Fortuna invites the public to celebrate Independence Day a day early on July 3rd. This family friendly festival runs from 5:30 pm – 10:30 pm.
The 16th Annual Fireworks Festival is ready to light up Fortuna’s Newburg Park with kids activities, a fireworks BBQ, lots of food and craft vendors, fire dancers, a huge dance party and at dark, Pyro Spectacular will put on an amazing firework show!
Back this year is the return of the Fireworks BBQ!
Come to the event hungry for dinner hosted by Smokin’ Joe’s BBQ and grab a half pound tri-tip sandwich, homemade mac n cheese, watermelon and cookies from Forno, Fortuna’s newest bakery on Main Street! You pay, grab your plate and walk through the food line. Adult Plates are $20 and kids can grab a hot dog meal for $10. At the end of the BBQ line, purchase soda or water and help support Logan, a Fortuna High student raising funds to go to Costa Rica!
If Tri-Tip is not your thing, new this year is Food Truck Row in the Newburg parking lot!
There you will find Little Bits, Fat Anne’s, The Patron Kitchen, Taqueria Martinez and more!
Several new food vendors will be making their debut at the Fireworks Festival this year including Jersey Scoops, the Crazy Baker and Lu Lu’s mini pancakes and crepes! Come hungry for all your long-time favorites including Love Mini Donuts, Hooked Kettle Corn, Jayden’s Lit Lemonade, Dominick’s Taco’s, Cotton Candy from Sprinkles, and wood fired pizza from Pizza Gago!
New this year is Sandy Peterson Photography who will be walking around the event with a new mobile photo booth! Get your picture taken and upload your memorable digital prints!
Kids wristbands are $10 each for three hours of unlimited fun (5:30 pm to 8:30 pm) and includes 15 bounce houses, 2 mechanical bulls, petting zoos; clowns; balloon animals; Hopper balls and potato sack races. All kids purchasing wristbands must be always accompanied by an adult and have a parent or guardian sign a liability waiver.
From 8 pm -8:30 pm Lost Coast Fusion brings their group of exciting fire dancers to the stage!
At 8:30 pm the kids activities wrap up for the evening and the dance party begins with DX3 Productions doing a light show and dance party until the fireworks start at dark around 10ish!
Everyone is encouraged to bring your own chairs, blankets, or sit in the bleachers.
Please be considerate and use the trash/recycling receptacles provided around the park. The event is put on by a small group of volunteers who stay to clean after the crowd leaves so your due diligence is appreciated!
Bathrooms are located by the playground.
Families are allowed to bring their own LEGAL fireworks to light off and enjoy with friends. Fireworks are ONLY allowed in the paved Newburg parking lot behind the stage. Organizers ask that all attendees keep safety in mind and DO NOT light off fireworks, sparklers or BBQ grills in any of the park’s grassy fields or playground. With families sitting close together with small children, we ask that everyone respects the public space and keeps our park beautiful.
Parking to help pay for the fireworks will be in the field off Rohnerville, right past Newburg Park for $5 a car.
There is NO parking in the Newburg parking lot to allow for food trucks and a safe place to light off fireworks.
Help keep our roadways safe during the event and check out the updated closures schedule for the surrounding areas on the Fortuna Police Departments Facebook Page.
The parking lot of the Police Patrol Operations Division will be closed to Emergency Vehicles.
The McLean community center will have some parking available for a donation benefiting the Gean Lucus Community Center.
Everything for this event, from the cost of the fireworks to the time of the people who organize it, has been donated. It takes an incredible amount of work and money to offer this event to the public and a whole city’s worth of support!
Local businesses are the true stars and have generously donated to make this festival come to life for the last 16 years!!! Without their support, none of this would be possible!
Special thanks to the City of Fortuna, Parks & Rec, FPD, FBID, Fortuna Volunteer Fire Dept and a very small group of volunteers who work behind the scenes to make all this possible!
Please note* This event is geared towards families, so we ask you to leave your pets, alcohol, drugs and drama at home. Please do not come to the event intoxicated or smoke marijuana at the event. K9 officers will patrol throughout the night. Please don't leave trash for volunteers to pick up after the event! We look forward to an amazing FFF!
If you would like to donate, please make checks payable to FFF and mail to PO Box 491 Fortuna, CA 95540.
For more information, volunteer opportunities or vending please email fortunafireworks@gmail.com
