Fourth of July week is here, which means plenty of celebration options on the beaches and in Charleston. This year the Fourth of July holiday falls on a Thursday, more or less guaranteeing that the party will last a week and maybe even a couple weekends as well. Things cranked up this past weekend, with Moncks Corner’s 4th of July Street Dance & Fireworks, the Patriotic farmers Market at Tanger Outlets, and the Murica Bar Crawl downtown. Tomorrow - Wednesday, July 3rd - is another pre- Fourth of July event that may be worth checking out. It’s happening on Daniel Island and will include the following:
- Community parade starting at 6:00 p.m. at Bishop England High School and Etiwan Park, ending at Smythe Park;
- Lakeside concert afterward, entitled “Stars & Stripes Patriotic Fanfare” by the Charleston Community Band from 7:00-8:00 p.m.;
- Family fun like games, arts & crafts, face painting, tye dye station, photo booth bus;
- Plenty of food trucks, or bring a picnic;
- No alcohol sales, but coolers are permitted;
- Fireworks at 9:15 p.m.
Events on Fourth of July proper
This is the tenth year of a very special event. It’s a great way to show your true colors patriotism on Independence Day, right on the beach itself. It’s the Salute from the Shore - where you can show your love of country right on the sands of the coastline. Salute from the Shore is a flyover of the SC coast, undertaken by modern-day and vintage U.S. military planes. This is from the official website: "The Salute from the Shore is a unique opportunity for individuals, friends, and families to salute our armed forces while celebrating Independence Day on South Carolina beaches. Our role is to organize and promote a military flyover on the 4th of July that will stretch the entire length of South Carolina’s coast. We will capture as much footage of the flyover as possible, from the air and from the ground, for inclusion in a video that will be posted for all to see."
Specs on the Salute
The festive flyover kicks off at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, July 4th at Cherry Point, SC, just above Myrtle Beach. Two F-16s from the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base will lead the way. Vintage planes including privately owned aircraft will follow at their own pace. This year, the lineup includes: The planes head down the coast, circle around Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant, then continue south past Hilton Head. They’ll travel at different speeds, since the vintage aircraft tend to lag behind the F-16s. But they will be visible along the coast between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m. Show off your colors, make giant flags on the beach and share your photos and videos. Just email them to salute@salutefromtheshore.org and tag images with #SalutefromtheShore. Here’s the official website, where you can also watch the finished video. Try and spot you and your crew!
Fireworks in Charleston Harbor
Fireworks will shoot off a barge in the harbor after the sun sets, in what’s officially known as the July 4th Patriots Point Fireworks Blast. Figure it starting about 9:00 or a little after. You can get great views from both sides of the harbor. Patriot’s Point will open the flight decks of the USS Yorktown, probably the best view of all. However, all seats on deck are sold out. You can still watch for free from the land, though (parking $10). Here’s more. Over at the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park, there’s a special “Uncle Sam Jam” happening out on the pier, although it sold out. You still can watch fireworks free from the front end of the pier.
Fireworks on the beaches…
Just a quick reminder - individual fireworks are prohibited on the Isle of Palms. So leave the hassle to others and just watch the official town show. Isle of Palms The fun starts around 9:00 p.m. near Front Beach, where the City of Isle of Palms will launch fireworks from the pier after dark. Sullivan’s Island They celebrate the 4th all day, starting with the annual bike and golf cart parade from 8:30 – 9:00 a.m., a community cookout and picnic at 6:00 p.m. It’s at Stith Park playground next to the firehouse in “downtown” Sullivan’s. There will be live with fireworks when it gets dark. Folly Beach They’ll shoot off fireworks from the beach at Third Block West, beginning about 9:20. Best views are from the beach itself. So have a terrific Fourth of July, and stay safe. And remember to call EP for the very best in beach rentals Charleston. All best, Lowcountry Lisa your Isle of Palms vacation blogger