Flagler Beach Fireworks and Parade Schedule on July 4
FlaglerLive | July 4, 2012
Flagler Beach's epic fireworks show has been a city favorite roughly since the Middle Ages. Click on the image for larger view. (© FlaglerLive)
Independence Day fireworks in Flagler Beach this year–2012– will be held on Wednesday, July 4, at 9 p.m., off the Flagler Beach Pier, as always. Flagler Beach’s Holiday Parade will begin at 10 a.m. The parade is sponsored by the Flagler Beach Rotary.
Unlike last year, this year’s fireworks are attended neither by controversy nor the shadow of a burn ban: the fire danger is as low as it’s been in years, registering–as of the morning of June 28–precisely 1 on the 800-scale drought index, which means the ground is fully saturated.
And this year Palm Coast will again have its own Independence Day fireworks show at Town Center’s Central Park. That one will take place on Tuesday, July 3rd, at 9:30 p.m. It will be preceded by a five-hour party around the lake, with music, games, beer, burgers and hot dogs, hosted by the Flagler County Rotary and Beach 92, the Palm Coast radio station. There is no gate fee. Bring your own cooler, fill it with beer and other drinks: that, too, is allowed. Brink chairs, bring blankets, bring a few dozen shades of gray as long as you’re at it.
Palm Coast first held a fireworks show of its own in 2010. Last year’s show was cancelled because of the burn ban. The Palm Coast fireworks are never scheduled on the same day as Flagler Beach’s so as to preserve the iconic nature of the beach town’s signature event.
The fireworks had been cancelled last year by order of the Flagler County Commission on June 20. The commission reversed itself on July 1 after much politicking and allowed the Flagler Beach fireworks to go on–but only the Flagler Beach fireworks.
Flagler Beach Parade and Other Activities
Line-up or staging takes place on Daytona Avenue North between 8 and 10 a.m.
The parade route: east on North 6th Street, south on A1A, west on S. 6th Street, north on South Daytona Avenue. The parade will take place, rain or shine. (If there’s heavy rain at 9 p.m., fireworks won’t go off.)
Parade awards, sponsored by the Flagler Beach Rotary Club, include “Best of Parade,” “Most Original,” “Best Marching Unit” and” Best Depicting Theme.” Judging takes place before the parade. Trophies are awarded in Veteran’s Park immediately following the parade. (The entry deadline for the parade is Friday, June 29. Here’s the entry form.)
Many other activities will follow, including, at 1 p.m., the Fourth Annual Tiny Tiki & Lil’ Kahuna when, in the words of the chamber’s Gretchen Smith, “some of the cutest 3- to 5-year-old kids you’ve ever seen dance the hula, strike a favorite ‘surfing pose’ and otherwise ham it up for the audience. Every child who participates is a winner and leaves with a goody bag. (Please note advanced registration is necessary before the June 22 deadline. Registration will be limited to 20 boys and 20 girls.)” The day’s events are hosted by Flagler Beach and the Flagler Beach Chamber of Commerce.
An important traffic note from Flagler County Assist REACT: “For those going to the July 4th Flagler Beach Fireworks please note that right after the fireworks traffic approaching State Road 100 from the north and south will likely be forced west on SR 100 by the Police. This is the fastest way to clear traffic out of the city. No exceptions are made. If you must keep going north or south, plan to head west on State Road 100 to the first place you can turn around and then head back to A1A. Please plan accordingly or avoid the area. As soon as the worst of the traffic is cleared it will go back to normal. Typically this is between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.”
Here’s the day’s full line-up for Wednesday, July 4, 2012:
10 a.m. Independence Day Parade
11 a.m. Cornhole Competition
12 p.m. Watermelon Eatin’ Contest
1 p.m. Tiny Tiki/Lil’ Kahuna Event
1:45 p.m. Hot Dog Eating Competition
2 p.m. Battle of the Bands
9 p.m. Fireworks
Parking, as always in Flagler Beach, is catch as catch can.
Click on the image for larger view. (© FlaglerLive)
I do wish that Palm Coast would have also scheduled their fireworks for the 4th. The traffic is so horrible in Flagler Beach following the fireworks, it may have alleviated some of the congestion.
The fire works are on different nights so it does alleviate traffic concerns!
Jax Beach had to cancel 4th Chief said 75,000 to100,000 crowd too much for protection and crowd patrol, plus overtime for all. V ery dangerous situation these days………..
Yea, God forbid the People have a good time and blow off some steam.
My point was that if they both held fireworks on the 4th, half may go to Flagler, half to Palm Coast THEREBY alleviating all the Flagler Beach traffic.
The only way to alleviate traffic in Flagler Beach would be to close the county down at the borders. Historically, the celebration at the beach has attracted folks from far and wide…. even Palatka!! It is wonderful that so many find their way to this little beachside town (and spend money).
I thnk it is great the there are fireworks in Palm Coast the day before. There are a lot of folks that avoid Flagler Beach because of the traffic and at least there is an alternative for kids to see fireworks!!
I’m excited the palm coast fireworks are on the 3rd. I have to work early on the 3rd and on the 5th. Attending the fireworks on the 3rd allows me to sleep in on the 4th and avoid traffic on a night that i need to be to work early the next day… So, yay!
when and where are the fireworks on the 3rd?
Flagler Beach’s epic fireworks show has been a city favorite roughly since the ” Middle Ages”. Really? What were you sources of information or were you just being funny?
Stacey, our source is a Daytona Beach News-Journal story from July 3, 1211 AD. Otto IV was the grand marshal. The Flagler Beach city fathers thought he could use the consolation (he’d just be excommunicated). The fireworks, incidentally, were imported from Macau that year. Santore and Sons were still lighting up skies in Venice back then.
I would guess they were just being funny.
if you go to these events please do not leave anything in your cars cars were broke into all these locations in the last three days
For those going to the July 4th Flagler Beach Fireworks please note that right after the fireworks traffic approaching State Road 100 from the north and south will likely be forced west on SR 100 by the Police. This is the fastest way to clear traffic out of the city. No exceptions are made. If you must keep going north or south, plan to head west on State Road 100 to the first place you can turn around and then head back to A1A. Please plan accordingly or avoid the area. As soon as the worst of the traffic is cleared it will go back to normal. Typically this is between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
why cant they do the fireworks in palm coast ACTUAL holiday?!.. palm coast always pulls these stunts and has festivities on off days instead of on the holiday itself. if they would have done them both on the 4th it would maybe not ease the traffic, but it wouldn’t be over crowded in any one particular location. i would love to go to town center because it’s around the corner from my house, but i’m not going to go out there tonight, when the 4th of july is, well, on the 4TH OF JULY.
@Anonymouse: when and where are the fireworks on the 3rd? You need to re-read the article.
@natalie: I guess you were not here two years ago when the City of Flagler Beach threw a ‘hissy fit’ over the fireworks being on the same day.
The 3rd of July (yes, that sounds wrong) Fireworks in the Park display was more impressive than I was expecting, but there was a dangerous thunderstorm that was moving in the entire time. There was lightning nearby during the fireworks, and the rain began right after they finished. Whoever was in charge of deciding whether the weather was acceptable cut things really close!
Here’s some photos of the display for those who didn’t attend, I really enjoyed myself and will be coming back next year!
http://www.stevensobelphotography.com/p1057921723/h209314a7#h54f4414
I think it is so great that us residence of Flagler County have the opportunity to attend 2 nights of fireworks display, which my family and friends do. In my 45 years of attending the fireworks here in Flagler County I have never had a problem getting home, usually between 10:30 and 11:00 PM. We usually hang out at the beach after the show, and then drive home. The problem is people are in such a big hurry to leave. I say relax and enjoy yourself.
No caps and how long r the fireworks
It’s only a matter of time before the Congress declares that ‘Independence Day’ will be observed on the first Monday in July. This will prevent the holiday from falling on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays which upsets so many, and will guarantee a 3-day weekend for all.
But inasmuch as ‘independence’ is now seen as politically INCORRECT, another name will have to be given to it…probably ‘Founder’s Day’ or ‘America Day’.
WHAT I WANT TO NO IS WHY FLAGLER BEACH HAS THIS Tiny Tiki/Lil’ Kahuna Event AND CHANGES $15 A KID AND THE KIDS WALK OUT THE LADY SAYS ANYTHING SHE CARES TO SAY ABOUT UR KIDS AND DONT EVEN CARE IF THEY COME BACK AND SIT DOWN AND AFTER EVERYTHINGS THERES NOT EVEN A WINNER AND THE KIDS GET A LAY ! REALLY FLAGLER BEACH U NEED MONEY THAT BAD ( THERE WAS ABOUT 15 GIRLS IN IT AT $15 A KID WOW A BIG $300 THEY JUST MADE