From the mountains to the Midlands to the coast, South Carolina goes all out for Independence Day.

July 4th falls on a Wednesday this year, with some events held the weekend before or after the 4th. Here are a few of our family's picks for places to get fired up on the Fourth of July.

The former Naval Base in North Charleston is home to a rocking July 4th celebration, sponsored by the city of North Charleston.

From 3-9 p.m. July 4, you’re invited to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the free festival at Riverfront Park.

Music will be provided by Common Ground, Coastrunners, Atlanta Pleasure Band and Ruben Studdard, and there will be plenty of family activities and food vendors. There‘s a great children‘s area (that‘s also free), featuring inflatable jump castles, games and a water fountain.

At dark, fireworks will light up the sky, coordinated with live music from Equinox Jazz Band.
The park is easily accessible from Interstates 526 and 26. It's set on the banks of the picturesque Cooper River and bordered by Noisette Creek.

Planning a July 4th cookout? Get in some exercise first at Hilton Head, where the 27th annual Doctors Care Firecracker 5000 Road Race and Family Fun Walk will get started at 8 a.m. July 4. It's considered one of the state's top 10 races, with more than 1,300 runners and walkers participating each year.

The new 5K race course starts in front of Shelter Cove Community Park. Afterward, there will be plenty of fresh fruit and cold drinks -- along with music and door prizes -- at the post race celebration.

Fourth of July is all about peaches in Lexington County's tiny town of Gilbert.
This year marks the 54th Lexington County Peach Festival on Fourth of July.

All things peaches will be celebrated in the Gilbert Community Park on Rikard Circle between Gilbert Primary and Gilbert Middle schools. The festival starts at 8:30 a.m. and runs until the fireworks show kicks off at 10 p.m.

Festivities include the peach pageant, peach parade, live entertainment, art contest, antique car show and more. 

There are plenty of food options, including barbecue, hot dogs and hamburgers . But peaches are the stars of this festival. Don’t miss the peach ice cream and the peach cobbler – always a family favorite. And the peach tea is delicious.

Two Georgetown County resorts have July 4th events that shouldn't be missed. Pawleys Island is home to an anything-goes parade through the tiny island.

It's one of the highlights of the year on the barrier island between Myrtle Beach and Georgetown, where home-made floats of every description parade between the causeways. The parade starts at 11 a.m. and the causeways close to traffic by 10:30.

Murrells Inlet, the seafood capital of South Carolina, takes advantage of its picturesque inlet location with a Fourth of July boat parade.

This year's theme is "Red, White and View. Inlet Style, Tried and True."
Boaters decorate their boats according to the theme and parade around the inlet, starting around 9 a.m. (depending on high tide).

Best viewing spots are the Murrells Inlet Marshwalk, Capt. Dick's Marina, Belin Memorial United Methodist Church, Nance's restaurant and the Hot Fish Club.

On the night of the Fourth, return to Murrells Inlet for a great fireworks display, starting at 10 p.m.

When the sun starts going down the fun starts heating up in Goose Creek, home of the Fabulous Fourth in the Creek, from 6-9:30 p.m. July 4.

There will be kids activities, food vendors, live entertainment and a spectacular fireworks display at the Marguerite H. Brown Municipal Center on S.C. 52.

What better day than Fourth of July to stroll across the Liberty Bridge, the 345-foot-long pedestrian bridge supported by a single suspension cable in Greenville's Falls Park on the Reedy.

If you're looking for a fabulous fireworks display in the Upstate, the downtown Greenville park is the place to be.

One of the state's most spectacular public parks (featuring open areas and cool waterfalls), the Wells Fargo Red, White and Blue event on July 4th brings fireworks to the sky above it. Bring a blanket and be prepared to marvel.