San Francisco Maritime National Park Association Host FREE July 4th Celebration at Historic Pier 45
media contact: David Perry | (415) 676-7007 | news@davidperry.com
San Francisco Maritime National Park Association Host
FREE July 4th Celebration at Historic Pier 45
Public Invited to Celebrate Independence Day on the
Waterfront Beside USS Pampanito
8 June 2026 – San Francisco, CA: This Fourth of July, San Francisco’s waterfront will offer a star-spangled celebration with a distinctly maritime twist. On Saturday, July 4, 2026, beginning at 8pm, the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association (https://maritime.org/) will host 4th of July at Historic Pier 45, inviting the public to gather beside the historic USS Pampanito and the Triangle at Historic Pier 45 in Fisherman’s Wharf for an unforgettable evening of community, history, and Independence Day celebration.
Presented in one of San Francisco’s most iconic waterfront settings, the event offers guests a special opportunity to experience the Fourth of July surrounded by the city’s maritime heritage, with the historic World War II submarine USS Pampanito as a dramatic backdrop and San Francisco Bay’s annual fireworks display expected to begin at 9:30pm.
“Independence Day on San Francisco Bay is always memorable, but celebrating it at Historic Pier 45, beside USS Pampanito, adds a powerful sense of place and history,” said Darlene Plumtree, CEO of the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association. “This is where San Francisco’s working waterfront, military history, and public gathering traditions all come together. We are proud to welcome the public to celebrate July 4th in a way that is festive, meaningful, and unmistakably San Francisco.”
A Balao-class submarine, USS Pampanito served in the Pacific during World War II and is now preserved at Fisherman’s Wharf as a National Historic Landmark, museum, and memorial. Operated by the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association, Pampanito connects visitors from around the world to the service, sacrifice, technology, and human stories of the United States Submarine Service.
“USS Pampanito reminds us that freedom is not abstract,” said Plumtree. “It was defended by real people, in real places, under extraordinary conditions. On July 4th, as we celebrate the nation’s birthday, we also honor the generations whose service made that celebration possible.”
Set at the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf, 4th of July at Historic Pier 45 also offers visitors a front-row connection to one of San Francisco’s most beloved civic traditions: fireworks over the Bay. The evening is expected to draw residents, families, veterans, maritime enthusiasts, and visitors from around the world to one of the city’s most historic piers.
“San Francisco’s waterfront has always been a place of arrival, departure, industry, celebration, and remembrance,” said Plumtree. “Historic Pier 45 is the perfect place to gather on July 4th — with the Bay before us, the city behind us, and history all around us.”
About the San Francisco Maritime National Park Association:
The San Francisco Maritime National Park Association supports education, public programming, historic preservation, and philanthropic initiatives benefiting the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. Through programs, partnerships, and community engagement, the Association helps preserve and share the maritime stories, vessels, landmarks, and traditions that shaped San Francisco and continue to inspire visitors, students, and residents today.
Members of the public are encouraged to reserve tickets in advance through Eventbrite at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-of-july-at-historic-pier-45-tickets-1991019764713
Event Details:
What: 4th of July at Historic Pier 45, San Francisco
When: Saturday, July 4, 2026, beginning at 8pm
Where: USS Pampanito and the Triangle at Historic Pier 45, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco
Cost: FREE although advance registration encouraged
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-of-july-at-historic-pier-45-tickets-1991019764713