MENDOCINO Co., 7/01/18 — This year, the 4th of July arrives on a Wednesday — and while the Fort Bragg fireworks won’t happen until this weekend, there are two different parades to help you celebrate mid-week.
One reminder from CalFire — it’s definitely fire season (here’s a wildfire map), and fireworks are illegal in Mendocino County — please stay alert to any fire dangers as you celebrate.
Here’s the details for the Willits and Mendocino Independence Day Parades:
Willits: The long-standing tradition of the Willits Fourth of July Frontier Days Parade will continue on Wednesday — and for those of you hoping to check it out, there might be some difficulty parking near Main Street. The parade itself, in its 92nd year, will showcase many of the community’s organizations as part of the state’s longest-running rodeo celebration, one piece of the multi-week event bonanza that is Frontier Days. This year, the parade will begin at 11 a.m. with the theme of “We stand for Old Glory.”
The Willits Police Department will be going to businesses in the area and delivering “NO PARKING” notices in the locations where the parade will be taking place. WPD asks for the public’s cooperation in respecting parking restrictions so the parade runs smoothly. The following streets will be impacted:
The following streets with be affected by the parade:
E. Commercial St., S. Main St., E. Valley St. and S. Lenore.
The following streets will be affected by the detour:
W. Commercial St., School St., Pine St., Coast St. and W. Valley St.
Other events happening on July 4 for Frontier Days include: a free horseshoe contest (10 a.m. in Recreation Grove); a BBQ lunch and Country Music Rodeoloa (12 p.m. in Recreation Grove, $15/adults and $8/children and seniors); and the CCPRA Professional Rodeo (4 p.m. at Jack Tharp Arena, $15/box seats, $12/adults, $5/children). There are also events happening today, Sunday July 1, and Tuesday, July 3, including junior rodeo, barrel racing, and the street dance/carnival — see the full schedule here.
Mendocino: Starting around 12 p.m. at Main Street and Lansing Streets, thousands of people will turn out to participate and cheer on the Mendocino Independence Day Parade. Parking is less restrictive in Willits — just don’t block any driveways! — but you will still need to get there early to scout out a spot.
You can continue the party while watching the parade at the Kelley House Museum, where there will be BBQ, popcorn, music, adult beverages from the North Coast Brewing Company plus wine and juice. At 1:30 p.m. you can also catch the Flynn Creek Circus showing off their skills with a new show.
There’s plenty of other Independence Day events happening for the rest of the week on the coast: On Thursday, July 5 you can catch Jazz on the Lawn for free from 1 – 4 p.m. in Mendocino with the Swinging Boonville Big Band, and on Saturday, there will be the annual World’s Largest Salmon BBQ (all proceeds go to salmon restoration) and the Fort Bragg fireworks display.
Ukiah Independence Day: All-American Picnic organized by the City of Ukiah from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Todd Grove Park, with free hotdogs and BBQ, free pool admission, arts and crafts, and more. Here’s the details.
Did we miss an event you know about? Get in touch at [email protected]
