San Mateo County celebrates Fourth of July

Entertainment will be in high supply as well. Three concerts, including bands Andy Z, Fog City Swampers and Township, are sprinkled throughout the day to keep attendees dancing and immersed in the local music scene.

Foster City is planning many activities to keep boredom at bay. Kids and families can find fun in the kids’ play zone and family games running almost all day — including a watermelon eating contest and three-legged race. The stars of the show are the family and dog parade at 11:05 a.m., and the fireworks show to end the day, which is a favorite of Foster City Communications Manager Austin Walsh. 

“It’s really awesome to see the community come together and celebrate, as it is a pastime and a tradition in Foster City. We have a lot of summer programming and this sort of kicks off our summer full of events,” he said. “But you know, there’s a long history to this particular celebration in Foster City and we’re proud of it. There are a lot of elements that I enjoy, but the best part is definitely the fireworks.”

San Mateo is holding its annual Fourth of July in the Park event. Starting at 11 a.m., families and anyone celebrating the holiday can participate in a wide range of activities. From a Club 90s concert to a bounce house and a rock wall, everyone can find something to enjoy.

Food trucks, such as Humphrey Slocombe, Ta’Contreras, and Rock Club Burgers, will also be there. 

San Mateo Communications Manager Samantha Weigel describes San Mateo’s Fourth of July in the Park as a fantastic opportunity to come together and enjoy a fun holiday afternoon in the park with family-friendly activities, a concert, food trucks, activities, bounce houses and more.

“Each year our Parks and Recreation team hosts a variety of summer events, and the Fourth of July party in the park is really a special time to get together and celebrate our nation’s independence,” she said.

On the coast, Half Moon Bay is hosting its 52nd annual “Ol’ Fashioned” Fourth of July Parade from noon to 1:30 p.m. The parade is set to include a diverse array of participants from cars to horses and tractors. To end the well-anticipated parade, Aaron Burnham and the Brushfires will kick off the block party with lively country music.

Coastside Chamber CEO Krystlyn Giedt explained the annual event fosters a closer sense of community.

“It’s really nice when you can walk down Main Street on any given day and wave at people that you know and get a hello back. And that’s pretty standard,” she said. “But the more of these events that people go to those hellos are becoming more intimate conversations because they’ve run into each other bunches of times and they’re now friends. And a lot of that starts with these community events.”

A few towns over, Redwood City is holding a multitude of Fourth of July events starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 9:45 p.m. The first event is a $10 pancake breakfast that benefits the Redwood City Firefighters Association.

The city’s annual parade starts at 10 a.m., wrapping around downtown Redwood City to showcase the many floats and decorations various organizations put together. The long day full of games and entertainment will end with a bang, literally. Fireworks will begin lighting up the sky at 9:30 p.m.

Additionally, Millbrae is holding a special Beats, Brew, and Vines for the Fourth of July. Music, drinks, food and dancing will be in abundance for concert-goers to properly commemorate the holiday. The event will showcase As Is Band from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Big Daddy Sunshine from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., giving attendees a taste of classic rock and ’90s tunes.

This Fourth of July, San Mateo County will be far from dull. Many nearby cities and towns are offering an assortment of festivities, painting the Peninsula with red, white, and blue.

However, while celebrating the holidays and having fun are always encouraged, Weigel and Walsh both emphasize the importance of safety.

“All fireworks are illegal in San Mateo, and we’ll be closing a few parks early on Fourth of July to discourage illegal activities,” Weigel said. “Fireworks can be extremely dangerous to you and the people around you; the few moments of excitement are not worth the potential life-lasting injuries they can cause.”