REGION — It will be easy to find holiday celebrations and fireworks displays near you with a choice of sites in North County and beyond.
Oceanside starts the holiday weekend June 29 with an Independence Day Parade, starting at 10 a.m., marching north on South Coast Highway 101 from Wisconsin Avenue to Pier View Way. The city will then light up the skies July 3 for Oceanside’s 131st anniversary, with music and food trucks beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Rancho Del Oro Drive, which will be closed from Oceanside Boulevard north to Mesa Drive. There will be fireworks at 9 p.m. Organizers suggest visitors take public transportation or carpool and park in the business parks behind the Marriott Hotels. Bring a beach chair/blanket to sit on. No alcohol or dogs are permitted at this free, family-friendly event.
On July Fourth, The last day of the San Diego County Fair closes with a fireworks display at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The fair opens at 10 a.m., with fireworks at 9 p.m. at 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar.
In Escondido, the California Center for the Arts hosts the 55th annual Independence Day Festival & Fireworks, with music, food vendors, and children’s activities and games, beginning at 4 p.m., with fireworks at 9 p.m. at 340 N. Escondido Blvd. The day will commence with a presentation by Escondido’s American Legion Post 149, VFW Post 1513, and DAV Chapter 70. The Center’s National Anthem Singing Competition will discover a local singer whose rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” will be kicking off the day’s events. In the evening, the crowd will be treated to the music of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band.
Bradley Park will offer its traditional Independence Day, open for picnicking all day, with carnival games, jumpers and food vendors starting at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m. at S. Rancho Santa Fe Road and Linda Vista Drive, San Marcos. A GoFundMe site has been posted to cover the costs of the San Marcos fireworks, which is entirely dependent on private donations. The campaign can be found through gofundme.com/SM2019Fireworks.
Vista will celebrate with its Independence Day Celebration from 5 to 10 p.m., at Moonlight Amphitheatre, 1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista. Fireworks at 9 p.m. Cost is $5, with children 5 and under, and Military and family free.
After a day that includes some all-American picnic games like burlap races and water-balloon tosses, Legoland California offers a fireworks show at 8:30 p.m., One Legoland Drive, Carlsbad.
Pack a few blankets and chairs for Rancho Santa Fe’s annual July Fourth Parade and Picnic. There will be no fireworks, but live music, food and family fun will run from 1 to 3 p.m., at 16948 Avenida de Acacias, Rancho Santa Fe.
If you want to wander farther afield, downtown San Diego offers its Big Bay Boom July Fourth Fireworks Show, which can be viewed at 9 p.m. from multiple locations around San Diego Bay.
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Jean Gillette
Jean Gillette is the Community News editor for The Coast News Group. As a journalist, she primarily worked in Los Angeles. She has been with the Coast News for 20 years and lives in La Costa.