Vacations Blog

Let the Celebrations Begin!

Summer is officially full on!  June is quickly becoming a memory (it’s been two whole days now) and it’s time to turn focus to July.  July is a special month for us as a nation for in this month we celebrate one of the most significant events in our short history.  My birthday!

Some like to think that the parades and fireworks displays, backyard barbecues, cookouts and community gatherings centered around the July 4th weekend are in celebration of our nation’s independence.  Whatever helps you sleep at night, friends.  That stuff is for me!

Actually, it’s not.  My special day isn’t until the 10th.  Fact is, Read More »

Patriotic Party Time

Naja’s Place, a divey little bar on the Redondo Beach Pier south of Los Angeles, CA, is known for its endless selection of beers from around the world.  On July 4th they open at 10am and the band, Land Sharks, starts at 8pm.  Flag t-shirts are on sale now for $10.  The pier is accessible by foot, bicycle, car, or boat.

A very patriotic ice skater

North Idaho’s Silverwood Theme Park, located on Hwy 95 between Coeur d’Alene and Sandpoint, is the Pacific Northwest’s largest amusement park.  Each 4th of July, they feature a fireworks extravaganza to light up the sky.  That’s after a day of train rides, rollercoasters, water slides, and a very colorful ice show featuring a cast of champion caliber skaters.

Photo by Phil Corless

Sleeping pig at the Marin County Fair on July 4th, 2007 –preparing for the pig race.

This week, Governor Schwarzenegger asked Californians to not buy fireworks in the counties and cities that still allow them, citing the recent and current California fires. And Watsonville has banned fireworks sales this year, with a unanimous vote by city council members. Personally, I like to find myself a good, old-fashioned town parade to celebrate Independence Day, and in the Bay Area, we have several options:

Marin Mommies has put together a great piece on the celebrations in Marin County, including parades in Corte Madera-Larkspur, Novato and Sausalito. They also list some of the local fireworks displays around the Bay.

In the East Bay, 4th of July parades can be found in Alameda (theme: Clean and Green), Vallejo with the Vallejo Symphony Orchestra, and in Danville, residents will celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the city and 50^th anniversary of Hay Days with a parade starting at 9am on July 4^th.

Near the UpTake offices, you can check out the Redwood City Parade and Family Fun, also celebrating their 70^th anniversary. Cupertino holds a pancake breakfast before setting off on their parade. And in Santa Cruz county, you can celebrate with parades and events in Watsonville, Boulder Creek and Aptos (this last parade features Great Pyrenes dogs in their parade!)

Our family is going to celebrate locally this year, heading over to our community pool and joining in on the annual Great Decorated Bike Parade, a wonderful photo opportunity! What are your plans this Independence Day?