A dense fog completely obscured Navy Pier’s Fourth of July fireworks display on Saturday night. The event had been promoted as “the largest and longest” in the pier’s history for America’s 250th anniversary. Despite the poor visibility, the show went on as planned. Spectators could only see colors glowing through the marine fog.
The region experienced rainy weather on Saturday. A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect until 7 p.m. in Cook County. Navy Pier acknowledged the issue with a statement on social media early Sunday morning. They expressed disappointment over the fog’s impact on the visibility of Independence Day fireworks. They also recognized the guests’ affected experience.
Navy Pier will continue to offer free fireworks on Wednesday and Saturday nights through Labor Day. As a special gesture, the statement mentioned that Navy Pier will provide free Centennial Wheel rides on Wednesday nights starting at 6 p.m. through Labor Day.