Few places do the Fourth quite like Surf City, where the flag-waving is bracketed by the Pacific and, by nightfall, a fireworks show over the pier.
A 122-year tradition
Huntington Beach holds its 122nd annual Independence Day parade this Fourth of July, ABC7 reported — a run that organizers trace back to 1904 and promote as the largest Fourth of July parade west of the Mississippi River. The HB 4th of July Board says the roughly two-hour procession steps off at 10 a.m. and travels a route along Pacific Coast Highway and up Main Street, past the pier and through downtown.
This year's grand marshal is the radio host Tim Conway Jr. More than 150 entries are set to march — marching bands, veterans and public-safety units, civic groups and floats — in what amounts to a moving snapshot of the city.
A crowd, and a caveat
Organizers say the parade draws crowds in the hundreds of thousands, a scale that makes for a festive but packed day. Reserved seats are sold along the route for those who want a guaranteed spot, while free viewing areas fill early; longtime residents stake out curbside positions well ahead of the start. Anyone heading down should plan for road closures, limited parking and long walks from wherever they leave the car.
More than the parade
The parade is the anchor of a full slate. A festival runs at the pier through the afternoon and into the evening, and the day closes with fireworks launched over the water at about 9 p.m. — the image that tends to define the holiday here. For a beach town that grew up around its pier, the Fourth is less a single event than the year's biggest block party, and the 122nd edition is built to keep the streak going.
A note for spectators: it is high summer at the coast, so bring water, sunscreen and shade, and keep an eye on children and older relatives during the hottest stretch of the day.
