North Texas fireworks show is 5th best in U.S. and includes vintage aircraft, aerobatics

Fireworks is big business in North Texas. From family-owned pyrotechnics operations to the many curbside entrepreneurs selling everything from sparklers to aerial rockets, the season to light up is just around the corner. Americans are about to celebrate the nation’s 248th birthday on July 4.

But did you know Addison is one of the best places in the U.S. to enjoy a summer pyrotechnics show? USA Today ranked the best U.S. cities to see fireworks in 2024. Addison came in at No. 5.

This community, just under an hour drive from Fort Worth, is known for its “Kaboom Town!” fireworks display. It is the primary reason it made the list. And why not? Roughly half a million spectators have made the trek to Addison to catch the display each year. Addison has hosted the display since 1985. Tickets will be available starting June 5.

“This is hands down the best fireworks in Southern Oklahoma/Northern Texas area I have been to,” according to a review on Trip Advisor by mike_ocampo80. “Personally I prefer going to the parking garages since they are a little less crowded but between the park, roadside, parking lots, and local restaurant’s and hotels there are so many places to view the fireworks.”

The show includes an impressive flyovers by historic aircraft and aerobatic displays.

“Planes will take off from the Addison Airport and follow a flight path that is visible throughout Addison and neighboring areas,” according to addisonkaboomtown.com.

Pro tip: if you’re planning on making the drive for the show, give yourself time to exit the city center. Traffic will be brutal. Trying one of the many restaurants around Addison Circle may save you a bit frustration.

When were fireworks first used as a way of celebrating?

Fireworks were used for the first ever Independence Day celebration in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, according to HIstory.com. But the first time pyrotechnics were utilized in revelry may have been back in the year 1608 when legend has it that a Captain John Smith set off the first known display in Jamestown, Virginia.

But the first ever use of “fireworks” may have been in the second century B.C. in ancient Liuyang, China.

“It is believed that the first natural “firecrackers” were bamboo stalks that when thrown in a fire, would explode with a bang because of the overheating of the hollow air pockets in the bamboo,” according to the American Pyrotechnics Association website.

When is Addison TX fireworks show?

This year, the event will be held on July 3 with the firework show beginning at 9:30 p.m. Revelry begins at at 5 p.m. with the airshow. Addison will hold official watch parties at various locations in town. The best view will be from a restaurant along Belt Line Road and the Dallas North Tollway.

Kaboom Town! was the only Texas city display that made the list. The No. 1 place to go see fireworks is Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. This location has year-round shows, as well as twice a week during the summer months.

Best U.S. cities for fireworks displays

Here’s USA Today’s list of best cities to enjoy fireworks during the summer.

1. Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois: viewable from any point of pier or Lake Michigan surrounding area.

2. Ford Fireworks, Detroit, Michigan: visible from Detroit River.

3. Concert in the Sky at the Amelia Earhart Festival, Atchison, Kansas: visible at Riverfront Park over the Missouri River.

4. Minneapolis Aquatennial, Minneapolis, Minnesota: visible along the Mississippi River Front.

5. Addison Kaboom Town!, Addison, Texas: visible from anywhere in Addison.

6. Wawa Welcome America, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (city where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776): fireworks are best viewed from the parkway between Eakins Oval and Logan Circle.

7. Let Freedom Sing!, Nashville, Tennessee: Visible from downtown Nashville.

8. Big Bay Boom, San Diego, California: visible from anywhere in San Diego’s North Bay, including the Embarcadero, the Marina District, Shelter Island, and Harbor Island.

9. Fair Saint Louis, St. Louis, Missouri: visible over the Mississippi River by the Gateway Arch.

10. America’s Freedom Festival at Provo, Provo, Utah: visible from downtown Utah (largest firework display in the country).

This story was originally published May 30, 2024 at 7:47 AM.

Ella Gonzales

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Ella Gonzales is a service journalism reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is part of a team of local journalists who answer reader questions and write about life in North Texas. Ella mainly writes about local restaurants and where to find good deals around town.