Independence Day parades, fireworks on tap
Independence Day in Ramona starts with a community parade in San Diego Country Estates and ends with fireworks lighting the skies above town. The skyshow will be the grande finale of Ramona Rotary Club’s 17th annual July 4 Family Picnic and Fireworks.
In between, Julian will stage its annual parade, which will start from the Julian High School parking lot at noon. Vintage airplanes will kick off pre-parade activities at 10 a.m. As American As Apple Pie is the theme of this year’s parade to mark the 100-year anniversary of Julian’s first Apple Days, a fall festival started to celebrate the awards Julian apples were receiving.
Also, Julian’s American Legion will hold a barbecue after the parade. For more information about the town’s July 4th, contact Julian Chamber of Commerce: 760-765-1857, www.julianca.com.
The patriotic parade in San Diego Country Estates will start at the Casey Tibbs Western Center off Pappas Road and Avenel Lane. Seasoned parade-goers arrive early—at least 9:30 a.m.—to stake out a good spot to view the parade along the Pappas Road route.
After the parade, Estates association residents and their guests walk to nearby Ramona Oaks Park for a picnic celebration with carnival booths, food, bandstand entertainment, a horseshoe tournament, volleyball, pony rides, game booths and more. The games, water jump and other festivities will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the entertainment ending at 4 p.m.
New in Ramona this year is the TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party at Pat’s Field of Dreams Nursery at 3323 Highway 67 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Some of those participating in the party will march in the Estates parade. Party organizers say the peaceful protest they plan at the nursery is to attract attention to government’s runaway spending and taxes and the inflation they fear is coming.
No matter how July 4 revelers plan to spend their time after the Estates parade, Ramona Rotary Club and its July 4 supporters hope to see them at the fireworks event behind Olive Peirce Middle School from 5:30 to about 9:30 p.m. The skyshow, synchronized to music on KYXY FM radio, will start at 9 p.m.