Events to mark city’s 101st

Dave Brooks

Each year, thousands of visitors from all over the world descend onto

Surf City’s shores for its biggest celebration of the year: the

Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade and Fireworks show.

This year’s event marks the 101st celebration of the patriotic

holiday in Huntington Beach. From its early oil-boon days down a dirt

road called Main Street, to its current route past high-end resorts,

million-dollar homes and a recently rebuilt downtown area, the annual

Fourth of July celebration has managed to grow and evolve with the

community, uniting residents from all walks of life through a common

celebration of America’s independence.

“It’s really amazing the diversity of people who come to town for

the Fourth,” volunteer Sara Garrison said. “The holiday has always

had a major place in Huntington Beach. It’s our event -- it’s who we

are.”

Coordinating the holiday celebration takes about 75 volunteers

organized by the City Council-appointed Fourth of July Board.

“We start thinking about this event nearly a year ahead,” said Pat

Steir, Fourth of July Board director. “It’s a major endeavor that the

community really gets behind.”

The group annually raises the $500,000 needed each year to pay for

the fireworks and police support.

This year also marks the second return of fireworks over the

ocean. A series of riots in the 1990s -- immortalized with footage of

a burning police car still played on television today -- led the

fireworks show to be relocated to Huntington Beach High School.

In 2004, City Councilwoman Pam Houchen introduced a proposal to

return the fireworks show to the beach, arguing that Surf City has

shaken its more destructive past and was ready to show off its

redeveloped coastline.

In a close vote, the council narrowly approved the proposal and

that year’s Fourth of July went off without a hitch. Later that year,

Police Chief Ken Small, Community Services Department Director Jim

Engle and Fire Chief Duane Olson asked that the fireworks show be

relocated to the gym, citing concerns that the crowded conditions

would make it difficult to respond to an emergency on the beach.

Instead, the council again narrowly approved relocating the fireworks

show to the beach, a victory for the city’s hotels and tourism

industry that wanted the display to stay over the water.

Unlike last year’s show, which was shot from a barge, this year’s

fireworks display will be shot from the end of the pier.

“We want to avoid any type of problems with the weather or ocean

current,” volunteer Connie Young said. “There will be no disturbance

to that equipment to prevent the shells from shooting out on top.

Also the pier is concrete, so the fire department doesn’t mind.”

The fireworks show will begin shortly after sunset, with the

fireworks synchronized to patriotic music. Radio station K-Earth 101

will simulcast the firework’s musical accompaniment. The entire show

can be seen from anywhere on the beach, but reserved seating on the

pier is also available for $15 a seat, or four tickets for $50.

The biggest event of the day is the Huntington Beach Parade,

considered the largest of its kind west of the Mississippi River. The

parade route begins at Pacific Coast Highway and 8th Street and winds

its way up Main Street, ending at the intersection at Yorktown

Avenue.

There are more than 200 entries in this year’s parade, including

Miss Huntington Beach Nicole Smith and her royal court, the famous

Budweiser Clydesdale horses, and plenty of antique and vintage

automobiles carrying Surf City dignitaries.

The Huntington Beach High School Marching Band and Drill Team are

scheduled to close the parade, which also includes an appearance by

surviving Pearl Harbor crew members from the USS Nevada. Also

marching in this year’s parade are members of the 3rd Battalion, 1st

Marines -- the Marine unit out of Camp Pendleton adopted by the

Huntington Beach City Council.

“The families will watch the Marines march down Main Street, and

then they’ll stay in the area and go to the expo and fireworks show

afterward,” Young said.

Organizers expect more than 250,000 people to line the parade

route along Main Street, and are advising visitors to come early. The

most crowded areas are usually the neighborhood above the 500 block

of Main Street. Using tape, chalk and whatever material they can

find, area residents stake out a place along the main parade route as

early as July 3.

There are also plenty of other patriotic activities to enjoy

during the day. Each year, the festivities begin with a Surf City 5K

run, essentially stretching the same route as the parade. The race

will end at a family fitness expo that will feature live

entertainment, family fun, refreshments and fitness products.

There will also be a children’s village expo on the first three

blocks of Main Street immediately following the parade. Other

entertainment in the afternoon will be live music at Pier Plaza

provided by 1960s surf band The Safaris and Surf City Allstar Band,

featuring Huntington Beach’s Dean Torrance.

QUESTION

What do you think of the City Council’s decision to bring the

fireworks show back to the beach? Call our Reader’s Hotline at (714)

966-4691 or send e-mail to hbindependent@ latimes.com. Please spell

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