Published June 23 2023
The Bellevue Family 4th, the Eastside’s largest celebration of our nation’s birthday, is back at Downtown Park. This year’s edition of the annual event, presented by the Bellevue Collection, will be 5-10:40 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4, featuring live music, family activities and a fireworks display set to live music by the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra.
The Family Fun Zone will offer family entertainment and a kids area starting at 5 p.m. Festivities also kick off at 5 p.m. on the Amazon Entertainment Plaza with Lady A, performing blues and soul, followed by folk/rock band Laurel Canyon Legacy at 7 p.m.
This year’s food court features 11 vendors: Blinchiki Crepes, Glow Tea, HP Smokehouse BBQ, Isidros, La Panadeia, Langostino Sushi Burrito, Mexicuban, Organic Juice Bar & Gyros, Ray’s Food, Seoul Bowl and Zieglers Bratwurst Haus. Food trucks around the perimeter of the park will include Ben & Jerry’s, Kulphi, Kornman, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pioneer Popcorn, Road Dawgs and Samijon’s Shaved Ice.
People are encouraged to bring their own water bottles to the event. Water refill stations will be available at the event this year.
The Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra will have a pre-fireworks performance starting at 9:15 p.m. To set the stage for the fireworks, which start at 10:05 p.m., the Fire Department’s Honor Guard will present the colors at 9:50 p.m., followed by a performance of the national anthem by Newport High School Alumni Sarah Rose Davis. The fireworks will be synchronized with the Youth Symphony Orchestra’s performance. After the fireworks, the orchestra will perform more music.
Personal fireworks and alcohol and other drugs are not allowed at Downtown Park. Grills, camp stoves and other cooking devices are also prohibited. Please see Family 4th Park Rules for details.
Getting there and Parking
Several streets will be closed to vehicle traffic near the park for safety and to minimize delays. Please be patient, observe posted signs and obey police officers directing traffic. Street parking on nearby residential streets is prohibited; violators may be towed.
Free parking will be available after 5 at The Bellevue Collection (Bellevue Square, Lincoln Square North, Lincoln Square South and Bellevue Place). For efficient post-event exit, park at Lincoln Square or use the Bellevue Place garage and exit via Northeast 10th Street. Parking for people with disabilities is in Downtown Park’s west lot off 100th Avenue Northeast.
Traffic Advisories will have a full list of street closures before and after the event. Visitors are encouraged to walk, bike, take the bus or carpool to the park for the event.
Celebrate safely
The Bellevue Fire Department reminds everyone that personal fireworks are banned in Bellevue. As of 2022, sales and use of consumer fireworks are illegal in all of King County, including unincorporated pockets that historically allowed their use. In 2020, over 240 people in Washington sustained serious injuries from fireworks, and two people lost their lives.
The safest alternative with the most bang is a professional display such as the Family 4th or one of the fireworks shows in other Eastside cities. Residents can avoid the crowds by holding private, themed celebrations, with bubbles, noise makers, glow sticks and/or confetti poppers replacing fireworks.
Throughout the day Tuesday, residents will have the ability to make firework complaints via the MyBellevue app or portal. The Fire Department will have roving patrols throughout the day to respond to reports of illegal firework use.
The Bellevue Family 4th is produced by the Bellevue Downtown Association and the City of Bellevue.