ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – A 30-minute display of fireworks will light up the sky Sunday night over Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs to celebrate America’s 246 years of independence.
Red Hot & Boom will take place July 3 from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Cranes Roost Park, with the fireworks display set to start at 9:30 p.m. The free annual event has brought tens of thousands of people to Altamonte Springs every year for the past two decades.
“We have 13,000 fireworks going up. We’ll shoot 10 fireworks every second for almost a half an hour,” said Frank Martz, city manager of Altamonte Springs. “We expect to have 150 to 165,000 people right in the bull and as many as 250,000 people total within 2 miles.”
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The Red, Hot & Boom event will also celebrate 25 years of this iconic celebration. It’s back after being canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
“Last year you recall we had the Delta explosion, well this year you know we see the trend lines are down,” Martz said. “After last summer we just watched the numbers so we said you know, it looks like it’s a go.”
Safety will be a top priority at the event where more than a dozen law enforcement agencies at a federal, state and local level will be working together, according to a spokesperson for Altamonte Springs Police Department.
“Throughout the event, it’s going to be a heavy presence of officers,” said Michelle Montalvo, with the Altamonte Springs Police Department. “You’re gonna see them around, there’s gonna be undercover and also uniformed officers throughout the event.”
Because it’s a large event, Altamonte Springs police said children might get lost — which is why numbered light posts will help reunite families.
“If you have a child, contact the police and give them the post number so that we’ll be able to get to you as soon as possible,” Montalvo said.
As for heat exhaustion issues, officials suggested visitors should drink plenty of water before and during the event.
“We’ll have two emergency medical service tents set up, one on the east side and one on the north side,” said Battalion Chief Tod Zellers for Seminole County Fire Department. “If we keep everybody hydrated there should be less heat-related events.”
In addition to the fireworks, several musical acts will perform throughout the day, including:
- Sofia Carson
- The Walters
- Em Beihold
- Leah Kate
- JVKE
- Nicky Youre
- Emmy Meli
- Alyssa Rahgu
There will also be a kids play area on the north side of the park.
Food vendors will be on hand around the lake, but people can bring small soft-sided coolers, along with folding chairs, blankets and pop-up tents or canopies.
For complete information, including prohibited items, road closures and parking information, head to the city of Altamonte Springs website.