Happy Fourth of July! What is closed Independence Day? Guide to Indianapolis fireworks, events
More than a dozen fireworks shows will take place around Indianapolis during the Fourth of July. The holiday falls on a Friday this year, so some events span several days into the weekend and include family friendly festivals, bar crawls for adults, and concerts nearly everyone can enjoy.
You can watch fireworks in Avon, Beech Grove, Broad Ripple, Brownsburg, Carmel, Fishers, Indianapolis, Lawrence, Mooresville, Noblesville, Westfield, and Zionsville. Check out IndyStar.com for more information about where to celebrate.
Many offices and businesses will be closed Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. All federal offices will be closed, from the legislature to the courthouse. State offices also will be closed, including Marion County courts. Doors will be shut at most county and city offices as well.
Story continues after 2024 photo gallery.
The United States Postal Service will be closed, and mail will not be delivered on July 4. Like most federal holidays, some services will be disrupted and stores may be operating under different hours.
See a list of more Fourth of July store hours for Kroger, Sam's Club, Home Depot, Lowe's and more retails at IndyStar.com.
The times on the following dates are protected in Indiana for consumer use of fireworks and may not be prohibited by local ordinance:
Story continues after photo gallery.
Fireworks are beautiful to watch, but can be deadly if misused.
Fireworks sent an astonishing number of people to the hospital in 2024, numbers that rose sharply by 38% compared to the previous year. Sparkler-related injuries alone cost 1,700 people a trip to the emergency room, according to an estimate by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Overall, nearly 15,000 people were treated for firework-related injuries in hospital emergency rooms across the country last year, in which 11 people died, according to the CPSC. The most common type of injury was burn wounds to hands and fingers.
Between fireworks and grilling over the July 4 holiday, there's always a way to get burned. Remember to take precautions. But if someone does get burned at your Independence Day event, here's what you need to know.
The burn should be left uncovered, but if EMS is delayed or you're transporting the person for emergency care, "cover the burn loosely with a sterile dressing, a clean dressing or a plastic wrap, if necessary."
IU Health emergency department medical director Kevin Moore said anyone with a burn should go to an urgent care office if the wound shows signs of infection. He also suggests calling 911 or going to the emergency department if the burn:
More about July 4 safety and burns: Here's how to decide if you should go to the ER.
Fireworks are fun. Spending time in the emergency room? Not so much. Thousands are injured by fireworks every year leading up to July 4th. Here's what you should keep in mind when using them in the Hoosier State.
Most dogs do not handle fireworks well, so helping your canine companion get through Independence Day, say animal experts, should start early. It's recommended pet owners talk to a veterinarian and come up with a plan.
"Dogs have a tremendous hearing ability. Anything that sounds loud to us sounds even louder to them," said Dr. Candace Croney in an earlier interview with IndyStar. Croney serves as a professor of Animal Behavior and Well-Being at Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine and director of its Center for Animal Welfare Science. "You have this terrible combination of very loud, unpredictable noises and flashes of light. Novelty, for most animals, creates a little bit of stress and fear."
In addition to veterinarian-approved medication, experts suggest setting up a quiet space inside your home buffered as much as possible from outside noise. You can make that space feel safe and comfortable by adding the following things:
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