Charlevoix & Petoskey · Small town
Boyne City
For Lake Charlevoix days in any season: a small city with a state park beach, ridge trails above downtown and the National Morel Mushroom Festival each May.
Holiday · Parade · Family · Boyne City
Boyne City Fourth of July
A two-day Fourth in Boyne City with an art fair, a raft race on the Boyne River, a kids' bike parade and fireworks over Lake Charlevoix.
Boyne City goes big for the Fourth. National outlets have ranked it among the country’s top small-town celebrations, and Reader’s Digest put its fireworks first among small-town displays.
Old City Park is the place to watch the raft race. For the fireworks, Peninsula Beach, Sunset Park, Veterans Park and the marina are the usual spots, or watch from a boat. Check the festival’s schedule for the year.
What to expect
In 2026 the Waterside Art and Craft Fair ran July 3 and 4 with food trucks and kids' activities. On the Fourth there were a 10K and 2-mile run, live music at Veterans Memorial Park, a duck race, the raft race on the Boyne River, a parade on Water and Lake streets with a kids' bike decorating contest, and fireworks over Lake Charlevoix at dusk.
Location
Where Boyne City Fourth of July happens
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
The pin marks the town; check the organizer for exact venues.
About Boyne City
Nearby attractions
Straight-line distances, not driving distances.
Beach
Peninsula Beach
Boyne City's in-town beach on Front Street, a short walk from downtown, with a splash pad, playground, restrooms, picnic tables and a Mobi Mat. No lifeguard.
Under a mile away (straight line)
Beach
Tannery Beach
Boyne City's dog-friendly beach on Lake Charlevoix at 862 Front Street, with cleanup supplies on hand and an easy put-in for kayaks and canoes.
Under a mile away (straight line)
State park
Young State Park
Boyne City's state park on Lake Charlevoix, with a swimming beach, a boat launch, three modern campgrounds and 6.5 miles of trails.
About 2 miles away (straight line)
Places to stay nearby
Hotel · Budget
Boyne City Motel
On North East Street, two blocks from downtown Boyne City
A 19-room motel a couple of blocks from downtown Boyne City, near Lake Charlevoix and the Boyne River.
Hotel · Mid-range
Water Street Inn
On Front Street in downtown Boyne City, on Lake Charlevoix
An all-suite condominium hotel on the Lake Charlevoix shore in downtown Boyne City, with kitchens, fireplaces and lake-view balconies.
More events in and around Boyne City
- Boyne City Harvest FestivalA late-September Saturday at the Boyne City Farmers Market celebrating the harvest, with live music and family activities.
- Boyne ThunderA July weekend of high-performance powerboats in Boyne City: a poker run of about 150 miles across northern Michigan waters and a Friday night street party.
- National Morel Mushroom FestivalBoyne City's spring festival devoted to the morel mushroom, held the weekend after Mother's Day with tastings, a competitive hunt, concerts and a carnival.
- Bay View Fourth of JulyBay View's old-fashioned Fourth morning: a children's bike parade, a parade through the cottage streets and a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
- Bay View Music FestivalA summer music festival in Bay View, billed as the longest continuously operating chamber music festival in the country, with Sunday vesper concerts.
- Blissfest Music FestivalA three-day folk, world and roots music festival with camping at the 200-acre Festival Farm outside Harbor Springs, held the second weekend in July.