Fireworks Over the Matanzas

St. Augustine’s Fourth of July celebration at the Castillo de San Marcos includes a live music concert and a spectacular fireworks display over the historic bayfront. “Fireworks Over the Matanzas” is one of the biggest and best fireworks displays on the East Coast, featuring 5,000 individual shells exploding as high as 2,000 feet and as low as 100 feet.

Starting at 6:00 p.m., the popular local band The All-Star Orchestra performs a two-hour show of big band and swing music along with patriotic favorites. The concert is free and open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to bring lounge chairs for seating.

The fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m.

St. Augustine has been putting on a spectacular fireworks show on July 4th for the last two decades. Lighting up the sky over the waters of Matanzas Bay, with the Castillo de San Marcos and the Bridge of Lions in the foreground, the “Fireworks Over the Matanzas” display is truly unforgettable. Visitors are welcome to line the streets and sit anywhere along the Bridge of Lions and South Castillo Drive to view the fireworks from downtown.

The 20-minute fireworks show is choreographed to sync with a soundtrack of patriotic music over an extensive sound system that carries over the entire bayfront area. The show is produced by Fireworks by Santore, who also produce fireworks shows for such major entertainment venues as Sea World Orlando and Walt Disney World. Fireworks Over the Matanzas is one of the best places in Florida to catch fireworks on Independence Day.

See below for details on road closures. These closures begin at 8:30 p.m. and end at 10:30 p.m., so visitors must make sure they are appropriately situated before then!

After the Fireworks Over the Matanzas display, around 10 p.m., guests can visit any one of the historic downtown pubs and restaurants for a bite to eat and a cool drink. Remember, St. Augustine enforces “no open container” laws, so visitors should make sure they drink only inside St. Augustine’s restaurants and bars.