Discover Flagstaff

Ryan Randazzo

211 W. Aspen | Flagstaff, Arizona 86001

928.213.2915 |mobile 928.814.9623 

ryan.randazzo@flagstaffaz.gov | discoverflagstaff.com 

June 2, 2024

Flagstaff to celebrate July 4th with patriotic drone show 

Flagstaff, Ariz. — This high-elevation mountain town will celebrate Independence Day like never before in 2025 with a free drone show to cap off a full day of events, including the annual Fourth of July Parade. 

The Celebrating America's Freedom Drone Show will launch from east Flagstaff after sunset, giving visitors and residents an approximately 25-minute show that can be enjoyed from a variety of locations around town.

This new program adds to the great lineup of Flagstaff events for the entire July 4th three-day weekend, including the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce Parade and Downtown Mile race in the morning, Art in the Park July 4-6 and Movies on the Square on Saturday, July 5. 

Flagstaff traces its name to an Independence Day celebration that took place among the ponderosa pines of the region in 1876, when a group of settlers stripped a pine tree of its branches and hoisted an American flag to celebrate the nation's centennial. The holiday carries significance in the city. Officials chose to celebrate with a drone show this year because the technology provides exciting creative opportunities, and because drones present significantly less risk of wildfire. 

Some places to view the free drone show include: 

·        Buffalo Park, 2400 N. Gemini Dr. (Stay on FUTS trails and please do not block the trails. No motorized vehicles.)

·        Moonshot, 2225 N. Gemini Dr.

·        The Flagstaff Aquaplex, 1702 N. Fourth St.

·        McMillan Mesa Natural Area, 1140 Ponderosa Pkwy. (Stay on FUTS trails and please do not block the trails. No motorized vehicles.)

·        Joel Montalvo Park, 2211 E. First Ave.

·        The Basin BMX Freestyle Facility, 1700 E. 6th Ave.

·        Hal Jensen Recreation Center, 2403 N. Izabel St.

For more details on the drone show: www.flagstaffarizona.org/events/festivals/4th-of-july-events/ 

Visitors heading to Flagstaff to cool off from the Arizona deserts will find a variety of free activities throughout the holiday weekend, giving plenty of reason to stay (in addition to the weather averaging about 25 degrees cooler than other parts of the state). 

4th of July Parade: The Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce and Nackard Pepsi will host their annual Independence Day Parade on a route around Historic Downtown Flagstaff. Starting at Elm and Beaver streets, it will go south on Beaver, turn left on Aspen Avenue to San Francisco Street and north on San Francisco back to Elm.  

Time: 9-11 a.m.

Date: July 4. 
Place: Downtown Flagstaff. 

Downtown Mile race: Team Run Flagstaff and the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce give competitors the chance to race the 1-mile parade route in advance of the celebration. Four waves of competitors will run two loops, with six event categories including a children's race. 

Time: 6:30 a.m. for the first wave. 

Date: July 4. 

Place: Downtown Flagstaff. 

Art in the Park: This locally owned festival features one-of-a-kind fine arts and crafts designed and shown by the artists. These shows take place over the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends in Wheeler Park in Downtown Flagstaff, a beautiful tree-shaded, grassy venue across the street from City Hall. The show features live music, fresh food, beer garden and more.  

Time: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday.
Date: July 4-6.
Place: Wheeler Park, 212 W. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff. 

Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra: “A Flag Fourth” will be a free, family-friendly show of patriotic music at the Pepsi Amphitheater, nominated by Phoenix Magazine as the best live-music venue in the state in 2024. Covered seating is available on a first-come basis, and guests can bring chairs and blankets for the lawn. Food trucks will be available, as will a free “instrument petting zoo” for children. 

Time: Doors at 2 p.m., concert at 3 p.m.

Date: July 4

Place: Pepsi Amphitheater, Fort Tuthill County Park, Flagstaff

Movies on the Square: These free, family-friendly events on Saturday nights at Heritage Square downtown kick off with live music and other activities before a film at dusk. Visitors are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets (Flagstaff can still get chilly even in July). The scheduled film for the July 5 event is “Tangled.” 

Time: Music begins at 5 p.m.

Date: July 5. 

Place: Heritage Square in downtown Flagstaff. 

For more information about getting around Flagstaff for the free drone show and other events, please visit Mountain Line for bus information: mountainline.az.gov 

If you plan to walk or bike around town, the Flagstaff Urban Trails System (FUTS) offers convenient access throughout the city: www.flagstaff.az.gov/1521/Flagstaff-Urban-Trails-Bikeways-Map 

When traveling through northern Arizona, please be fire aware. Smoking and e-cigarettes are prohibited within the city of Flagstaff's public places, including parks, open spaces and the FUTS. 

Flagstaff provides an ideal home base for visitors to explore some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, including the Grand Canyon and other national parks and monuments, Route 66, a charming historic downtown with trains, shopping, art galleries, events, music, restaurants and nightlife. It is the world's first international dark-sky city and is also in the world's largest ponderosa pine forest and surrounded by Native American culture.  Uniquely Arizona with four seasons, outdoor enthusiasts enjoy perfect weather for summer hiking or biking, beautiful fall colors, winter sports and spring wildflowers. Flagstaff's restaurant scene includes four James Beard nominees, and it is a leading craft beer city. 

Please stay and play responsibly. Visit the Flagstaff Visitor Center (1 E. Rt. 66) for an official Flagstaff Visitor Guide. 

Learn more at discoverflagstaff.com.