Fourth of July events in the Bitterroot Valley (2024)

Community events throughout the Bitterroot Valley celebrate Independence Day with fireworks shows in Hamilton, Florence and Stevensville.

The City of Hamilton will hold its annual fireworks display at dark, around 10:20 p.m., at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds on July 4.

City of Hamilton Deputy Clerk Cynthia Fleming said the holiday commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

“The City of Hamilton is proud and happy to bring our community together to celebrate our independence with our annual fireworks display at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds,” Fleming said in a press release.

She noted that this year’s display is made possible by donations from the generous community and the City of Hamilton.

Mayor Dominic Farrenkopf said the fireworks this year cost $20,000, but that money does not come from taxes.

“Thanks to the generosity of our community, the fireworks show has been fully funded by grants and donations,” Farrenkopf said. “I would like to invite everyone to the fairgrounds on Thursday, July 4, at dark to enjoy the fireworks display. It is a great way to celebrate our independence as a community.”

The city is accepting donations to help for next year. Mayor Farrenkopf will be collecting donations at the show, or people can visit City Hall, or mail donations to City of Hamilton, 223 S. 2nd Street, Hamilton, MT 59840. Put “fireworks donation” in the memo line of a check.

In the Hamilton city limits, fireworks may be discharged between the hours of 10 a.m. on July 4 through 1 a.m. on July 5.

Although the fireworks will be ignited at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds they can be enjoyed by the entire community.

Fairgrounds Manager Melissa Saville said the fireworks show on July 4 will be great.

“It will happen about 10, 10:30-ish, the facility will be open, and we’ll have food vendors on site,” she said. “The entire facility is open year-round, so all the gates are open. People can park their vehicle in a parking lot, spread out a blanket or lawn chairs on our lawns, they can go into the grandstands if they want.”

There is a paved parking lot by the Events Center, more parking is available on the northside of the Fairgrounds accessible off Old Corvallis Road and there is parking outside the gates on the south side of Fairgrounds Road, next to the ball fields.

Saville said the fireworks show is free and open to everyone.

“We do ask people not to drive on our lawns and please pick up their trash when they are done,” Saville said. “The last couple of years we notice that people make a big mess then just drive off. [Hamilton Mayor Dominic Farrenkopf] has come, personally, the last couple of years to help clean up. We put out a ton of garbage barrels. I know people are watching the fireworks and lighting them off themselves.”

Stevensville

The StevensvilleCivic Club is sponsoring a community PIG-nic from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 4 at Lewis and Clark Park with fireworks to follow.

President Sean Doyle said the goal is connection.

“The ultimate goal of the StevensvilleCivic is to bring the community together,” he said. “This is an event that has no vendors. It is to meet your neighbors, hang out with your neighbors and find out what’s going on. We bring family games; the pool and splash pad will be open. It is a free open community event just to get us all together.”

The StevensvilleCivic Club will provide pulled pork sandwiches, condiments, tablewear, cases of bottled water and ice for the PIG-nic.

“All the members of the community are invited,” Doyle said. “We ask that if they are able, to bring a side dish or dessert. It’s like a big, sponsored community potluck, if you will. I know it has been going on at least 10 or 20 years.”

Doyle said the event is an effort by the StevensvilleCivic Club, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Stevensville Fire Department. The StevensvilleCivic Club preps and cooks the meat, the American Legion Auxiliary helps serve and the American Legion Post 94 brings in the flags.

“It’s called the ‘Presenting of the Colors,’” Doyle said. “Then after that it is just eating and enjoying the community. Everyone needs to bring their own chair but there is no admission fee. Last year we had over 200 people, we’re planning for 250 (this year). On Wednesday I’m picking up 150 pounds of pork.”

The StevensvilleCivic Club is a nonprofit organized started in 1948 that is run by all volunteers. They also host the fundraiser Creamery Picnic the first weekend in August.

“We try to make enough at that event to fund all of the other events that we do,” Doyle said.

Fireworks by the Stevensville Fire Department will start at 9:30 p.m on Thursday.

“I think they said 9:30 just to get people in the park and settled down,” Doyle said. “The fireworks will probably start when it gets dark.”

Florence

​In Florence, the FlorenceRural Fire District and the Florence Firefighters Association are coordinating the annual July 4 fireworks show at the Florence Park, 5458 Florence-Carlton Loop.

Fire Chief Charlie Lambson said the event starts at 6:30 p.m. with a community potluck.

“[The Florence Carlton Community Church] provides the hot dogs and hamburgers, and then it is a potluck from there,” Lambson said. “The Cub Scouts are doing a flag retirement ceremony around 8:30 p.m. and the fireworks are going to go off around 10:20 p.m.”

He said there will also be two food trucks and that the fireworks show is provided through a fireworks company out of Helena.

“We do ask for donations,” Lambson said. “The fireworks cost $9,000 and we try to offset that with donations. We also chalk it up as fire prevention too because if people are at the park, it is safer.”

Lambert said the Florence event is “family and community fun.”

Darbydoes not have an official fireworks display. Individuals may ignite their own between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. on July 2; between 9 a.m. and midnight on July 3 and July 4; and 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. on July 5.

Fireworks are not permitted on the national forest, at state parks, fishing access sites or at national parks.