Sonoma marks its 50th consecutive fireworks show this Fourth, Napa launches 400 drones over Oxbow Commons, and Vallejo's Spirit Ship celebration on Mare Island brings live music, food trucks, and a drone finale to the waterfront.

Sonoma is doubling up on anniversaries this July 4: the country's 250th birthday, and the 50th consecutive year of its own fireworks show, which the city is billing as the Golden Anniversary Fireworks Extravaganza. The parade steps off at 10 a.m. from Sonoma Plaza and runs about 60 entries strong through downtown. A free festival takes over the Grinstead Amphitheater through 5 p.m. with three hours of live local music. The fireworks launch at dusk from General Vallejo's Field, near the Plaza — roughly 30 minutes of professional pyrotechnics, free from public vantage points around the square. The city is blunt about its fire policy: if there's a local fire event at launch time, the show is off, no rain date.

Eight miles southwest, Napa has traded traditional pyrotechnics for drones. The event at Oxbow Commons (1268 McKinstry St) runs 3–10 p.m., with live music on the main stage from 4–6:30 p.m. The main event is 400 synchronized drones by Sky Elements — a 15-minute formation show at 9:30 p.m. Free. Lot X is closed all day for setup; use the Pearl and West Streets public lot, but Pearl Street itself closes around 8:30 p.m., about an hour before the show. Get there and get parked before then.

In Vallejo, the Spirit Ship Celebration at the Mare Island Coal Sheds (860 Nimitz Ave) runs 5:30–9:30 p.m. with live music from The Floorshakers, food trucks, a kids' zone, and a drone light show as the finale. Tickets are $10 ages 21+, $5 ages 11–21, free under 10, $25 family pack. Beer and wine on site. Don't want to pay? The waterfront park adjacent to the Coal Sheds has sightlines to the drone show for free — bring a lawn chair.

Transit note: SF Bay Ferry serves the Mare Island waterfront; check sanfranciscobayferry.com for the July 4 schedule and any event additions. Note: in 2024, WETA ran a free event shuttle to the same Spirit Ship Celebration — worth confirming whether that's back before you plan your evening. SolTrans is closed July 4.

If you want something lower-key farther north: Calistoga puts on a free laser light show at Pioneer Park (1320 Cedar St) at 9 p.m., now in its fifth year. And Suisun City's traditional fireworks go off at 9:15 p.m. at Harbor Plaza (Main & Solano Sts) — free, free parking at the North Basin lot, and the Amtrak Capitol Corridor stops at 177 Main St if you're coming in from the East Bay without a car.

If I had one evening: Sonoma for the afternoon parade and plaza festival, then the fireworks at dusk before traffic empties out. Coming from the Bay without a car: check the SF Bay Ferry schedule for Mare Island service first.