Skip the Sparks: Celebrate Safely at a Salt Lake City Drone Show
Fire Danger in Salt Lake City is especially high this year. In the past few weeks, multiple wildfires have devastated communities across Utah, showing how quickly fires can spread under current conditions. In response, Governor Cox has enacted a statewide ban on personal fireworks through July 5, 2026. This ban still allows municipalities, in consultation with their local fire officials, to designate areas where fireworks may still be used safely. The risk simply isn’t worth it, and respecting the ban is essential to protecting our neighborhoods, public lands, and first responders.
“We are very dry right now—we had hotter temperatures much earlier in the year than normal, which has led to a very fire-susceptible situation,” said Jake Eiting, Trails and Natural Lands Operations Manager for Public Lands.
The holiday weekend is still a great time to celebrate with family and friends. Continue reading to learn more about the fireworks ban, why it is necessary, and fun alternatives for celebrating this weekend.
Fire Danger in Salt Lake City Public Lands
This year, setting off personal fireworks is illegal anywhere in the city of Salt Lake, including all city parks, natural areas, and along the Jordan River Corridor. Setting off fireworks illegally comes with hefty fines. Fireworks can endanger neighborhoods, critical infrastructure, and Salt Lake City’s beloved natural areas. Even if fires don’t damage homes, power utilities, or water utilities, they can destroy the plants that stabilize hillsides. Fires in the foothills, like the Bonneville Fire, Sandhurst Fire, and Memory Grove fire in the last a few weeks ago, can lead to landslides and wipe out trails.
Fire is not a new problem, but invasive species like cheatgrass and cereal rye have had major impacts on fire risk. Many of the grass species native to the Wasatch foothills are perennials that take longer to spring up and die back. Typically, native grass species would still be growing in early summer—but cheatgrass is already dead and dried up, posing a risk for fires to ignite.
“Cheatgrass grows, flowers, sets seed, and dries up before most of our native perennial plants have even fully grown for the year. A landscape that is covered in dried-up grass before summer even hits presents a large fire risk,” added Eiting.
Alternative Ways to Celebrate
Don’t let a destructive (and expensive) mistake ruin the festivities. Salt Lake City has opportunities to watch a dazzling light show without the dangers.
Head to Jordan Park on Friday, July 3, to see Salt Lake City’s America 250 Drone Show. This free, family-friendly event will kick off with local food trucks and live music starting at 8 p.m. Find a seat on Jordan Park’s fields before 10 p.m. to watch the spectacular show. This year, 500 drones will be flown, which is 200 more than last year! The drones will take viewers on a tour of the U.S.A.’s most iconic monuments, landscapes, and pop culture moments.
Salt Lake City will also host a Drone Show to cap off the Pioneer Day celebrations at Liberty Park on Friday, July 24. Three hundred drones will create vivid scenes of Utah’s unique culture and natural wonders. Both of the City’s drone shows will be larger and more vibrant than ever before.
In this hot and dry season, don’t put Salt Lake City at risk by lighting fireworks illegally. There are many other ways to celebrate! Attend Salt Lake City’s America 250 drone show on July 3 or the Pioneer Day Drone Show on July 24, get outside to celebrate SLC’s natural beauty, and help protect each other from the dangers of illegal fireworks.
For those living next to open spaces, please visit the Department of Public Lands website to learn more about the Citizen Wildfire Mitigation permit program.