Scotts Valley will celebrate July 4th with a parade, flyover, and fireworks again this year.
The parade and flyover are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. on Scotts Valley Drive, said Recreation Division Manager for the City of Scotts Valley, Kristin Ard.
“(The parade) takes off at the Civic Center Drive right there by MacDorsa Park right on Scotts Valley Drive, and they start and go down toward the boys and girls club and then they turn around and comes back,” she said.
This year’s participants will include the American Legend Post #31 Salinas Color Guard, Vargas Academy Gymnastics, local schools, the Kiwanis Club, Exchange Club, classic cars, fire trucks, Boy Scouts, and more.
Scotts Valley Advocates, a local nonprofit, runs the event and uses the money to fund different projects, needs, and facilities for the City, Ard said. Also, the boy scouts come and run all the carnival games so they can make some money to help support their troop.
“Once the parade is over, everyone comes back here to Skypark,” Ard said. “We’ve got two bands this year, we’ve got the Joint Chiefs playing at 4:30 p.m. and then we’ve got the Mike Hadley Band at 6:30 p.m. and then we’ve got the national anthem by Tammy Brown.”
Ard said that C2G Engineering, Threshold Enterprises, Zennia’s Gift Boutique, Evergreen Auto Car, and Scotts Valley Cycle Sport, were among some of the sponsors.
“We have a lot of fun activities here at the park while bands are playing, there’s carnival games, there’s bounce houses, there’s a rock climbing wall, and then aunt Lali comes and does her ice cream truck and her coffee for later on,” she said, “and then Scotts Valley Market has an incredible menu this year.”
Scotts Valley Market is sponsoring the event and will be selling their signature tri tip and other barbecued delights at Skypark beginning at 4 p.m.
“We will be providing again this year the famous tri tip sandwiches, BBQ chicken sandwiches and tri tip plates, chicken plates, we’ll do hamburgers and hot dogs, and a new addition this year is the pulled pork sandwich,” said Scotts Valley Market Owner Ron Clements.
In the spirit of the Fourth of July Holiday, The Rotary Club will be offering free watermelon, Ard said. Other fun activities will include face painting, pony rides, and a petting zoo for the kids.
“I think the community loves it, we get a huge turnout so it’s a way to raise money to help maintain all of our parks and facilities,” Ard said, adding that about 5000 people showed up for the festivities at Skypark last year.
Tickets for the Scotts Valley’s July 4th fireworks show and festivities at Skypark can be purchased at Scotts Valley Market, Ben Lomond Market, Crown Café Deli and Catering, and Scotts Valley Recreation.
“We are always looking for volunteers to help and they get an entry wristband and a meal ticket,” Ard said.
The fireworks show is sponsored by Robert Aldana and will begin at 9:20 p.m.
“For the parade we are doing the normal road closure that we do every year,” said Scotts Valley Police Lieutenant Steve Walpole. “Scotts Valley Drive will be closed between Civic Center Drive and El Pueblo.”
The closure will occur between 3 and 5 p.m. said Scotts Valley Police Sergeant David Ball.
“Post fireworks, at 9:30 at night or so, we are going to have Bean Creek be a one way direction going away from the fireworks, so it will be a one way direction headed toward Scotts Valley drive,” Walpole said.
