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Beachfront Fireworks & Family Fun: Your Perfect Fourth of July at Newport Dunes!

Bring out the red, white, and blue on July 4, 2025, as we celebrate Independence Day on the Back Bay! Our annual celebration will bring you a day filled with live entertainment, activities, water sports, food trucks, full bars, and a special firework show co-sponsored by the City of Newport Beach.

Free admission & open to the public!

Paid Parking

Resort opens at 8:00 am

Fireworks show is at 9:00 pm

Food Trucks – 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Full Bars (Beer, Wine & Cocktails) – 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Inflatable Water Park – Reserve online – 09:30 am to 4:30 pm (closes early to prepare for firework show)

Water Sports Rentals (Pedal Boats, Duffy Boats, SUPs, Kayaks) – Reserve online – 9:30 am to 4:30 pm (closes early to prepare for firework show)

Moe B’s Munchies – 4th of July hours 9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Live Entertainment: Tunes at the Dunes – The Class Band brings their high energy and style, playing everything from oldies, to classic rock, pop, country, 80’s, top 40, Motown & more!

Firework Show co-sponsored by the City of Newport Beach – 9:00 pm

On July 5, 2025, Newport Dunes’ Independence Day on the Bay celebration is $100 pre-paid reserved parking in our main paved lot (located off Jamboree & Back Bay Drive).

Day-of parking will also be available for $50 in a further, unpaved lot (enter off Bayside Drive & Pacific Coast Highway). This lot is about a 5 to 10-minute walk to the beach area. Day-of parking is on a first-come, first-served basis and fills up quickly. We recommend arriving early.

More information.

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Each year, Newport Beach celebrates Independence Day with bang. Multiple events throughout the city make the Fourth of July memorable. Bicycles, scooters and skateboards decked out in patriotic colors will hit the Balboa Peninsula at 9 a.m.

The American Legion Yacht Club hosts the Old Glory Boat Parade, with red, white and blue decorated boats cruising Newport Harbor. Families head to Newport Dunes for the inflatable water park, water sports rentals and live music from the Class Band playing oldies, classic rock, pop, country and more. It all concludes with a firework show at Back Bay co-sponsored by the city of Newport Beach, known as one of the largest fireworks displays in Southern California.

If you’re celebrating else where in Orange County, chances are there is fireworks show near you, or at least a cool place to catch a glimpse of one.

Independence Day on the Back Bay

With the resort opening at 8 a.m., many locals spend the entire day enjoying all the amenities at Newport Dunes, which also gives them a prime view for fireworks over the Back Bay.

Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach Fireworks at 9 p.m.

Balboa Bay Resort All-American Shellabration Seafood Boil

Enjoy a view of fireworks over Back Bay from Newport Beach’s waterfront Balboa Bay Resort. The resort’s A+O Restaurant & Bar will serve a classic seafood boil on Independence Day from 5 to 10 p.m. with lobster tail, jumbo prawns, mussels, clams, sweet corn coblets and more in an Old Bay-seasoned lobster broth.

Balboa Bay Resort 1221 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach Fireworks at 9 p.m.

Independence Day at Topside at Lido House

Celebrate the Fourth at Lido House’s Topside in Newport Beach. Enjoy a rooftop brunch or sunset libations at this elevated lounge, all set against the backdrop of holiday fireworks and the Boat Parade.

Topside at Lido House 3300 Newport Blvd., Newport Beach Fireworks at 9 p.m.

Dana Point Fourth of July Fireworks

Launched from a barge off the coast of Doheny State Beach, the Dana Point Fourth of July fireworks show has been a treasured tradition since 1989. The 20-minute display is choreographed to music (broadcast on local radio stations) and visible all along the coast.

Doheny State Beach 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point Fireworks at 9 p.m.

Fireworks at the Great Park

Celebrate the county’s new Fourth of July tradition at the Great Park from 4 to 10 p.m. Family-friendly activities will include craft stations, lawn games, balloon rides and carousel rides, with a DJ and live bands to help everyone hit the dance floor. The evening will end with a fireworks and drone light show. Guests can upgrade their experience with tickets to Pacific Symphony’s traditional “July 4th Spectacular” at Great Park Live.

4th of July Fireworks at the Great Park 8000 Great Park Blvd., Irvine Fireworks at 9 p.m.

Huntington Beach Fourth of July celebration

Huntington Beach will kick off the holiday fun with the Surf City 5K Run, followed by the 121st annual 4th of July Parade at 10 a.m. Fireworks Over the Ocean will begin at 9 p.m. with beach viewing open to the public and a limited amount of reserved seating with paid tickets on the pier.

Huntington Beach Pier 325 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach Fireworks at 9 p.m

Offshore 9 Rooftop Lounge

Take in a panoramic view of Orange County this Fourth of July at Offshore 9 Rooftop at the Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach. From 4 to 10 p.m. guests can enjoy a live DJ, “Glow-in-the-Cloud” sparkler cocktails, seafood chowder tots and perfect views of Huntington Beach’s annual firework spectacular on the pier. Packages start at $59.

Offshore 9 Rooftop Lounge 21100 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach Fireworks at 9 p.m.

Independence Day Community Celebration at the OC Fairgrounds

The city of Costa Mesa welcomes locals to an Independence Day Community Celebration on the night of Thursday, July 3, at the OC Fairgrounds from 5 to 11 p.m. with fireworks popping off at 9:30 p.m. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. Enjoy live music, a bounce house and more. Parking and admission are free. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged.

OC Fair & Event Center – Lot A 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa Fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

Laguna Beach Fireworks Celebration

The city of Laguna Beach will present its annual fireworks show this year, a return to the traditional display after last year’s pilot drone show. View the fireworks from Monument Point in Heisler Park. In order to prepare for the pyrotechnics, areas of the park from Myrtle Street to the Rockpile Beach stairs at Jasmine Street will close to the public beginning at 5 p.m.

Heisler Park 361 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach Fireworks at 9 p.m.

Fireworks at Laguna Niguel Regional Park

Take in fireworks over the lake at Laguna Niguel Regional Park along with live music from the Elton John Experience by Joey Riedel from 6 to 8 p.m. at Crown Valley Park Amphitheater. Fireworks at the park will start at 9 p.m. and the city of Laguna Niguel Parks and Recreation department will host a viewing experience from the Crown Valley Community Center’s Saddleback Deck with appetizers, desserts and a cash bar. Tickets are $20 per person.

Laguna Niguel Regional Park 28241 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel Fireworks at 9 p.m.

Fourth of July Fireworks at Knott’s Berry Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm will host family-friendly entertainment during the day and night with Ghost Town Alive! and Knott’s Summer Nights!, plus a fireworks show in honor of Independence Day. Tickets start at $62 and a map guide highlights the best places for fireworks viewing inside the park.

Knott’s Berry Farm 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park Fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

Stars, Bites, & Sky-High Spectacle at Top of the V

The Viv Hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Top of the V will host a summertime buffet on the holiday with libations, a live DJ and views of Anaheim’s fireworks show. Each ticket, priced at $160, includes a three-hour beer and wine package with cocktails available for purchase and access to a buffet for Spanish delights like Iberico sliders, gazpacho oyster shooters and surf & turf paella from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Top of the V 1601 S Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim Fireworks at 9:35 p.m.

Tustin 4th of July Celebration

Tustin Parks and Recreation department hosts its annual 4th of July Celebration with live music top 40 band, Those Guys, and fireworks at the Tustin High School Stadium. Doors open at 5 p.m. and fireworks begin at 9 p.m. Seating will be available on the bleachers and the grass on the San Juan Street side of the stadium, though viewers should be prepared for the traditional marshmallow fight.

Tustin 4th of July Celebration 1171 El Camino Real, Tustin Fireworks at 9 p.m.

Santa Ana’s Fourth of July celebration

The city of Santa Ana presents its annual Fourth of July celebration at Centennial Park. Live music, food vendors and inflatables are among the festivities taking place from 5 to 9 p.m., with the fireworks show at 8:45 p.m. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnics to enjoy the show.

Centennial Park 3000 W. Edinger Ave., Santa Ana Fireworks at 8:45 p.m.

COSTA MESA, CA — An Orange County sushi spot lost its Michelin star status this week, The Orange County Register reported.

Costa Mesa's Hana re, known for its kaiseki-style sushi, was originally awarded the star in 2019 and retained it until this year, the newspaper said.

The announcement was made at the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center in Sacramento on Wednesday, June 25 for the annual announcement of the 2025 Michelin stars.

No new stars were awarded in Orange County this year, though Knife Pleat in Costa Mesa and R|O-Rebel Omakase in Laguna Beach retained one-star rankings.

Michelin bestowed nine California restaurants with first-time and upgraded star ratings this week as part of its bid to recognize culinary excellence across the Golden State.

Two restaurants earned Michelin's highest three-star rating — both mark the first-ever three-star rankings in Los Angeles. Seven eateries earned two- and one-star ratings across the state. The restaurants were celebrated at the Michelin Guide California Ceremony on Wednesday.

“Tonight marked a momentous evening for California and its culinary community,” said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide. “Our anonymous Inspectors discovered extraordinary culinary gems to highlight in this year’s selection, including two new Three-Star restaurants."

Michelin's California Guide is published annually. Earning a Michelin star is the gold standard for restaurants — two stars are even better and three puts a restaurant in a rare category of culinary experiences that Michelin deems "worth a special journey."

There are just eight three-star restaurants in the entire state.

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — A mother and father were convicted of felony child abuse and endangerment toward their newborn son, which resulted in severe brain damage that left the child a quadriplegic, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said Wednesday.

Lindsay, CA residents John Andres Gonzalez, 38, and Jacqueline Navarro, 45, were each convicted of one felony county of child abuse and endangerment and one felony enhancement of causing great bodily injury to a child under the age of 5 years old.

They each face a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison. They are scheduled to be sentenced on July 25 at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana in Department C39. Gonzalez and Navarro are being held without bail.

According to OCDA Todd Spitzer, the parents are followers of naturopathy, which is the belief that the body can heal itself. Within weeks of their son's birth, the couple began putting the infant in high-temperature saunas and ice baths and refused to feed the baby formula or breast milk because they believed it was toxic.

The abuse left their son with severe brain damage, Spitzer said. To this day, the child — now 5-years-old — cannot walk, talk or see.

Record of the abuse dates back to Oct. 2019, when Patricia Sanchez, the child's paternal grandmother, began contacting the Tulare County Department of Child Welfare Services regarding her one-month-old grandson's welfare.

Over the course of several months, Sanchez called about the child's health 14 more times.

Tulare County was later ordered to pay $32 million to settle a lawsuit over its failure by its Department of Child Welfare Services to protect the baby from the abuse.

Sanchez was awarded full custody of the child, Spitzer said, after the couple brought the child — limp and unresponsive — into a Hoag Hospital emergency room on Aug. 1, 2020.

The baby was gray in color, emaciated and catatonic. Emergency room doctors found the child to be suffering from low blood sugar levels, hypoxia and constant seizures.

Investigators found that Gonzalez and Navarro are vegan mucus-free fruitarians and would only feed the baby soy-based baby formula, fruits and vegetables, Spitzer said.

While their infant was hospitalized through the month of August, Spitzer said Gonzalez objected to many life-saving treatments and told medical staff he believed starvation would lead to healing.

"This innocent child suffered from almost the first breath he took because of his parents' beliefs that starvation would cure him," Spitzer said. "Instead of curing him, they robbed him of his sight, his ability to take his first steps, to say his first words, and his chance to see the world through the eyes of a child who is seeing everything for the first time."

All California residents and visitors should be able to enjoy the state's scenic coastline without barriers. This program makes that happen.

COSTA MESA, CA — Orange County Coastkeeper and the California State Coastal Conservancy are teaming up once again to make California’s beaches and coastal spaces more accessible to all, according to a recent news release.

The Beach and Coast Accessibility Program regularly awards organizations funding the purchase, maintenance, and promotion of accessibility equipment, such as beach wheelchairs, walkers, mats, and kayaks, and can award up to $290,000. Past grantees the Bay Area Outreach & Recreation Program, Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation, NatureTrack Foundation, Monte Rio Recreation and Park District, Crystal Cove Conservancy, and Life Rolls On.

Launched in 2024, the program has already distributed funds to six inclusive recreation projects across California. That year, Coastkeeper and the Conservancy $150,000 in funds for those above organizations and agencies working to improve accessibility across California’s coast.

Genesee Ouyang, the education director at Orange County Coastkeeper, spoke on the need for such a program.

“When someone uses a beach wheelchair for the first time or finally gets on the water in an adaptive kayak, it can be an empowering and transformative experience,” Ouyang said. “We’ve seen how these moments can be deeply emotional, sometimes even life-changing. That’s what this program is all about: helping more people connect with the coast and experience it on their own terms.”

These new grants will offer up to $30,000 per project, according to Ouyang.

Funding is available to tribes, nonprofit organizations, and public agencies that provide free access to adaptive equipment on the coast and near lakes, rivers, and bays.

Garry Brown, founder and president of Orange County Coastkeeper, discussed the reason for the grants.

"We view coastal access not as a luxury, but as a right everyone should enjoy," Brown said. “For decades, we’ve fought to keep beaches clean, public, and protected from threats. Now we’re confronting another barrier: physical inaccessibility. Everyone should be able to experience California’s coast, and we’re proud to help make that a reality through this program.”

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