SANTA CRUZ — This Thursday marks America’s 248th birthday, which means Americans from all over will be firing up their barbecues, unfurling their flags and securing a good spot to watch fireworks.
That includes Santa Cruz County, which will be hosting numerous events all day in just about every corner of the county. If you are the type who wishes to get outside their home to celebrate Independence Day, there is something for you. Below is just a sample. All events are Thursday.
For many, the Fourth of July is a calorie-heavy holiday with not a lot of opportunities to burn them off before gorging on hamburgers and potato salads. Thankfully, as it has done since 1985, the Rotary Club of Santa Cruz Sunrise will be providing just that opportunity with its annual Firecracker race. The full course is back with a flat 5K race in the Harvey West Business Park, 10K race that winds through Pogonip park, Spring Trail and the meadow by UC Santa Cruz and a 1K Fun Run for kids. The race will conclude with a party in Harvey West Park with live music, a gourmet hot dog park and awards ceremony. The 1K, 10K and 5K begin at 8, 8:30 and 8:40 a.m. respectively. Harvey West Park’s address is 326 Evergreen St., Santa Cruz. To sign up, visit Runsignup.com.
La Selva Beach will have a full day of events, courtesy of the La Selva Beach Improvement Association. It all begins with 5K walk/run and 10K run at Triangle Park on Playa Boulevard at 8:30 a.m., followed by a pet show on the lawn outside the La Selva Beach Library at 9 a.m., a horseshoe game at Triangle Park at 10 a.m., a parade down Playa from 11:30 a.m. to noon, a flag ceremony with grand marshals Eric and Peggy Carter at 12:30 p.m., a sand castle contest at 3 p.m., and a watermelon-eating contest, egg toss and tug-o-war at 5 p.m. on the library lawn at 316 Estrella Ave. There will also be bike decorating, a bounce house, T-shirt sales and food booths on the lawn from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
When it comes to Fourth of July festivities, Roaring Camp Railroad is all aboard. Those who board the Redwood Forest Steam Train or the Santa Cruz Beach Train will set a course through the redwoods and stop at the site of the historic town of Roaring Camp where they can take part in family-friendly activities, live music and a barbecue. The fun takes place 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday at 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton.
For those who like Fourth of July parades but not the many road closures that come with them, Aptos has the right solution: a parade that has all of the usual festivities of a Fourth of July parade but none of the length. Billed as “The World’s Shortest Parade,” the route begins at the corner of Soquel and State Park drives and ends at Trout Gulch Road for a total of 0.6 miles and Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend serving as grand marshal. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. and then give way to the annual Party in the Park with games, food trucks, beer, craft vendors and live music by James Durbin and the Lost Boys, who will perform retro hits from the likes of The Rolling Stones, Cheap Trick, Billy Idol and more. Party in the Park is 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Aptos Village Park, 100 Aptos Creek Road.
After making its debut last year, Boulder Creek’s block party following its Fourth of July parade is back. The day begins at 7 a.m. with a pancake breakfast at the firehouse, 13230 Central Ave., followed by the parade at 10 a.m. down Highway 9. The parade will then give way to the block party on Forest Street with live music from Redwood Express and a sidewalk sale. The Boulder Creek Recreation and Parks District will host its own party from noon to 5 p.m. with live music from Jake Nielsen and What’s Good, food and drink vendors, and activities like gold panning in Junction Park, 13264 Middleton Ave. The parade will be broadcast live on 89.3 KBCZ.
Independence Day is a holiday that often invokes a lot of nostalgia, and as always, Wilder Ranch State Park will be going way back with its annual celebration: to the 1900s, in fact. The days of the Model A and Gibson Girl haircuts will be fully represented with the Old-Fashioned Independence Day, featuring lawn games, machine shop and blacksmith demonstrations, a hand-cranked ice cream machine, living history performances, a “Star-Spangled Banner” singalong and more. The event is 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Road. The event is free, but there is a $10 vehicle day-use fee.
Farmers, local businesses and all the things that make Watsonville what it is will literally be on parade along a route that winds down Main Street from St. Patrick’s Church to First Street. It is a parade that historically has drawn thousands of spectators, so anyone wishing to set up chairs is encouraged to do so early in the morning on the day of the parade but not earlier. The parade itself is 12:30-3 p.m. The parade will coincide with the outdoor market at City Plaza with art and food vendors selling goods from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Finally, Scotts Valley will be hosting its annual parade and flyover starting at noon. New this year is a kids zone sponsored by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County and Scotts Valley Recreation featuring games, activities and food trucks before and after the parade. The kids zone is 10-11:45 a.m. and again from the conclusion of the parade until 3 p.m. The parade is scheduled to start at noon along Scotts Valley Drive.
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