Fourth of July dawns

Angelique Flores

Some things have changed since it started in the early 1900s, but for the

most part, the Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade is the same as it

ever was. Touted as the largest Fourth of July parade west of the

Mississippi, the parade will once again march through Main Street on

Tuesday with a kaleidoscopic whirl of floats, celebrities and horses --

but no buggies.

“Over the past 96 years, the parade has remained the same,” said Maureen

Rivers, the Fourth of July parade chairwoman. “It’s still a hometown

parade like it was when you were a kid.”Of course, the amount of people

and the number and sizes of the floats have all grown, said Patricia

Stier, who chair’s the Fourth of July executive board. More than 300,000

spectators are expected to line up along the three-mile route to watch

the parade.

This year, the 96th annual parade is “Celebrating the Century” with

tributes to the past, present and future.

Bobbi Hawkins, Miss Huntington Beach 1941, will appear with Miss

Huntington Beach 2000, Katie May Plummer. Pearl Harbor survivors and

other war veterans will travel down the parade route between current

Naval Sea Cadet troops. A World War II veteran from Long Beach plans to

ride in a military vehicle painted the same color it was when he landed

on Omaha Beach.

Parade floats will try to span the century, as well. Boeing’s elaborate

float will include representations of its rockets, along with crafts from

throughout the century, Boeing spokesman Perry Cain said.

Residents along the parade route are expected to decorate their houses

along a Fourth of July theme. The homes between Acacia Avenue and 17th

Street on Main Street will compete for the Home Decoration Winner’s

Trophy in the second annual contest, organizers said.

“People will be putting up arch balloons, statues, flags... anything in

red, white and blue,” Stier said.

The displays -- which Stier said have become quite popular -- are kept

secret until about noon Monday, right before the judging at 3 p.m.

The parade, which will begin at 10 a.m., will feature 350 parade entries,

including television and film personalities, sports, military, civic and

celebrity grand marshals, marching bands and equestrian units.

“Every float will have patriotic music, more balloons and a surprise at

the end of the parade,” Stier said.

Among the celebrities to appear are the Red and the Pink Power Rangers;

Mackenzie Westmore, who plays Sheridan Crane on “Passions”; Dennis

Haskins, best known for his role as Principal Richard Belding on “Saved

By The Bell”; Brad Maule, who plays Dr. Anthony Jones on “General

Hospital”; and Camryn Grimes, who plays Cassie Johnson on “The Young and

the Restless.”

To get a good seat, city spokesman Jim Hanggi advises spectators to

arrive early -- beginning at around 6 a.m. People have even been known to

sleep outside along the route to get prime viewing spots.

Bring chairs, cushions, blankets and whatever else you may need to be

comfortable, city officials advise. As long as spectators don’t block the

sidewalk or disturb the peace, city officials expects no problems.

PBS television station KOCE, in cooperation with HBTV-3, will broadcast

the parade for the fourth consecutive year, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

KOCE’s Ed Arnold and Camille Dixon will host the live telecast. HBTV-3

will rebroadcast the parade throughout July.

Though the parade is a grand event, the city’s Fourth of July celebration

does not start or end there.

Over the weekend, the city will host a Living History Military Encampment

for the first time at Lake Park. Camps from the Revolutionary War, Civil

War, World War I and World War II will be set up with actors playing

soldiers and mountain men who will interact with the public and answering

questions, said Kelly Rivers of the Huntington Beach Historical Society.

Members of the encampments will fire cannons at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday.

On a musical note, Geno Delafose and his band, the French Rockin’ Boogie,

will perform as part of the Pier Plaza Concert series Sunday. Delafose is

considered one the country’s leading Cajun and Zydeco musicians.

The celebration on the Fourth of July will kick off bright and early at 6

a.m. with a city-sponsored pancake breakfast at Lake Park.

At the same time, the Sports Expo will begin at Worthy Park. The expo

will include entertainment by the Breakaways, refreshments and fitness

products, as well as 5K races for various divisions. The Tommy’s Surf

City Run will begin at 7 a.m. at 17th and Main streets. About 3,500

runners are expected to enter.

Another new event for the weekend will be the Main Street Family Fair,

which will begin after the parade at Lake Park. The fair will include

military and Fire Department equipment displays, square dancing,

entertainment and games for children, as well as live broadcasting for

radio stations KBIG-FM (104.3) and The Beat, KKBT-FM (92.3).

“We want to keep the kids entertained and have people stay in town this

year,” Stier said.

No Fourth of July is complete without fireworks, and Huntington Beach

will have its own extravaganza at Huntington Beach High School. The

pyrotechnics display will follow the pre-show entertainment, music and

food, which starts at 6:30 p.m.

A word of caution, however, to those who might want to light a few

firecrackers of their own. It is illegal for residents to set off their

own fireworks of any type in Huntington Beach. The violation is a

misdemeanor offense that is punishable by a year in jail or a fine of up

to $1,000, or a combination of both, said Martha Werth, a spokeswoman for

the Huntington Beach Fire Department.