- Burlington's big Independence Day fireworks light up Lake Champlain from the waterfront on Friday, July 3 — the celebration runs into the evening and draws tens of thousands, so downtown gets busy well before the Fourth itself.
- Float On is at 136½ Church Street, Burlington, VT 05401, right on the Church Street Marketplace — open seven days a week, and late 'til midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, which covers both July 3 and July 4.
- Vermont does not allow public consumption — not on the waterfront, Church Street, a parked car, or anywhere public. Whatever you buy is for private, 21+ use only.
- Beat the crowd: build your order on the live menu and pick it up under your name before the holiday rush.
- Never drive impaired. Plan a sober driver, a rideshare, or a walk home before the day starts.
The Fourth of July long weekend is one of the busiest stretches of the year downtown, and in Burlington the real spectacle actually lands the night before the Fourth. If you're an adult planning to be in town for it, a little forethought — about crowds, timing, and Vermont's rules — makes the whole weekend smoother. Here's how to plan it around Float On on Church Street.
When are Burlington's fireworks — the 3rd or the 4th?
Burlington's marquee Independence Day celebration is held on Friday, July 3 down on the Lake Champlain waterfront, with the fireworks going up over the water in the evening. It's the biggest show in Vermont and pulls tens of thousands of people into the city, so downtown fills up early — streets, parking, and the walk down to the lake all get crowded long before dusk.
The Fourth itself, on Saturday, tends to be the quieter, slower day: cookouts, a lazy afternoon, an evening in. That two-day shape is worth planning around — the 3rd is the big-crowd night, and the 4th is the wind-down.
What are Float On's hours over the long weekend?
Float On is open seven days a week, and open late — 'til midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. In 2026 that lands well: July 3 is a Friday and July 4 is a Saturday, so both of the big days are late nights. If you're already downtown for the fireworks on the 3rd, the shop is a short walk off the waterfront on the Church Street Marketplace.
That said, hours can shift around a holiday. It's always worth a glance at the live menu or the shop's own listing for that day's exact times before you plan your trip around them.
How do I skip the holiday crowds?
The single best move is to order ahead. Rather than browsing the shelf shoulder-to-shoulder with a holiday crowd, build your order on the live menu, and it'll be bagged under your name. Show a valid 21+ photo ID at the counter, grab it, and you're back out on Church Street in a couple of minutes.
- Go before the peak. The hours right before the fireworks are the busiest downtown — earlier in the day, or the day before, is calmer.
- Bring your ID. Vermont adult-use cannabis is 21+, and you'll show a government-issued photo ID every visit. No medical card needed.
- Know it's a walk-up neighborhood. Church Street is a car-free pedestrian mall, so plan to park nearby — the Marketplace Garage or metered street parking — and walk the last block.
Where can I actually use it — and where can't I?
This is the part people most often get wrong on a holiday, so it's worth being plain: Vermont does not permit public cannabis consumption anywhere. That includes the Lake Champlain waterfront during the fireworks, the Church Street Marketplace, city parks, sidewalks, and a parked car. It's for private use only, on private property where it's allowed.
- No public use — not at the fireworks, not walking downtown, not in the car.
- It stays in Vermont. Cannabis bought here can't legally cross state lines, even into a neighboring state where it's also legal.
- Renting or hosting? A property owner or landlord can set their own rules, so check before you assume it's fine where you're staying.
What about getting home safely?
The most important part of the whole weekend. Never drive impaired. Downtown is packed on the 3rd, DUI enforcement is heavier around the holiday, and the walk-heavy waterfront setup means a lot of foot traffic in the dark. Sort out how you're getting home *before* the day starts — a designated sober driver, a rideshare, transit, or a place within walking distance. If you've consumed, give it real time and don't get behind the wheel.
What's the tax situation — will I pay more at checkout?
No surprises. Vermont applies a 14% cannabis excise tax plus the 6% sales tax, and at a licensed shop that's already built into what you see. The menu price is the price. That's one less thing to think about on a busy weekend.
Planning a first visit around the holiday?
If it's your first time in a dispensary and you're folding it into a Fourth of July trip, you don't need to know the lingo — just tell the budtender it's your first time and roughly what you're after. For the full rundown before you go, our plain-English guides walk through a Burlington dispensary visit start to finish. Float On is a licensed Vermont adult-use retailer at 136½ Church Street, with a lean toward the state's small craft growers.