The Fourth of July holds a special place in the hearts of Americans, and it's a holiday celebrated with parades, dazzling fireworks shows, family get-togethers, and trips to the beach. However, with the current high inflation, this patriotic extravaganza can put quite a dent in the wallet. Many people are opting to cut back on their spending to cope with these challenging economic times. In fact, a recent WalletHub survey revealed that 62% of Americans are planning to spend less money on July 4th this year compared to last year.
If you're looking for the ultimate bang for your buck and a place to celebrate the Fourth of July, WalletHub has just dropped its list of the Best and Worst Places to celebrate the Fourth of July.
To determine the best places to celebrate the most star-spangled occasion, WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities based on how well they balance holiday cost and fun. The data set of 18 key metrics ranges from average beer and wine prices to the duration of fireworks shows to the Fourth of July weather forecast.
Florida City Ranks In The Top 10 For Best Fourth of July Celebrations
When it comes to fireworks in Florida, there's a mix of cities that either hit the mark or fall short. One city that stood out in the site’s report in the top 10 is Orlando. It’s no surprise. Orlando is home to some of the most iconic theme parks and resorts, where fireworks are a nightly extravaganza.
Meanwhile, some cities in Florida didn't quite make the cut when it comes to fireworks celebrations. In the rankings, they have Miami at #35, Jacksonville at #45, and St. Petersburg at #54. Even further on the list is Tampa at #78, and Hialeah at #97. The study highlighted that Miami has one of the highest average beer and wine prices, which played a role in its placement on the list.
As far as the best city for Fourth of July celebrations, they've named Los Angeles as their favorite. The worst city on their ranking is Birmingham, AL.
See how other cities ranked with the full study here.
Florida’s Most Unique Music Festivals
The term "festival season" often refers to the late spring to early fall for most of the country. However, in Florida, it could be festival season all year long. Florida has a lot of music festivals to choose from.
Several genres of music and different themes are represented in Florida festivals. There are coastal fests for ideal scenery, college campus fests prime for a good time, and more secluded camping-style fests. Many of the most trusted festival aggregates show events already scheduled in Florida way into 2024. With 825 miles of sandy beaches and two coastlines, Florida offers festival-goers that opportunity to build an entire getaway experience around the show.
Let's take a closer look at some of Florida's most unique music festivals this year. To kick things, off will head to Miramar where JJ Grey & Mofro got the party started last night.
Moon Crush (pink moon), April 20-23 - Mirimar
Branded a "music vacation", this year in addition to JJ Grey & Mofro, The Avett Brothers, Jason Isbell, and Black Crowes headlined the four-day fest in southeast Florida.
Gasparilla, April 29-30 - Tampa
Run The Jewels and Joe Russo's Almost Dead are the two night closers here in downtown Tampa. There are two stages of music. There's even a bike valet onsite.
SunFest, May 5-7 - West Palm Beach
What do the Chainsmokers, the Killers, Jack Johnson, 311, Dropkick Murphys, Ziggly Marley, and Flo Rida have in common? They are all playing SunFest 2023, along West Palm Beach's intercoastal waterway.
Brandi Carlile's Mothership Weekend, May 12-14 - Mirimar
Mothership is also put on by Topeka Live, the same group responsible for Moon Crush. Curated by Brandi Carlile, Mothership plans to be a Mother's Day weekend tradition. This year has Hozier, Mavis Staples, Bonnie Raitt amongst the acts that will join Carlile. “We hope you’ll join us for this epic celebration of mothers, mother figures, motherhood, mothering and all forms of chosen families," Carlile said.
Welcome To Rockville, May 18-21 - Daytona Beach
Daytona International Speedway presents "America's Larges Rock Festival." Slipknot, Hardy, Avenged Sevenfold, Pantera, Godsmack, and Alice Cooper are just some of the names on this monster bill. There's even a Wednesday night pre-party for the campers, featuring a performance by Hatebreed.
Gulf Coast Jam, June 1-4 - Panama City Beach
Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert, Hardy, and Kane Brown will headline a festival that includes 32 artists over four days at one beach. #CountryOnTheCoast is one of the biggest country music weekends in the south. They have their own merch line and various convenient lodging partners.
Rolling Loud, July 21-23 - Miami
Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and A$AP Rocky will headline this mid-summer classic at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. Their website claims that this is the biggest hip-hop festival in the world. It features over 100 artists from all over. This is the third year it will be held at Hard Rock Stadium.
Moon Crush (blue moon), September 1-3 - Mirimar
The third festival in Topeka's trilogy of Florida events. Blue Moon is a sister festial to the aforementioned Pink Moon. The blue version incudes the likes of Ben Rector, Switchfoot, and NEEDTOBREATHE. This too takes place at Miramar Beach at The Cove.
Suwannee Hulaween, October 26-29 - Live Oak
Spirit of the Suwanee Music Park is the site for "Halloween's jammiest music festival." It's hosted by The String Cheese Incident, who play two sets every evening. 4-Day passes are available, as are camping add-ons. This year's fest will be the 10-year anniversary celebration.
Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), November 10-12, Orlando
Tinker Field in downtown Orlando is where EDC throws their east coast version of this bash. Electronic dance music, carnival rides, and pyrotechnics are just some of the reasons why EDC calls their festivals "magic." Check out the unique three-dimensional art on the grounds or dance the night away before any of the five stages. EDC also does an Orlando downtown takeover, with EDM club takeovers Thursday through Sunday nights.