Entertainment

Best bets: Celebrate July 4 with baseball, fireworks and free concerts

Posted July 01, 2026 10:24 am

Barbara Vitello

Six Flags Great America is hosting a patriotic drone show accompanied by pyrotechnics Friday and Saturday, July 3-4. Courtesy of Six Flags Great America

Star-spangled celebrations

• Six Flags Great America, 1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee, celebrates the nation’s 250th anniversary this weekend with a patriotic drone show accompanied by pyrotechnic effects Friday and Saturday, live entertainment, character meet-and-greets, special food options and extended hours. Daily tickets start at $45. sixflags.com/greatamerica. 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 3-4

Bugs Bunny and friends celebrate America's 250th anniversary at Six Flags Great America this weekend. Courtesy of Six Flags Great America

• The Chicago Dogs promise the largest postgame fireworks extravaganza of the season following their games against the Winnipeg Goldeyes at Impact Field, 9850 Balmoral Ave., Rosemont, over Independence Day weekend. Saturday includes a pregame salute to Elvis Presley from 4:45-5:30 p.m. Tickets start at $12.50. thechicagodogs.com. 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 3-4

The Chicago Dogs promise the biggest fireworks extravaganza of the season this weekend at Rosemont’s Impact Field. Courtesy of Matt Zuro

• The Grant Park Music Festival hosts its annual Independence Day celebration at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Grant Park Chorus Director Christopher Bell conducts a program featuring patriotic anthems, including John Philip Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever,” marches and other favorites. Note, this celebration does not include fireworks. grantparkmusicfestival.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4

The Chicago Brass Band performs a free concert Wednesday, July 8, at the McAninch Arts Center's Lakeside Pavilion. Courtesy of Jeff White

Sweet sounds at the MAC

• The Lakeside Pavilion at the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, hosts free concerts next week. The 30-member Chicago Brass Band performs original works for brass, classical transcriptions, jazz, marches, show tunes and popular music. AtTheMac.org. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8

• Resident MAC ensemble the New Philharmonic performs works by Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, John Williams and Francis Scott Key during a concert honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary. AtTheMac.org. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9

‘Get Lit’

The American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, hosts the adults-only, after-hours event “Get Lit: The Great American Heist.” Guest “investigators” will search for an artifact that has been stolen from the pop-up exhibition “Declarations: 250 Years of Writing Toward Independence.” The event commences with a reading of the Declaration of Independence. $18 without drinks, $25 with drinks. Tickets include admission to AWM exhibits. americanwritersmuseum.org/get-lit-1776. 5-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8

Country singer-songwriter Lainey Wilson is among the stars headlining the annual Windy City Smokeout outside Chicago’s United Center. AP

Chicago goes country

Country stars Blake Shelton, Treaty Oak Revival, Hootie & The Blowfish, Lainey Wilson and Jordan Davis are among the artists headlining the Windy City Smokeout outside the United Center at 1901 W. Madison St., Chicago. This marks the 13th year of the festival, which expands to five nights. Wristbands are required for entry. Daily admission starts at $84.99. Four-day general admission (excluding Wednesday, July 8) is $299.99. VIP admission starts at $700. windycitysmokeout.com. 3-10 p.m. Wednesday, July 8; 2-10 p.m. Thursday and Friday, July 9-10; and 1-10 p.m. July 11 and 12