Dover, Del.

Dover’s Fourth of July Celebration dates back to the 1976 Bicentennial, but aims to celebrate the town’s Revolutionary War history, too (soldiers met and marched off to fight from downtown Dover). Tradition and modernity also factor into Dover’s approximately 20-minute fireworks show. Held right downtown, the fireworks go off around 9:20 p.m. over the Delaware State Capitol Building and accompanied by a carefully curated, themed soundtrack — this year’s tunes will center on the phrase “Coming To America” (previous years have included music from “Hamilton,” movie soundtracks and songs about cars).

Bar Harbor, Me.

The Fourth of July is a big deal in Bar Harbor, with a full day of celebrations that includes a pancake breakfast, a seafood festival, lobster races and live music through the day and night. Everything culminates in an approximately 30-minute fireworks display at 9:15 p.m. — look for the first boom as the band hits the final note of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Fireworks are shot from the town’s pier over the water, with the mountains of Acadia National Park in the background. Watch from Agamont Park right in town, or take a sunset cruise with the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. for a view of the show from the water.

Traverse City, Mich.

Traverse City’s Fourth of July fireworks is a testament to civic engagement. In 2011, the group that had traditionally funded the fireworks opted out. A number of locals banded together and raised enough money for a 15-minute show — since then, they’ve formed a nonprofit: the Traverse City Boom Boom Club, dedicated to ensuring that Traverse City has fireworks on the Fourth. The show, which coincides with the National Cherry Festival, is now 25 to 30 minutes long, carefully synchronized with patriotic and mainstream music, and boasts more than 1,400 fireworks.

Whitefish, Mont.

The Northern Rocky Mountains provide the backdrop for this Northwest Montana town’s fireworks show, which is shot from a barge 100 yards off City Beach Park, on the eastern shore of Whitefish Lake. Come early for a live band performance at 7 p.m., and stay for the last vestiges of sunset as the fireworks start. In addition to prime viewing from City Beach, hundreds of boats will be on the lake before and during the show — vessels are decked out for a 9 p.m. boat parade before converging around the barge for the show’s start at approximately 10:45 p.m.