Home » *Top Pick*, 4th of July, East Bay, In Person, Live Music, Outdoors

Patriotic 4th of July Big Band Concert & Season Kick-Off | Lake Merritt

Saturday, July 4, 2026 - 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | Cost: FREE
Lake Merritt Pergola | 599 El Embarcadero Road, Oakland, CA

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Free Concerts at the Lake: 35-Piece Oakland Municipal Band (2026)

Over 100 years of music!

Summer Concerts at the Lake Merritt Bandstand

Enjoy our 2026 Season with our Music Director, Kaitlin Bove! Emeritus Connductor Troy Davis will be special guest for July 4.

2026 Concerts start July 4, and continue July 12, 19, 26, and August 2, 2026

The Oakland Municipal Band is in its second century!

Since 1912, the Oakland Municipal Band has been presenting free concerts at Lakeside Park in the heart of Oakland, California.

It is one of the oldest musical organizations in the United States.

Lakeside Park is a cultural center of the city and the free concerts bring citizens of all ages and backgrounds together for quality music, picnicking and socializing. Some attendees have been enjoying the concerts for over fifty years!

About The Music and the Musicians

The 35-piece band performs music from a variety of genres, including marches, classical, pop, big band, movies, international, show tunes, and more, for the enjoyment of the diverse population of Oakland and its surrounding areas. We are grateful to the American Federation of Musicians, Local 6, and the Music Performance Trust Fund for their support of our concerts.

Concerts are presented with educational information about the pieces being performed. We hope that this will stimulate, encourage, and nurture an interest in live music, especially among younger members of the audience.

All concerts start at 1:00 pm and last until 3:00.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket, and a picnic lunch, and join us for our 2026 season!

The Edoff Memorial Bandstand is located in Lakeside Park, Oakland, CA off of Bellevue Avenue. It is just past Children’s Fairyland, and opposite from the Lakeside Lawn Bowling Courts, home of the Lakeside Lawn Bowling Club, and the Garden Center at 666 Bellevue Avenue.

Paid parking is available on Bellevue Avenue. There is free parking available nearby on Grand Avenue and side streets. The area is served by AC Transit lines 88, 12 and NL on weekends. The nearest stop on line 88 is on Harrison Street at Grand Avenue. Line 12 stops on Grand Avenue at Bellevue Avenue, and line NL on Grand Avenue at Perkins Street. The nearest BART station is 19th Street, just under one mile away. Transit planning is available at Transit 511. You may also dial 511 for this information.

We are grateful to the Oakland Department of Parks, Recreation & Youth Development  for providing this space.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.


Cost: FREE
Categories: *Top Pick*, 4th of July, East Bay, In Person, Live Music, Outdoors
Address: 599 El Embarcadero Road, Oakland, CA

Saturday, July 4, 2026

6:00 am   4th of July Bonfire Day at SF’s Ocean Beach (2026)  FREE*
*Fire rings are first come, first serve
7:00 am   Free National Parks Admission for Independence Day Weekend (July 3-5, 2026)  FREE*
*The entrance fee waiver for fee-free days does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours. Although the entrance fee is waved, paid parking/shuttle reservations required for Muir Woods even on free days.
7:45 am   Pleasant Hill’s 4th of July Parade, Festival & Fireworks | 2026  FREE*
*The parade and festival are free, and the fireworks celebration is free, but there's a $4 suggested donation. The kids race is free, but there's a fee for the 5k
8:00 am   Concord | 4th of July Parade, Concert & Fireworks | 2026  FREE*
*Parade, concert and fireworks are free, but there's a fee for the run
All Day   July 4th Parking Rules in SF (How Not to Get a Ticket) | 2026  FREE
8:30 am   Foster City’s 4th of July Dog Parade & Festival | 2026  FREE
9:00 am   Danville | 4th of July Parade | 2026  FREE
9:00 am   Livermore | 4th of July Family Fun Festival at the Airport | 2026  FREE
All Day   San Francisco | 9 Free Guided Walking Tours for 4th of July | 2026  FREE*
*Free, but donations are accepted.
9:30 am   Free “Legion of Honor” Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)  FREE*
*Free general admission to Bay Area residents. Valid ID or proof of residency required. This offer applies only to the permanent collection galleries. Timed advanced tickets required
9:30 am   Free de Young Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)  FREE*
*Free general admission to Bay Area residents. Valid ID or proof of residency required. This offer applies only to the permanent collection galleries. Advanced timed tickets required.
9:40 am   Alcatraz City Cruises: Alcatraz & Angel Island Combination Tour (July 4)  $88
10:00 am   Brentwood | 4th of July Parade | 2026  FREE
10:00 am   Alameda | 4th of July Bash on USS Hornet’s Aircraft Carrier Flight Deck | 2026  $38.77*
*$38.77 for Adults
10:00 am   “Healthy Parks Healthy People”: Monthly Nature Walks | Bay Area  FREE
All Day   Bank of America’s “Museums On Us” Free Museum Weekend (2026)  FREE*
*Free for Bank of America or Merrill Lynch Card Holders. Some venues may be closed on certain days; please confirm directly with participating museums.
10:00 am   Stockton | Annual Fourth Of July Parade, Festival & Fireworks Show | 2026  FREE
10:00 am   2026 Fillmore Jazz Festival (July 4-5)  FREE
10:00 am   Alameda | 4th of July Parade: The Longest Parade in the USA | 2026  FREE
10:00 am   Fremont | 4th of July Parade | 2026  FREE
10:00 am   Martinez | Hometown 4th of July Parade & Fireworks | 2026  FREE
10:00 am   Orinda | 4th of July Parade & Celebration in the Park | 2026  FREE
10:00 am   Fremont | 1900s-Style Old Fashioned 4th of July Festival at Ardenwood Farms | 2026  $10*
*Fee: $10.00/adults; $8.00/seniors (62+); $5.00/ children (4-17); under 4 years free.
10:00 am   Clayton | Independence Day Parade | 2026  FREE
11:00 am   El Cerrito’s Annual WorldOne Festival 2025 (July 3-4)  FREE
11:00 am   Piedmont | Small Town 4th of July Parade & Picnic in the Park | 2026  FREE
11:00 am   Moraga | Dog Parade & July 4th Fireworks | 2026  FREE
11:00 am   Albany | 4th of July in the Park: Live Music, Rock Wall & Free Ice Cream | 2026  FREE
11:30 am   July 4 Parade & Celebration at SF’s Coastal Park (Sunset Dunes)  FREE
12:00 pm   Oakland | 1900s Old-Timey Pardee Patriotic Picnic | 2026  $28.52*
*$28.52 for adults; $17.85 for children 5-11 years; free for those under 5 (fees included)
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*Free admission and entertainment for all ages. Dogs and bikes welcome. Food and beverages available for purchase.
12:00 pm   Weekend Sessions w/ SF Uke Jam’s Summer Uke-splosion (Yerba Buena Gardens Festival 2026)  FREE
12:30 pm   Nike Missile Site Open House & Storytelling | Marin Headlands  FREE
1:00 pm   Golden Gate Park Band’s 4th of July Symphony in the Park  FREE*
*Free, but donations are welcome.
2:00 pm   SF’s Fourth of July Pub Crawl (2026)  $14.64*
*Tix start at $14.64 (fee included): Ticket includes entry to Pub Crawl & Hot Dog Eating Contest + Drink Specials.
2:00 pm   “San Francisco Mime Troupe” Live Summer Musical in the Park (2026)  FREE*
*Free, but donations are accepted
3:00 pm   “Queer As Fourth” Dance Party | El Rio  $12.51*
*$12.51 GA w/ fees included
3:00 pm   SF’s 4th Of July Tricycle Races & Ladies Arm Wrestling | 2026  FREE
4:00 pm   Antioch | 4th of July Fireworks & Festival | 2026  FREE
5:00 pm   Free Lyft/Cab Rides Home (SF Bay Area) on 4th of July 2026  FREE*
*Participation in this promotion is limited to the first 60 submissions. Submissions are limited and will fill up fast, so don’t delay submitting your reimbursement. All entries are on a first-come, first-serve basis, in the order in which we receive them in the mail.
5:00 pm   San Ramon’s 4th of July Summer Concert in the Park | 2026  FREE
5:30 pm   San Pablo | 4th of July Multi-Cultural Celebration & Aerial Drone Light Show | 2026  FREE
5:30 pm   Mare Island’s July 4th Spirit Ship Celebration (2026)  $10*
*$10 Ages 21+ $5 Ages 11-21 $25 Family Pack - 2 Adults & up to 4 Children Free 10 and under
6:00 pm   Watch Fireworks Close Up Aboard WWII Liberty Ship | S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien  $45
6:00 pm   Walnut Creek | July 4th Patriotic Concert & Picnic in the Park | 2026  FREE
6:30 pm   Vacaville | 4th of July Concert & Fireworks Show | 2026  FREE
7:00 pm   “Golden Gate Comedy Night” SF’s Most Intimate Comedy Club  FREE*
*Free with RSVP. 21+
7:00 pm   “Crazy Funny Asians” Free Comedy Showcase (SF)  FREE*
*Free tickets, but RSVP Required. Donations ($5-$10) greatly appreciated. Otherwise, $25 door tickets also available
8:00 pm   SF’s 4th of July Giant Laser Light Show  FREE
8:00 pm   SF’s Giant Rainbow Laser Light Show (Final Day)  FREE
8:00 pm   “Puff Puff Laugh” SF’s Cannabis Lounge Comedy Show (Moe Greens)  FREE*
*Free with RSVP (21+ with Valid ID) - One item minimum purchase per person required, but pre-rolls start at just $7
8:00 pm   Angel Island | 4th of July Fireworks Cruise | 2026  $122*
*Special Arrangement Evening Ferry Tickets are required: $122 Adults and $97 Children (6-12 years)
8:00 pm   Where to Watch Mission District’s 4th of July Street Fireworks | 2026  FREE*
*Bring cash for drinks
8:45 pm   Farley’s Potrero Hill Safe & Sane Street Fireworks Extravaganza? | 2026  FREE*
*Free - Donations are encouraged.
9:00 pm   Free Tix: HellaSecret “Desi Comedy Night” Live in SF (7p + 9p)  FREE*
*Free with RSVP for first 100 people. $25 at door without RSVP
9:00 pm   Pittsburg | 4th of July Fireworks at the Marina | 2026  FREE
9:00 pm   SF’s Prince vs. Michael Jackson DJ Party (NoPa)  $10
9:30 pm   San Francisco Fireworks: 4th of July (2026)  FREE
9:30 pm   San Francisco Fireworks at Golden Gate Bridge: USA’s 250th Anniversary  
9:30 pm   Treasure Island: How to Watch 4th of July Fireworks from Treasure Island | 2026  FREE
9:30 pm   Benicia | Waterfront Fireworks Show | 2026  FREE
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