North County to be colored red, white, blue

By: The North County Times - | Sunday, July 1, 2007 7:35 PM PDT ∞

NORTH COUNTY ---- North County residents will have plenty of choices for celebrating the Fourth of July on Wednesday. With patriotic parades, live bands, picnics and a barrage of other family, outdoor activities on tap, residents have the option of leaving the back-yard barbecue to take to the streets for some holiday fun.

Just remember that traffic and parking around fireworks viewing areas can be tight, so plan on arriving early.

- Carlsbad ---- Red, White and Boom Celebration, Legoland California. The amusement park plans special activities throughout the day with fireworks capping off the celebration at closing time. Admission is $57 for ages 13 to 59; seniors and children ages 3 to 12 pay $44.

- Encinitas ---- The Fourth of July Community Celebration runs from 9 to 11:30 a.m. atCottonwood Creek Park at Vulcan Avenue and Encinitas Boulevard. Presentation of colors, national anthem, flag-folding ceremony, pledge of allegiance, invocation, pancake breakfast, games and contests. Call Lou Aspell at (760) 613-0667.

There's also Quail Botanical Gardens' annual Red, White and Blue Parade at 10 a.m. through the Children's Garden to music of John Phillip Sousa. Active military given free admission. Call (760) 436-3036, Ext. 206.

If you head for the beach, join the beach cleanup at Stone Steps, Moonlight Beach, Beacons and Grandview. Trash bags provided. Call (760) 943-2107.

- Escondido ---- Historic Grape Day Park is the site for Escondido's annual Fourth of July community celebration. Residents are encouraged to arrive early to find a comfortable spot on the lawn for blankets and a picnic as long as they leave the barbecues and high-backed chairs at home. At 2:45 p.m., live music will begin on a stage set up in the courtyard of California Center for the Arts, Escondido, and the center's art museum will open from 3-7 p.m. for free. The blacksmith's shop and other historical buildings in Grape Day Park, located at 321 N. Broadway, will also be open during those hours. A Marine Corps concert band will perform onstage at 8 p.m., leading up to the 9 p.m. fireworks show. Call (760) 745-1159.

- Fallbrook ---- The Grand Tradition will host an afternoon and evening celebration that features live music, a community fair and a fireworks show from 4-9:30 p.m. Admission is $25 for adults and includes 10 food/beverage/booth tickets. Children's admission is $10. Proceeds will go to maintain and improve Fallbrook's community parks and other public areas. There will be face painting, races, live music by Nitro Express and a silent auction. The fireworks show is set for 8:45 p.m. The Grand Tradition is located at 1602 S. Mission Road. Call (760) 451-3282 or visit fallbrookbeautification.org.

Oceanside ---- The Ofest Carnival continues from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Mission Avenue and Myers Street with games and rides for all ages. Call (760) 754-4512. There's also a street fair from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m along Mission Avenue and Pacific Street and music at the Pier Amphitheater from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Ongoing music with headliner The Long Run, an Eagles tribute band. Then watch North County's over-the-water fireworks event, beginning at 9 p.m. off the end of the Oceanside Pier.

- Poway ---- Residents are in store for an Old-Fashioned Fourth of July event at Old Poway Park, 14134 Midland Road. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, fake gunfights, arts and crafts booths, and the running of the city's century-old locomotive will be the activities today. The city's celebration moves to Poway High's stadium for the evening, with gates to Titan stadium opening at 5 p.m. Food booths will be open for those without their own picnic dinner, and a kids' fun zone will also be open. Admission is $2 per person, with children 10 and under free. The fireworks show is scheduled for 9 p.m. Poway High is located at 15500 Espola Road. Call (858) 668-4570.

Fishing, boating, hiking, horseshoes and picnicking will also be aplenty at Lake Poway Recreation Area, 14644 Lake Poway Road, from 7 a.m. to sunset. The fireworks at Poway High can also be viewed from the lake area. Spots in the park and lake are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Call (858) 668-4770 of (858) 486-1234.

- San Marcos ---- Bradley Park is home to the city's official Fourth of July celebration. The official entertainment will begin at 5 p.m. when concession booths open and the live music begins. But the city park will be full long before then, as area families arrive with picnic lunches, lawn and beach chairs, and beach towels to mark out their little area. The evening's entertainment will feature the Fabulous Woodies playing surf and oldies music, and vendors will be selling hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, snow cones, funnel cakes and sodas and water. A fireworks show will begin at 9 p.m. Bradley Park is located at the corner of Linda Vista Drive and Rancho Santa Fe Road. Call the San Marcos Community Services Department at (760) 744-9000 or visit www.ci.san-marcos.ca.us.

- Ramona ---- Olive Peirce Middle School will host the Fourth of July festivities in Ramona. A family-style picnic and community fair begins at 5:30 p.m. as children's game and activity booths open, along with food booths. There will be a fireworks show at 9 p.m. The school is located at 720 Ninth St. Visit www.ramonachamber.com.

- Rancho Bernardo ---- Patriotic music, floats, food vendors and children's activities booths will take over Webb Park, on Rancho Bernardo Center Drive, in the Spirit of the Fourth's annual celebration from 9 a.m to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. A parade complete with military entries, veterans, bands and even children's bikes begins at 3:30 p.m. At dusk, the day's festivities will move to Rancho Bernardo High School for live entertainment and a fireworks show. Call (858) 487-1767 or visit www.spiritofthefourth.org.

- Valley Center ---- Valley Center's celebration will kick off at 6 p.m. in Jaguar Stadium at Valley Center High School. The event will feature food, children's games and rides, face painting, demonstrations and live music. A $1 donation is requested for rides and games. A fireworks display will take place at 9 p.m. Valley Center High is located at 31322 Cole Grade Road.

- Vista ---- A day of activities, food, family activities, games and a display of vintage military equipment will take place at the city's Brengle Terrace Park, 1200 Vale Terrace Drive. Live music featuring Dr. Feelgood and the Interns of Love from 3:30 to 10 p.m. Hennessey's in Vista will serve a gourmet barbecue in the Moonlight Amphitheatre. Call (760) 726-1340, Ext. 1574. The day will conclude with the "Largest Aerial Fireworks Show" in the county at 9 p.m

Fireworks chart

Fourth of July fireworks shows in Inland North County:

Carlsbad ---- 8 p.m., Legoland

Escondido ---- 9 p.m., Grape Day Park

Fallbrook ---- 8:45 p.m., the Grand Tradition

Oceanside ---- 9 p.m., Oceanside Pier

Poway ---- 9 p.m., Poway High School

Ramona ---- 9 p.m., Olive Peirce Middle School

Rancho Bernardo ---- Dark, Rancho Bernardo High School

San Marcos ---- 9 p.m., Bradley Park

Valley Center ---- 9 p.m., Valley Center High School

Vista ---- 9 p.m., Brengle Terrace Park