City of Tampa Invites Neighbors to Celebrate 4th of July as a Community at Boom by the Bay

Mayor Jane Castor’s Boom by the Bay is back and bigger than ever with more locations, more fireworks, and more fun for the whole family along Tampa’s beautiful waterfront. The free community event invites neighbors from across the city to celebrate Independence Day together.   

The festivities will kick off on Sunday, July 4, 2021 with a July 4th Boat Parade and Blessing of the Fleet presented by Friends of the Riverwalk starting at 5pm. The route starts in the Convention Center basin, travels to the Heights, and ends at Sparkman Wharf. Boom by the Bay event-goers are encouraged to arrive early to avoid traffic and enjoy the boat parade on our waterfront.   

Following the boat parade, Boom by the Bay programming will continue with family-friendly activities, food vendors, and live entertainment spanning 4+ miles of Tampa waterfront. 

Park activations begin at 7 pm, while some other locations like Armature Works, Sparkman Wharf, and the Tampa Convention Center/Sail Plaza will have activities earlier in the day.  

The festivities will conclude with Florida’s BIGGEST and BEST Independence Day firework displays, which will be choreographed together with music and launched simultaneously from SIX locations at dusk (approximately 9:15pm), including 2 new locations added this year. 

The event is free and open to the public. Event-goers are reminded to follow CDC guidelines for COVID-19 safety and take advantage of sanitation stations at each location. 

Video b-roll from the 2019 Boom by the Bay event can be found at tampa.gov/MediaToolkit 

LOCATIONS 

Fireworks will be launched from the following six locations: 

• Armature Works  
• Seminole Hard Rock Takeover at Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park 
• NEW! – Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, presented by Tampa Downtown Partnership  
• NEW! – Bayshore Boulevard, presented by Coke Florida 
• Tampa Convention Center/The Sail 
• Sparkman Wharf 

Additional activations starting at 5pm include: 

• Water Works Park 
• Straz Center 
• MacDill Park 
• Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park 

BOOM BY THE BAY SOUNDTRACK ON US 103.5 

Tune in to US 103.5 during the Boom by the Bay firework show to here the official soundtrack choreographed with the fireworks.

EVENT TIPS 

• Prepare for Florida sun and the potential of rain: bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, water, umbrella/poncho, etc 
• Take a photo of your child before leaving the house on the day of. This will help officers locate them quickly if they get lost. 
• Take a photo of where you parked 
• Chairs and small coolers are allowed in City parks, no tents or large umbrellas are permitted 
• Event goers may bring their own food and soft drinks, but they may not bring alcohol 
• See something, say something: officers will be located throughout the event area 
• Celebratory gunfire is not only dangerous, it’s illegal. Leave guns at home and celebrate with our community at Boom by the Bay 
• Text BOOM to 888-777 for event updates and follow the City of Tampa’s social media accounts 

FREE SHUTTLE  
Need a ride to Boom by the Bay? HART is offering a free shuttle service from 3-11PM, every 15 minutes on July 4th! 

The 2 free routes (North Fireworks & South Fireworks) will operate around Tampa’s Downtown, connected to the Tampa streetcar and the Marion Transit Center. See the route map at: BoomByTheBay.com 

TRANSPORTATION 

Event-goers can arrive via a number of transportation options include the free HART shuttle, free Tampa Streetcar, free bike valet, eScooter rentals, rideshare, and more. For more transportation info, visit: BoomByTheBay.com 

Those driving to Boom by the Bay are encouraged to arrive early to avoid traffic and find optimal parking. Parking garages near the events include: 

• Fort Brooke Garage 
• Poe Garage 
• Pam Iorio Garage 
• Tampa Convention Center Garage 
• Centro Ybor Garage (ride the Tampa Streetcar to downtown for free!) 
• Palm Ave Garage (ride the Tampa Streetcar to downtown for free!) 

Event parking will be $10. 

TRAFFIC ADVISORY 

Traffic is expected to be heavier than normal on Sunday in and around Downtown Tampa due to the “Boom By the Bay” taking place at multiple locations.

Barricades and signs will be located to assist with traffic flow. Please use caution when driving in the area. There will be several road closures in the area starting at 3pm. Road closures include Bayshore Boulevard between S Rome Ave and W Brorein St, Davis island on and off ramps from Bayshore Boulevard, Channelside Drive between S Meridian Ave and E Cumberland Ave, and more. 

See the full traffic advisory: tampa.gov/road-closure/boom-by-the-bay-sunday-july-4-2021  

A return to normal traffic patterns is expected by 10:30 p.m., Sunday, July 4. 

MORE INFO  
Event-goers are encouraged to text BOOM to 888-777 to receive event updates and alerts. 
For information on transportation, event schedule, maps, FAQs, and more, visit BoombytheBay.com