ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — As the City of St. Augustine prepares for its annual celebration Fireworks Over the Matanzas to light up the sky this Independence Day, attendees should prepare for significant traffic rerouting and limited parking options to ensure a smooth and fun July 4th.
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The event features a two-hour concert by The All-Star Orchestra in The Plaza de la Constitución, featuring Big Band music and popular tunes with a patriotic flair. The highlight of the evening will be a spectacular 20-minute fireworks display over Matanzas Bay, choreographed to a stirring soundtrack of popular and patriotic music. The show can be enjoyed from various vantage points along the downtown Bayfront, the Bridge of Lions, Vilano Beach, and more.
Action News Jax breaks down the event details, closures, and public shuttles for the fireworks show:
Event Schedule:
- 6:00 p.m.: The All-Star Orchestra performs Big Band music with a patriotic flair at the Plaza de la Constitución Gazebo.
- 9:30 p.m.: Fireworks Over the Matanzas – a 20-minute display with a patriotic soundtrack over Matanzas Bay.
Parking and Traffic Information:
- Parking in city-owned lots and on-street spaces will be free on July 4.
- The Historic Downtown Parking Facility offers parking for $20 per car, or $3 with a ParkStAug registered license plate.
- The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument parking lot is not free and will be inaccessible from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
- Vehicles parked in the lot at that time cannot leave until S. Castillo Drive reopens at 11:00 p.m.
Shuttle Service on Anastasia Island:
- Free Park & Ride Shuttle service, with support from Old Town Trolley Tours will be available from 6:00 p.m. to midnight from various locations on Anastasia Blvd only (View Map):
- Anastasia Baptist Church ( 1650 A1A South )
- St. Augustine Amphitheatre ( 1340-C A1A South )
- RB Hunt Elementary School ( 125 Magnolia Dr. )
- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park ( 999 Anastasia Blvd. )
Street Closures:
- Various streets will be closed or rerouted from 8:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
- Picolata Rd. between US-1 & San Marco Ave. (8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.)
- San Carlos between US-1 & San Marco Ave. (8:00p.m. – 11:00p.m.)
- King St will have two westbound lanes, and one eastbound lane, west of MLK Blvd. (8:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.)
- King St. will have one westbound lane and one eastbound lane, east of MLK up to Avenida Menendez
- N. Cordova will be closed from Orange St. to the entrance to the Historic Downtown Parking Facility (8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.)
- There will be NO eastbound traffic on W. Castillo from US-1 to N. Cordova (8:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.)
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Arriving by Water:
- The Lions Bridge will not open for marine traffic from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
- The NO BOAT ZONE north of the Bridge of Lions will be strictly enforced by maritime law enforcement agencies.
- The St. Augustine Municipal Marina will have limited hourly dockage available on July 4 and throughout the holiday weekend.
Note: If the fireworks are canceled, the public will be notified on the city website at www.CityStAug.com/Fireworks and on the city’s social media pages at @CityStAug.
Using or possessing fireworks is prohibited. Fireworks will be confiscated and persons possessing or using fireworks are subject to a fine or arrest.
Fireworks Over the Matanzas is produced by the City of St. Augustine with support from the St. Johns County Tourist Development Council.
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