great america celebration
Paramount’s Great America will salute our nation’s proud history with one of the Bay Area’s largest Independence Weekend fireworks “skyconcerts” and a day of family fun and adventure on Saturday, July 3.
A 30-minute fireworks “skyconcert”, choreographed to a mix of contemporary and traditional patriotic music, will soar high above the park beginning at 9:30 p.m. The fireworks are free with park admission. The park is from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday,.
Guests can also enjoy an all-you-can-eat barbecue picnic in the park’s Paramount Pavilion from 4-8 p.m. VIP Pass-holders can gain exclusive access to the picnic beginning at 4 p.m. The picnic includes a variety of summertime favorites including barbecue chicken, hot dogs, potato salad, Caesar salad, Western-style chili beans, dinner rolls, ice cream novelties, and soft drinks. Picnic tickets may be purchased on July 3 at any open ticket booth from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., or at the Paramount Pavilion from noon-6 p.m. The cost is $15 for adults and $7.50 for children (ages 3 to 9).
Guests are encouraged to car pool or take light rail to the park to avoid holiday traffic delays. For more information on public transportation, call the Valley Transportation Authority at 321-2300.
Details: www.pgathrills.com or 988-1776.
hollister rally
Hollister again will be filled with motorcyclists for the eighth annual Independence Rally today through Sunday. Motorcycle enthusiasts from throughout California and elsewhere are expected to attend what organizers believe will be the largest to date. Last year, attendance topped 100,000.
Upwards of 200 vendors and a wide variety of entertainment will be featured at the rally concentrated mostly in the downtown area.
pops and rocks
This Fourth of July, Little Anthony and the Imperials will again entertain an Independence Day audience at the Graniterock Independence Day Festival Concert and Fireworks at A.R. Wilson Quarry in Aromas. Proceeds benefit the participating community musical organizations and local United Way agencies.
Tickets for this event including a barbecue will be sold in advance only. Adults are $30, children are $10, barbecue dinner is $15 and will be served from 4:30-7 p.m. Food concessions will sell non-alcoholic beverages, hot dogs, Gizdich Ranch pie, popcorn, hot chocolate and coffee. Parking is free and wheelchair access is provided. Tickets and details: 831-768-2007.
July 4 in Gilroy
If a backyard barbecue is not enough to inspire an Independence Day celebration, a neighborhood get-together and community fireworks show may do the trick.
The East Eighth Street Association will host a celebration Sunday in an effort to strengthen ties among residents. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with food, music and games followed by fireworks at 8:45. The public is invited to join in at East Eighth Street and Butcher Park.
The annual fireworks show, sponsored by the City of Gilroy, will also take place at Gilroy High School starting at 9:15 p.m. and should last about 20 minutes. Traditionally people take in the sights from nearby homes, line up along the levy, or relax on lawn-chairs and blankets on the high school baseball fields.
meadow music festival
This July, San Jose adds another sizzling music festival to its annual lineup with Day on the Meadow, the inaugural event featuring the alternative sounds of Switchfoot, Camper Van Beethoven, Lit, and Sugarcult. This year’s headliner is Switchfoot whose latest release, Beautiful Meltdown, is topping the charts with messages of hope and inspiration. The day-long festival benefits Our House, the Emergency Housing Consortium’s Youth Division.
This event takes place Saturday, July 3, noon-10:30 p.m. at Discovery Meadow, Guadalupe River Park, corner of W. San Carlos St. and Woz Way, San Jose. Tickets are $10.49 in advance and $15 at the door; available on website or at Streetlight Records in San Jose or Santa Cruz. Details: www.dayonthemeadow.com
red, white and true blue
Come celebrate the diversity of the Bay Area with a “Red, White and True Blue” July 4 party. Join the crew of the USS Hornet and KZBR “the bear” on the decks of the aircraft carrier Hornet, Pier 3 in Alameda, for food, crafts and music. It will be Sunday, July 4, noon-10 p.m. Live performances by Bay Area artists including Rusty Evans, Silver Creek and Appaloosa.
Tickets are $14 for adults, $6 for ages 5-17 and children under 5 are admitted free.
The USS Hornet and the celebration is a fundraiser for the Aircraft Carrier Foundation. All proceeds go directly toward the restoration and preservation of this Historic Landmark. Details: www.uss-hornet.org, www.933thewave.com or 510-521-8448.
america festival
A new twist on the 14th annual San Jose America Festival adds the fifth annual Concert for the Homeless to San Jose’s July Fourth activities. Assorted music, family fun, arts and crafts, and independence celebrations abound. This event takes place Sunday, July 4, at Discovery Meadow in Guadalupe River Park at the corner of West San Carlos Street and Woz Way in San Jose. Doors open at 11 a.m., concert for the homeless runs noon-3 p.m., additional music runs 3:30-10:30 p.m. Fireworks launch at 9:30 p.m. Free to all.
Now in its fifth year, Concert for the Homeless is a music festival benefiting the programs of the Emergency Housing Consortium. This year’s headliner is Fastball, whose alternative rock sound is credited with chunky Cars-like guitar work and often glorious harmonies. Details: www.americafestival.com
vta service to america festival
To celebrate Independence Day and to recognize the men and women of the United States Armed Forces serving throughout the world, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is providing free bus and light rail service all day on Sunday, July 4.
The July Fourth San Jose America Festival is at Discovery Meadow in front of the Children’s Discovery Museum, in downtown San Jose. VTA will provide more frequent light rail service to accommodate passengers attending these events. Light Rail service will operate about every 15 minutes, 3-11 p.m. Festival-goers should de-board at the Convention Center Station and walk one block west on San Carlos Street to Discovery Meadow. Light rail service will operate every 10 minutes from 5-9:20 p.m. and again from 10 p.m.-midnight.
In addition to light rail, extra bus service will be available on Sunday, July 4, from the Tamien, Curtner and Capitol light rail stations to the festival. Festival-goers can park their cars at these Park and Ride lots and ride light rail or the extra buses directly to the festival.
Details: www.vta.org, www.americafestival.com or 294-2100, ext. 444.
american rhapsodies
Stern Grove presents a world premiere arrangement of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue on Sunday, July 4, at 2 p.m. The acclaimed Anthony Brown’s Asian American Orchestra and Melody of China will perform a free concert at Sigmund Stern Grove, 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard. The afternoon also features a pre-concert talk with Anthony Brown and Hong Wang at the Grove’s Trocadero Clubhouse. Details: www.sterngrove.org or 415-252-6252.
