Fourth of July in Ozaukee County 2026: Every Parade, Fireworks Show & Festival

This is not an ordinary Fourth of July. July 4, 2026 marks America's 250th birthday — the semiquincentennial, if you want to impress someone at the parade — and it lands on a Saturday, which means Ozaukee County's small-town celebrations get a full weekend to stretch out. And few places in Wisconsin do a hometown Fourth better than Ozaukee County: a two-hour parade through a historic downtown, fireworks over limestone kilns, a lakefront picnic in a harbor town, and a water-ski show on the Milwaukee River, all within about 20 minutes of each other.

This guide covers every Independence Day celebration in Ozaukee County for 2026, organized by community, plus the pre-Fourth events that kick things off a week early. If you're plotting the wider region, our Milwaukee North Shore Fourth of July guide covers the Milwaukee County suburbs, and our statewide Wisconsin Fourth of July guide covers everything from Door County to Lake Geneva if you're traveling.

Related: Celebrating the Fourth of July in the Milwaukee area

Saturday, July 4, town by town

Cedarburg's 4th of July Hometown Celebration

Cedarburg’s Fourth is the crown jewel of Ozaukee County’s holiday weekend — and on America’s 250th birthday, it should be at full wattage.

The 2026 celebration is Saturday, July 4, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Cedarburg’s Historic District. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and features award-winning Division 1 drum and bugle corps, including a free Madison Scouts performance immediately after the parade.

After the parade, the celebration continues at Cedar Creek Park with food and beverages from the Cedarburg Lions, cotton candy, family activities, DJ Lenny until 7:30 p.m., the Cedarburg Mercs vs. MT Twins baseball game at Behling Field at 3 p.m., and the Cedarburg Civic Band at 8 p.m. Fireworks are scheduled for around 9:30 p.m., launched from Adlai Horn Park.

The pro move for families: bring a wagon, park once, claim your parade spot early, and make a full day of it. Refuel between the parade and fireworks with our guide to Cedarburg’s best burgers, or browse our wider guide to the best burgers in Ozaukee County.

Full details are available through the Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce.

Port Washington’s Fourth on the Lakefront

Port Washington celebrates with the county’s only Lake Michigan Fourth of July celebration, and the 2026 theme is “250 Years of Freedom.”

The celebration runs Saturday, July 4, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The day includes a patriotic parade, live music from Windy Hope, complimentary food and refreshments, arts and crafts, a pet parade and judging, evening festivities, food and beverages, and fireworks at dusk.

The parade begins at 10 a.m. in downtown Port Washington and ends near the lakefront celebration area. The setting is the real star here: watching fireworks reflect off the harbor with the breakwater lighthouse in the background is one of the most photogenic Fourth of July experiences in southeast Wisconsin.

Bring layers if you’re staying for fireworks — the lakefront can feel much cooler after sunset, even in July.

Details are available from Visit Port Washington, and we have a full family guide to Port Washington’s Fourth of July festivities.

Saukville’s Classic Small-Town Fourth

Saukville’s Family Fun on the Fourth is confirmed for Saturday, July 4, 2026, and it follows the formula that has worked for generations: food, music, a hometown parade, a park gathering and fireworks at dusk.

Festivities begin around noon at Grady Park with food and beverages. The parade steps off at 1 p.m. from South Main Street near Rebel Road and heads toward Grady Park. Live music follows at Grady Park from about 1:30–4 p.m., then the party shifts to Peninsula Park along the Milwaukee River for evening entertainment and fireworks at dusk.

The 1 p.m. parade time is a gift for families with little kids — no pre-9 a.m. scramble — and the two-park rhythm gives everyone a natural midday break.

Details are available on the Village of Saukville community calendar.

The Freistadt Fourth

For something genuinely different, Trinity Lutheran Freistadt in Mequon hosts the Freistadt Fourth on Saturday, July 4, 2026.

The day begins with the Freistadt Fourth worship service from 10–11 a.m., followed by the Freistadt Fourth celebration from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Freistadt, 10729 W. Freistadt Road in Mequon.

Families can expect a deeply rooted, old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration with music, food, historic buildings and a children’s patriotic bike parade. Kids are invited to decorate bikes, wagons, scooters or power wheels and meet in the southern-most parking lot by 12:30 p.m.

It is small, historic and community-centered — the kind of Fourth that feels like it belongs to another century, which makes it a fitting stop for America’s 250th.

Details are available through Trinity Lutheran Freistadt.

Where to Watch in Ozaukee County

If fireworks are your only priority, here’s the honest comparison.

On Saturday, July 4, Cedarburg’s Adlai Horn Park display caps the county’s biggest full-day hometown celebration. Port Washington’s lakefront fireworks are the most scenic, with the harbor and lighthouse in the background. Saukville’s Peninsula Park fireworks are the easiest and most relaxed, with smaller crowds and simpler parking than the bigger destination celebrations.

A determined family could see one June 27 show and one July 4 show without leaving Ozaukee County — and then keep the fireworks going with Port Fish DayS later in the month.

Practical Notes for an Ozaukee Fourth

Arrive early for the parades, especially in Cedarburg, where curbs fill quickly and Washington Avenue gets busy well before the 10 a.m. start.

Bring cash for nonprofit food stands, church groups, civic organizations and park concessions. Card readers are more common than they used to be, but cash still makes the day easier.

Pack the standard summer-festival kit: sunscreen, water bottles, a blanket, chairs for fireworks and bug spray for the riverside parks at dusk. Thiensville Village Park, Saukville’s Peninsula Park and Grafton’s Lime Kiln Park all sit near water, and the mosquitoes know the schedule too.

Leashed dogs may be fine at some daytime parades, but fireworks are a bad idea for pets. If you’re staying into the evening, leave them home.

And everywhere, the exit is the worst part. Park facing your way out, walk from downtown if you can, or embrace the slow roll after fireworks.

Keep the Ozaukee Summer Rolling

The Fourth is the midpoint of Ozaukee County’s best stretch, not the end of it.

Port Fish DayS runs July 16–18, 2026 in Port Washington, with the Fish Day parade on Saturday, July 18 at 11 a.m. and fireworks later that night. The long-running festival grew out of Port’s famous Fish Day tradition, once billed as the largest one-day outdoor fish fry, and now continues as a multi-day lakefront celebration.

The Ozaukee County Fair runs July 29–August 2, 2026 at Cedarburg’s Firemen’s Park. It remains one of the last free county fairs in Wisconsin and the Midwest, with carnival rides, grandstand events, live music, demolition derbies and fireworks.

Free outdoor concerts continue across the county too, including Saukville’s Live at the Triangle series at Veterans Park on alternating Wednesdays in summer.

And if you’d rather spend the holiday up north, our guide to the Fourth of July in Door County covers staggered celebrations and fireworks over the water. For everything else on the calendar, start with our complete guide to Milwaukee summer festivals.

Final Thoughts: Small Towns, Big Birthday

The country turns 250 exactly once, and there are worse places to mark it than a county where the parade still runs for hours, the fireworks launch over 19th-century lime kilns, the corn roast is run by volunteers, and kids still get free ice cream after the parade.

Pick a town — or pick two weekends. Pack the wagon, claim the curb early, and stay for the fireworks.

Happy 250th, America. See you on the parade route.