Manatee County Set to Celebrate Independence Day 2026
Manatee County is celebrating Independence Day. All Manatee County Government offices and Manatee County Public Library System locations will be closed Friday, July 3, 2026.
All trash, recycling, yard waste and bulk collection services will operate on their normal schedules and will not be affected by the holiday. The Lena Road Landfill will be open Friday, July 3, and closed Saturday, July 4, in observance of the holiday. Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) fixed-route and Handy Bus services will operate on their normal schedules Friday, July 3, and will not operate Saturday, July 4. The Anna Maria Island Trolley will operate on its normal daily schedule Saturday, July 4, while the Manatee Avenue Beach Express will operate on a holiday schedule.
Manatee County parks and beaches will be open to the public. Manatee County Golf Course and Buffalo Creek Golf Course will be open. Manatee County’s natural preserves will remain open. G.T. Bray Recreation Center and John Marble Recreation Center will be open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4. Walton Racquet Center will be closed, and all check-ins will take place at the main building. The pools at John Marble Recreation Center, G.T. Bray Recreation Center and Lincoln Aquatic Center will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free swim sessions will be offered from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 2 to 4 p.m. on July 3, 4 and 5. All aquatic centers will operate in two-hour sessions throughout the day.
The cities of Bradenton and Palmetto are joining forces with the County to host a riverfront celebration that spans both sides of the Green Bridge. Festivities will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, with both Rossi Park in Bradenton and Riverside Park in Palmetto serving as activity hubs offering a full evening of live entertainment, family-friendly activities, local food and a dazzling shared fireworks finale over the Manatee River at approximately 9:10 p.m.
The Green Bridge will close to traffic at 8:30 p.m. on July 4 and reopen following the fireworks finale. Road closures and parking limits are expected in both cities.
For more information about Manatee County Government, visit mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ManateeGov.