 p.m. on Monday, July 4. $2-$7 at Paulus Park, free at other locations. Lakezurich.org.

Lisle

Its eye-grabbing combination of colorful hot air balloons and nightly fireworks shows has made Lisle's Eyes to the Skies festival a summertime tradition for many people. This year's festival wraps up on Sunday, July 3, at Community Park in Lisle. If the weather holds up, there will be a 6:30 p.m. ballon launch. Then, at 8:15 p.m., there will be a balloon glow, where lighted balloons tethered to the ground create a visual treat. Sunday's fireworks display is scheduled for 9:45 p.m. and will be presented with a musical score.

Community Park in Lisle, 1825 Short St., Lisle. Fireworks at 9:45 p.m. Sunday, July 3. $8; free for children 6 and younger. Eyestotheskies.org.

Naperville

  Naperville's fireworks round out four days of Ribfest fun. Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com, 2012

The only thing better than watching fireworks is watching fireworks while eating ribs. Naperville Exchange Club's Ribfest will conclude its four-day run on Monday, July 4, with a 9:30 p.m. fireworks show at Knoch Park. While waiting for the aerial display, visitors enjoy ribs and other festival mainstays such as corn on the cob and funnel cakes. Gin Blossoms and Tonic will be the musical headliners on the Fourth of July. Tonic will perform at 4 p.m., and Gin Blossoms will take the stage at 6 p.m. Family fun admission offers free admission for children age 11 and younger and $12 admission for adults from noon to 3 p.m. daily. Admission starts at $20 after 3 p.m. But adults can enter the park for free after 7:30 p.m. on July 4.

Knoch Park, 724 West St., Naperville. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. on Monday, July 4; free admission after 7:30 p.m. Info: Ribfest.net

Palatine

It's Palatine's 150th birthday in 2016, so the Independence Day fireworks promise to be special. The fireworks go off at dusk on Sunday, July 3, at Hometown Fest, which runs through Monday, July 4, with entertainment, food vendors, a carnival and more.

Community Park, 262 E. Palatine Road, Palatine. Fireworks at dusk on Sunday, July 3. Free. palatinejaycees.org/hometown-fest.

Sleepy Hollow

The annual fireworks display in Sleepy Hollow - one of the largest in the area, according to event organizers - will cap off a full day of Fourth of July festivities in Sabatino Park. The fun, sponsored by the Sleepy Hollow Service Club, begins at 8 a.m. and includes a fun run, a fishing derby, a parade, a car show, a pie eating contest, a bags tournament and other games and entertainment. Families start setting up chairs and spreading out blankets at around 7 p.m. to secure their spots for the fireworks.

Sabatino Park, Winmoor Drive and Willow Lane. Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. on Monday, July 4. $5 donation per car. www.sleepyhollowil.org/?page_id=3148.

Wheeling

How many times can you stand on an airport tarmac and watch great fireworks? That and more is here at Run & Rock the Runway, an evening of food trucks, a beer tent, live music, face painters, an aircraft display and fireworks on Sunday, July 3, at Chicago Executive Airport. The party starts at 5 p.m. and the band Midnight is on the Main Stage from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. HiFi Superstar follows from 8:15-10:30 p.m., with a break for fireworks.

Chicago Executive Airport, 1020 Plant Road, Wheeling. Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 3. Free. www.rocknruntherunway.com.

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