The city of Santa Clarita is looking forward to celebrating its first post-pandemic Fourth of July this weekend.
This year’s theme, “America Emerging with Patriotic Enthusiasm,” was chosen as a way to celebrate patriotism and freedoms after months of quarantine and shutdowns, according to city officials.
Because the city’s Fourth of July Parade committee was unable to host its traditional Fourth of July Parade in Santa Clarita this year due to lingering restrictions, it has continued its alternative celebration for the second year, which includes a Patriotic Tour and Pee-Wee Parade.
Patriotic Tour and Pee-Wee Parade
For the Pee-Wee Parade, residents were invited to design and build a miniature parade float, then capture a photo of it to be shared in an online photo gallery.
Prizes are set to be awarded to the top three submissions in categories that include Youth Float, the wacky and zany Do-Dah Style, Most Patriotic, Best Santa Clarita Spirit, People’s Choice and Sweepstakes Winner.
With the exception of the People’s Choice winner, all other categories are expected to be judged by official SCV Fourth of July Parade judges, with winners announced on the city’s social media accounts on Friday and set to be sent prizes and certificates.
Residents were also invited to decorate the fronts of their homes or businesses in Americana for a chance to win a prize that also supports local businesses, with the top three winners expected to win gift cards to a local business of their choice.
The Patriotic Tour is set to begin at City Hall, where the pint-sized grand marshals, who were chosen from submissions of them decked out in their Fourth of July best, are to meet the judges and City Council before they drive around in Santa Clarita Transit’s patriotically decorated trolley to visit the top three winners in person the morning of the Fourth to award their prizes and certificates.
Spirit of America Fireworks Spectacular
The celebration is set to culminate with the return of the city’s Spirit of America Fireworks Spectacular Sunday night.
A portion of the Westfield Valencia Town Center parking lot is set to be blocked off to the public for the firework fall zone, and Citrus Street is set to be closed beginning at 3 a.m. July 4. All other roads in the area are expected to remain open to vehicle traffic, while existing “no parking” zones are set to remain in effect and be enforced by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
City officials also reminded residents that all fireworks, even those marked “safe and sane,” are illegal to possess in Santa Clarita and a violation of the Santa Clarita Municipal Code, Health and Safety Code and L.A. County Fire Code.
Residents can report locations that have been problem areas for illegal fireworks in past years under the “Illegal Fireworks” category on the city’s Resident Service Center, with data gathered set to be used to map out areas of concern for law enforcement. It should be noted that these reports do not result in an immediate response from the Sheriff’s Department.
The Spirit of America Fireworks Spectacular is scheduled to begin at approximately 9:15 p.m. on Sunday from the launch site, near the corner of Magic Mountain Parkway and Citrus Street.
To vote for Pee-Wee Parade submissions, visit bit.ly/PeeWeeParade2021. For more information on illegal firework use in Santa Clarita and additional resources, visit santa-clarita.com/Fireworks.
The Resident Service Center is accessible on the city’s website at santa-clarita.com/RSC, as well as through the Santa Clarita mobile app. The public can also report illegal fireworks to the SCV Sheriff’s Station’s non-emergency line at 661-255-1121. Please do not call 911 to report illegal fireworks activity as those lines must be kept open for emergencies.
