Everything You Need to Know about 4th of July in Laurel, MT

Many smaller towns in Montana host 4th of July festivities, but the celebration in Laurel (pop. 7,203) is arguably one of the biggest and best. Thousands of revelers from the surrounding area will come for the fun, not to mention former Laurelites who come home every year for the 4th of July weekend.

If you rarely come to Laurel, you'll notice a few changes around town. Before we get to the Laurel 4th of July schedule of events, here are a few standouts that have happened in the last year.

We have a new Albertsons.

Filling the void at the former IGA location, residents - including myself - were thrilled when the new Albertsons opened in February 2024.

Our new splash park opened this spring.

Youngsters have been enjoying the new splash park, located on top of the former pool at Thompson Park. While some locals have grumbled about not having a pool, it was closed a couple of years ago because it needed expensive repairs and suffered from staffing issues. No doubt, this will be a popular spot to cool off on July 4th. It's free.

Your Pie took over the former Taco John's location.

If hot dogs and hamburgers aren't your thing on the 4th of July weekend, Your Pie provides another option in Laurel. My family enjoys their pizza and we usually rotate between Redneck Pizza and Your Pie.

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Lucky Louie's has a new name and location.

Lucky Louie's (aka The Board of Trade) on Main Street in Laurel closed and recently re-opened with a new name and location in the Albertsons shopping center. It's now Black Chip Tavern and Casino.

Laurel's favorite ice cream shop has moved too.

Mo Cones has been dishing up cool treats for years in the Town Pump parking lot, across from Thompson Park. This spring, they moved up the street a couple of blocks and are now located near the northwest corner of the Laurel High School parking lot.

Dance in the streets the night before.

The fun in Laurel kicks off on July 3rd with a street dance at The Palace Bar and Lanes. This year's band, the Repeat Offenders, should draw a large crowd. It's 18+, with The Man in Tan taking the stage at 6 pm. The Repeat Offenders start at 9. The cover charge at the gate is $15, find more info HERE.

Here's the rundown of events on the 4th:

• The Chief Joseph Run begins at the Thomson Park picnic shelter on East 6th St.  8 Milers will start at 6:30 and 2 & 4 milers will start at 7:00.  250 runners participated in 2023.
• The Pancake Breakfast is from 6:30-10:30 am.
• The Grand Parade is at 11:00 am. Thousands line the streets and view the parade.
• The Food and Craft Fair begins at 9:00am and ends at 9:00 pm so people can shop and purchase food all day long.
• Activities and Entertainment are planned for throughout the day.
• The Fireworks begin as soon as it is dark.  Laurel has the largest fireworks display in Montana.

Find more details on all events at the Laurel Chamber of Commerce.

Consumer fireworks are legal to light in Laurel, with some rules.

Most cities in Montana have ordinances that do not permit residents to light off fireworks. In Laurel, you can. DURING CERTAIN TIMES AND DAYS ONLY.

Per the Laurel Police Department, the discharge of fireworks within the city limits of Laurel is prohibited except as follows:

If you're coming to Laurel to light off your stash of fireworks, PLEASE be considerate of private property owners and for the love of God, pick up your trash.