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South Florida is celebrating Independence Day this Saturday in a particularly significant edition: the 250th anniversary of the country's founding, with dozens of free events taking place across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe counties.
The region offers options for all tastes, from displays over the water to drone shows.
The highlight of the event is "250 United: America's 250th Celebration" at Bayfront Park (301 N Biscayne Blvd, Miami), a free celebration from 1:00 PM to midnight featuring Ashanti, Ja Rule, 112 with Slim and Mike, The Fray, Orlando Mendez, Shaggy, and Willy Chirino, along with a giant screen area to watch the FIFA World Cup matches, as the Fan Festival at Bayfront Park wraps up this Saturday.
Miami-Dade County
At Doral Central Park (3005 NW 92nd Ave), the party starts at 2:00 pm and goes until 11:30 pm, featuring a 25-minute fireworks show and interactive inflatables.
Charles Hadley Park (1350 NW 50th St) opens at 4 p.m. with free food for children and seniors while supplies last, games, and live music until 9 p.m.
Gerry Curtis Park (1901 NW 24th Ave) celebrates from 1:00 PM to 9:30 PM with Oro Sólido, Nia Skyfer, and Aron Luix, World Club Cup broadcasts, and local vendors.
In Miami Lakes Veterans Park (15151 NW 82nd Ave), the celebration begins at 6:30 PM with fireworks at 9:00 PM.
Broward County
The Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise is hosting a free outdoor celebration starting at 6:00 PM featuring Higher Ground Band, Light Balance, drones, fireworks, and free parking.
Fort Lauderdale presents its "4th of July Spectacular" at Las Olas Oceanside Park from noon to 9:15 PM, featuring a drone show at 8:45 PM before the fireworks. The Fisher Family Pier in Pompano Beach opens at 5:00 PM with live DJ and fireworks at 9:00 PM.
The Seminole Casino Coconut Creek starts at 7:00 PM; the Tamarac Community Center is hosting its "All-American Celebration" from 6:30 PM.
The Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines has a picnic area available starting at 7:00 PM and fireworks at 9:00 PM, although access to the picnic is exclusive to residents with tickets.
Monroe County (the Keys)
In Islamorada, Founders Park offers a free event starting at 5:00 PM with fireworks at dusk. In Key Largo, a parade begins at the mile marker 98.2 at 10 AM, and the fireworks at Rowell's Waterfront Park start at 9:15 PM.
In Marathon, the parade departs from Marathon High School at 11:00 AM and leads to festivities at Sombrero Beach, featuring fireworks at 9:00 PM. In Key West, the Rotary Club hosts fireworks at 9:00 PM at the Edward B. Knight Pier, with food and drink sales, the proceeds of which will benefit local scholarships.
Extreme heat: necessary precautions
A heatwave with heat index values up to 113°F (45°C) and a chance of isolated storms ranging from 40% to 60% in the afternoon marks this July 4th in South Florida.
Miami-Dade activated 22 free cooling centers—11 in parks and 11 in libraries—for those who cannot endure the heat outdoors.
Authorities recommend staying hydrated at all times, avoiding the sun between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM, and attending professional shows instead of using homemade fireworks, the use of which in Florida is restricted to devices that do not leave the ground or explode.
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