07/03/2026
JULY 4TH UPDATE:
Due to the National Weather Service’s Extreme Heat Warning for Howard County and the risk of high heat index values, the Howard County July 4th celebration will begin two hours later than originally scheduled. The festivities will now kick off at 7:00 pm. Food trucks begin service at 7pm and Dom Flemons & The Traveling Wildfires will provide live music from 7:30 - 9pm. The 25+ minute Firework display is anticipated to begin between 9:15pm and 9:30pm weather permitting.
While Howard County Recreation and Parks Howard County July 4th Fireworks celebration was originally slated to include a new drone show as part of Howard County Government’s HoCo250 commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, the drone show has unfortunately been cancelled. The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a Temporary Flight Restriction, grounding all drone flights - both recreational and commercial - within a 30 nautical mile radius of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for Saturday, July 4th. Instead, Recreation & Parks plans to host the drone show later this summer.
Please plan accordingly, stay hydrated, and continue to monitor official Howard County channels for updates.
JULY 4TH FIREWORKS PARKING AND ROAD CLOSURE DETAILS: For this Saturday’s July 4th Fireworks celebration at the Downtown Columbia Lakefront, there will be FREE public parking at several locations throughout Downtown Columbia, including The Mall in Columbia, the Merriweather District, Symphony Woods Garage, One and Two Merriweather garages, and Sterrett Place North. The lot at 10324 Little Patuxent Parkway will be reserved exclusively for ADA parking beginning at 4:00 p.m. and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. A valid ADA placard or license plate is required for entry. Due to road closures, the lot will only be accessible by vehicle before 6:00 p.m. If arriving after 6:00 p.m., access will be limited to Mall Ring Road. There is no public parking at the Columbia Lakefront and the Whole Foods parking lots will close at 6:00 p.m. and will not reopen until approximately 11:00 p.m.
Additionally, Howard County Police Department will be CLOSING both directions of Little Patuxent Parkway between Symphony Woods Road and Governor Warfield Parkway from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. this Saturday. In addition, Little Patuxent Parkway between Broken Land Parkway and Symphony Woods Road will be closed from about 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Significant traffic delays in the area can be expected.
Those looking to beat the traffic on July 4th, Howard County Office of Transportation has compiled a list of biking directions from each of Columbia’s Village Centers, as well as various other areas of the county, to the Lakefront (see https://gohoward.org/biking-to-the-lakefront-in-dtc/). Also, the Bike Corral is back at 10175 Wincopin Circle, where cyclist can securely park their bike for free on the 4th between 4:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
For more information about Howard County’s July 4th Fireworks celebration, visit Howard County Recreation and Parks’ “Howard County's July 4th Fireworks” webpage at www.howardcountymd.gov/july-4th-fireworks.
