Baltimore will celebrate the Fourth of July with its annual fireworks show at the Inner Harbor on Friday. 

The city will partner with the Annual Cherry Hill Arts & Music Waterfront Festival for an aerial drone show and a showcase of local culture and talent. 

"Between fireworks at the Inner Harbor and a drone show at the festival, this promises to be our most exciting July 4 yet," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said.

What goes into the planning?

For the third year in a row, the hometown team from Image Engineering will light up the sky on Independence Day in Baltimore City. Image Engineering does thousands of shows per year and launches even more fireworks. 

The company is based in Curtis Bay, and they say there's nothing like being in their own backyard.

"You really can't call yourself a company that does pyrotechnic displays if you're not doing the Fourth of July," Joseph Scuele, president of Image Engineering, told WJZ.

This year will feature a fireworks show over Baltimore's Inner Harbor and a drone show over Cherry Hill, a departure from the joint show in 2024. The shows were separated and placed in different neighborhoods so more people could watch.

Image Engineering says it waits all year for Independence Day, one of the busiest times of year for the entertainment company.  

"Our largest shows, including Baltimore City's Fourth of July show, will be among the largest pyrotechnic displays we do, and we do thousands a year," Suehle said. "We'll be doing about 17 shows between now and Sunday, from West Coast to East Coast and everywhere in between."

The planning process for this 12-minute show takes months, coordinating safety, finding the fireworks to use, designing the show, and then carefully placing and wiring the fireworks. 

Zack Paul says he got into pyrotechnics to make an impact.

"Today [Thursday], we are taking what I've designed in software and putting it in place," Paul said. "It's such a large effect and so heavily seen and impactful that it's easy to leave an impression with people with fireworks."

Being home and coordinating this show means a little bit more for this team, bringing with it Maryland pride.

"I remember as a kid coming out, having my parents bring me out to Federal Hill Inner Harbor to watch the Fourth of July Inner Harbor show," Suehle said. "Now to be able to design that show and execute it with all the folks here is just an amazing thrill."

Tariffs didn't impact the fireworks display

Concerns about tariffs didn't derail the planning or increase the budget for this year's show. It is a concern moving forward.

"A lot of our inventory was delivered into the United States prior, much prior to the spring and summer when we used most of our pyrotechnics. Next year, not quite sure what's going to happen, but this year, we were sitting in a pretty good place," Suehle said.

Baltimore Fourth of July fireworks 

Baltimore's Fourth of July celebration will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., kicking off with performances at the event stage at the Inner Harbor Amphitheater. 

In keeping with his annual tradition, Mayor Scott will kayak into the Inner Harbor to greet visitors. 

The Cherry Hill Arts & Music Waterfront Festival will also be held on Friday in Middle Branch Park. The event will run from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. with a custom drone show at 9:30 p.m.

Best views for Baltimore fireworks

The fireworks will be visible for those close to the Inner Harbor. 

According to Mayor Scott, the best views will be from the harbor, Federal Hill and Harbor East. 

If you're outside of the city, you can watch the fireworks show at 9 p.m. on WJZ's livestream, sponsored by Antwerpen. 

Some residents in the Port Covington neighborhood will have a view of the drone show as it launches from West Covington Park. The best views will be at the festival grounds in Middle Branch. 

Some residents across the river in the Cherry Hill neighborhood may also be able to see the show. 

July Fourth parking and road closures 

The Fourth of July celebration and fireworks show will bring parking restrictions and road closures to the city. 

Parking restrictions will be in place from 3 p.m. to midnight in the following locations:

• Both sides of Gay Street from Pratt to Fayette Streets
• Both sides of Calvert Street from Pratt to Fayette Streets
• Both sides of Baltimore Street from Charles to Gay Streets
• West side of Charles Street from Pratt to Lombard Streets
• West side of Light Street from Pratt to Camden Streets
• East side of Light Street from Lombard to Pratt Streets
• East side of Charles Street from Lee to Barre Streets
• South side of Key Highway from Light to Covington Streets
• East side of Light Street from Lee to Conway Streets

The following streets will be closed from 8:30 p.m. until they are clear: 

• Pratt Street will be closed at Charles Street
• Lombard Street will be closed at President Street
• Northbound Light Street will close at Lee Street
• Southbound Light Street will close at Lombard Street
• Northbound I-395 traffic at Conway Street will be diverted north onto Howard Street

The north side of Lombard Street from President to South streets and the west side of Charles Street from Conway to Fayette streets will be closed from 3 p.m. until they are cleared.

On Friday, July 4, a commercial vehicle restriction will be in place in the following areas from noon to midnight:

• Fayette Street from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to President Street
• President Street from Aliceanna to Fayette streets
• Light Street from Pratt Street to Key Highway
• Key Highway from Light to McComas streets
• Hanover Street from McComas to Montgomery streets
• Pratt, Lombard and Baltimore streets from Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to President Street
• I-395 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard split to Pratt Street

Commercial vehicles will not be allowed except for local deliveries, and tanker trailers will be prohibited, according to the city . This restriction does not include buses.