Jones Beach fireworks show 2023: What to know

A 25-minute pyrotechnic display will paint the night sky this Fourth of July at Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh with a rainbow of colors and whimsical patterns bursting from 5,000 shells launched from a barge 2,000 feet offshore.

But the annual Jovia Financial Credit Union Fireworks Spectacular goes beyond the traditional red, white and blue hues with “lemon, magenta, aqua and even orange pastels that really pop and stand out as more vibrant,” says Chris Santore, production manager and choreographer for New Jersey-based Garden State Fireworks.

Spectators -- expected to top 100,000 if fair weather prevails -- should also watch for “patterns where you actually see the image of a smiley face or a heart or a ring or a star,” Santore says. Kids (and “Game of Thrones” fans) can thrill to “flying dragons, with red, green and yellow comets twisting and turning in the sky,” Santore adds. 

The extravaganza ends with “a deluge of non-stop rapid fire for over a minute” in an explosive finale set to John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” Santore says.

Radio stations WALK 97.5 FM and KJOY-98.3 FM will simulcast music during the fireworks presentation. New this year: “For the first time, live patriotic musical entertainment right before and directly after the fireworks for the crowd to enjoy,” said George Gorman, regional director of the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.  The fireworks are included in parking admission, $10 per car.

Here's all you need to know about the many ways to see the fireworks spectacular:

Take the bus to the Jones Beach fireworks show 

On July 4, NICE (Nassau Inter-County Express) will be running buses to Jones Beach State Park on a regular weekend schedule. Beach-bound buses will leave every half-hour beginning at 8:28 a.m. from the Freeport Long Island Rail Road station and from the Hempstead Rosa Parks Transit Center in Hempstead Village. NICE will add buses throughout the day and evening if needed. Post-show return trips to Freeport and Hempstead will begin at the park’s West Bathhouse -- and buses will return to the bathhouse until all passengers are picked up. More information is available at nicebus.com/Passenger-Information/Jones-Beach.

Watch the Jones Beach fireworks show on a boat

Get into the patriotic spirit with a drink in hand on a Fourth of July fireworks cruise. The 85-foot Capree Princess, 90-foot Captree Pride and 75-foot Dixie II cruise from the Captree Boat Basin from 7 to 11 p.m. Coffee and cookies will be provided. Board from 6 to 6:30 p.m. at Captree State Park, 3500 Ocean Pkwy., Babylon (631-859-8799, captreefleet.com, $65).

Freeport Water Taxi & Tours' 44-foot, 28-passenger American Yacht catamaran leaves at 8 p.m. for a two-hour cruise with a cash bar and specialty drinks ( Fisher Island Lemonade, cocoanut coladas, margaritas and more.) Board at 211 Woodcleft Ave., Freeport; $65 for passengers ages 11 and up, $45 for children ages 5 to 10, reservations required, 516-521-7744, freeportwatertaxi.com. 

The Capt. Lou Fleet offers July 4 fireworks cruises, also leaving from the Freeport Nautical Mile. Dance to DJ music and enjoy a cash bar aboard The Captain Lou VIl, an 85-foot cruiser with a covered upper deck, climate controlled cabin and galley, or the Atlantic Pearl, which features an open upper level and a climate controlled cabin ($65). Or take a dinner cruise on The Starstream VIII, a 100-foot super-cruiser ($95). Board at 7:30 p.m. for 8 p.m. departure at 31 Woodcleft Ave., Freeport. Reservations are required and can be made at 516-623-5823 or at captloufleet.com.

Dine at a historic site during the show 

Watch the night sky light up from a seat at Gatsby on the Ocean, the restaurant and catering facility on the second floor of Jones Beach’s historic Art Deco West Bath House. The ballroom and the terrace dining areas offer ocean views and will be open throughout the fireworks show, with baked clams, steak, lobster rolls, salads and more on the menu (516-785-0012; gatsbyontheocean.com).

Watch the Jones Beach fireworks show from another park

See the fireworks from a different viewpoint on the pier and long shoreline at Wantagh Park (1 King Road, Wantagh, 516-571-7460) or at nearby Cedar Creek Park (3340 Merrick Rd., Seaford, 516-571-7470). Admission is free, but spectators are required to present proof of Nassau County residence. Nassau County residents with a Leisure Pass can see the show at the county’s Nickerson Beach Park, located on Long Beach west of Jones Beach. Parking costs $15 (880 Lido Blvd., Lido Beach, 516-571-7700).