The dress rehearsal on July 3 is recorded and would be used for the TV broadcasts if the July 4 concert could not take place due to severe weather. Please note the July 3 rehearsal is not open to the public. 2025 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular: What to know about security for the iconic event Show scheduled 1 hour earlier than in previous years The beloved Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular returns Friday, July 4 for the city’s annual Independence Day celebration, with a slate of musical performances capped off with the classic (Boston, MA) — The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular returns to the Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade for its 51st year on Friday, July 4, 7–10 p.m. Keith Lockhart, celebrating his 30th anniversary as conductor of the Boston Pops, leads the orchestra alongside a talented lineup of guest performers headlined by multiplatinum selling About the Boston Pops July 4 Fireworks Spectacular Since 1929, the Boston Symphony’s Pops orchestra has performed its free Independence Day concert on the Esplanade, a beloved Boston tradition first conceived by Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler and carried on by John Williams and, since 1995, Keith Lockhart. No fireworks viewing from the Massachusetts Ave (Harvard) Bridge will be allowed. Enjoy the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and a spectacular display of fireworks over the Charles River. This year maestro Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra are set to entertain at Boston’s annual Fourth of July celebration. The Boston Pops Free July 4th Concert and Fireworks Spectacular Boston’s iconic Independence Day celebration attracts over a million spectators along the Charles River. The Boston Pops Concert begins at 8:00 p.m. at the historical Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, followed by a 30-minute fireworks display at 10:30 p.m. With hundreds of thousands of people expected to pour into the Esplanade, here’s what you need to know going into the Boston Pops Firework Spectacular this 4th of July. The timing of the July 4th fireworks and Boston Pops concert is a little different this year. The free concert on the Hatch Shell will start at 7 p.m., an hour earlier than last year. From the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular (and how to watch on TV or in person) to the reading of the Declaration of Independence, here's your guide to Fourth of July weekend in Boston. The post The dress rehearsal on July 3 is recorded and would be used for the TV broadcasts if the July 4 concert could not take place due to severe weather. Please note the July 3 rehearsal is not open to the public. The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular will return to the Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade for its 51st year, featuring LeAnn Rimes and more. Learn how to attend! Here are nine awesome ways to enjoy the long weekend, from the classic three-day Harborfest to a brand new outdoor food and drink venue in Southie. The annual Independence Day concert draws an estimated 300,000 to 500,000 people to the Edward A. Hatch Memorial Shell on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston's Back Bay each July 4. The Boston Pops July 4th Spectacular is slated to take place at the Hatch Memorial Shell on the Esplanade starting at 8:00pm. Keith Lockhart will lead a program featuring the Boston Pops orchestra with special guests Darlene Love, Kelli O'Hara, and The Mavericks! The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular returns to the Hatch Memorial Shell on Friday. Here's what you need to know ahead of the Independence Day celebration. The Pops are scheduled to hold their dress rehearsal at the Hatch Shell Wednesday night. Before the rehearsal, though, the orchestra practiced inside Symphony Hall, rather than out in the elements Boston’s iconic Fourth of July festivities are set to welcome thousands of visitors from across the country to the Esplanade for a day of music, fireworks, and patriotic celebration. 2025 Schedule The "Oval" opens at 12pm on July 4. The live concert will start at 7pm with the Mugar Family Fireworks starting at approximately 9:40pm. 10 free things to do in Boston in July, from outdoor movies and concerts to an Italian feast in the North End.
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