Nearly 100 places to watch fireworks in the Bay Area on the 4th of July

July 3, 10:17 AMSF Travel ExaminerEd Uyeshima

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Photo: Ed Uyeshima

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• A particularly resourceful person at www.funcheapsf.com has organized a comprehensive list of the 92 Fourth of July 2009 Fireworks & Events in the Bay Area

Confused by where to see all the patriotic pyrotechnics on the Fourth of July? The short answer is pretty much everywhere. There are almost one hundred separate shows in the Bay Area alone (see link below). For non-shut-ins, getting together with family and friends is important, and so is a nice barbecue. But let’s face it…we want to be placed in sensory overload by a magical fireworks display. Here are the three major fireworks shows occurring on Saturday, July 4. Just make sure to call and/or visit the websites listed next to the event beforehand to confirm the exact times.

SAN FRANCISCO
1:00PM to 9:30PM

Afternoon entertainment will be provided at Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 to celebrate Independence Day. According to the Pier 39 Web site, you can “rock out with 'Take 2' from 1-4PM followed by San Francisco's favorite 80's cover band, 'Tainted Love' from 6-9:30PM”. Following the onstage entertainment, you can stay to watch the fireworks, which will be simulcast on KISS FM 98.1. Fireworks will launch from the foot of Municipal Pier and barges to the north of Pier 39, so good viewing locations can be found anywhere from Ghirardelli Square to the Embarcadero waterfront.

You can take the Cable Car, F, 9x, 10, 30, 45, 47, 49 and shuttle buses are available from Caltrain, the Ferry Building and from Van Ness/Market. Be aware many MUNI lines may be rerouted due to the large crowds. Here’s the link to the MUNI 4th of July re-routing information.

Cost: FREE
Website: Pier 39 Events
Venue: Aquatic Park
Address: Beach Street and Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA

BERKELEY
11:00AM to 9:30PM

A full afternoon and evening of activities will occur in the south shore area of the Berkeley Marina at the bottom of University Avenue. There will be Adventure Playground, which will be open until 8:00PM, where you can join in on an old-fashioned sack race, get your face painted, or careen down a giant slide. There will also be plenty of international food booths, as well as live entertainment from 12 Noon until 9PM on the main stage. Free sailboat rides will be available from 1-4PM, and dragon boat rides from 2-6PM, all of it climaxing with the fireworks show launching from the end of the Berkeley Pier at 9:30PM. It’s an alcohol-free event with free valet bicycle parking. No cars will be allowed in the area after 7PM.

Cost: FREE
Website: Another Bullwinkel Show
Venue: Berkeley Marina
Address: Marina Blvd and Spinnaker Way, Berkeley, CA

OAKLAND
7:00PM to 9:30PM

Jack London Square will be the location for Oakland’s main Independence Day celebration. There will be live musical performances on two stages beginning at 7:00PM with the Ben Oni Orchestra playing on Jack London Square’s West Lawn and the BluesBurners on the Pavilion stage at the foot of Broadway. At 9:15PM, a full-scale pyrotechnics display will be launched from a barge floating in the Oakland Estuary. Parking at Jack London Square will be limited, so please use AC Transit, Transbay Ferry, or BART to get there.

Cost: FREE
Phone Number: (866) 295-9853
Website: Jack London Square Newscenter
Venue: Jack London Square
Address: Broadway and Water Streets, Oakland, CA