Members of the San Mateo County Mounted Patrol marched in the annual Fourth Of July Parade in Redwood City, the largest of its kind in Northern California.
Inviting residents to don their best red, white and blue outfits, cities across the Peninsula are gearing up for their Fourth of July celebrations, with many offering vast arrays of food options, live music and family-friendly activities.
As the largest Independence Day parade in North California, Redwood City’s annual celebration remains the headliner of events throughout the county. Kicking off with a cannon at 10 a.m., the parade will wind a 1.3-mile route through the historic downtown.
Residents can enjoy a pancake breakfast beforehand with the Redwood City Fire Department from 8-11 a.m. at Fire Station 9, located at 755 Marshall St. Breakfast is $10 and proceeds go toward the Redwood City Firefighters Association.
Downtown Redwood City will be also filled with a variety of festival activities, including arts and crafts booths, food and entertainment. Courthouse Square will also be filled with families leaving their mark on the city by reserving a space for Chalk Full of Fun. Hosted by the city’s Parks and Arts Foundation, interested artists of all skill levels can register for a medium or large size space and receive a chalk set, on either July 3 or July 4.
To enjoy live music near the water, the Port of Redwood City will host a concert featuring a seven-piece cover band at 7 p.m. ahead of the fireworks celebration slated for 9:30 p.m.
In Foster City, the festivities will center at Leo Ryan Park, and last all day.
The Rotary Club will also host a pancake breakfast from 9-11 a.m. at the Recreation Center Meadow, ending just in time for families to see the family and dog parade. A slew of food trucks will be stationed along Shell Boulevard throughout the day and kids will have access to a variety of games, all culminating with the national anthem at the park’s amphitheater at 9:25 p.m. and fireworks show over the lagoon.
On the coast, the Half Moon Bay Lions Club is hosting a pancake breakfast behind the Portuguese Culture Center located at 724 Kelly Ave. from 8-11:30 a.m. Once families are done eating, the “Ol’ Fashioned 4th of July Parade” returns to Main Street at noon, celebrating small-town America.
The Portuguese Hall of Half Moon Bay will host its annual Independence Day festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring live music, ax throwing, jump houses and more.
Millbrae will celebrate the holiday with a free concert at Central Park beginning at noon, accompanied by an array of food trucks and carnival games apt for the family.
San Mateo invites families to join in celebration at Central Park to enjoy crafts, games, airbrush tattoos and live music from noon to 2 p.m. To deter the use of fireworks, which are illegal within city limits, Seal Point, Ryder and Parkside Aquatic parks will be closed beginning at 6 p.m.
Many cities continue to warn against the use of fireworks, even those considered “safe and sane,” especially amid the expected high temperatures and ideal circumstances for possible wildfires throughout the weekend. San Bruno and Pacifica remain the only two cities in the county that allow safe and sane fireworks, which are not likely to explode or fly.
(65) 344-5200 ext. 106
Daily Journal staff
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
What the Constitution Means to Me Read moreWhat The Constitution Means To Me
The local FOUR CHAPLAINS CEREMONY commemorates the bravery, heroism and sacrifice of the fou… Read moreJan 31, 2026 FOUR CHAPLAINS CEREMONY
You’ve likely known your closest friends for years — but when was the last time you met some… Read moreMaking Friends in Your 60s and Beyond
Dirk van Ulden said:
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.