STOCKTON, Calif. — The Fourth of July is setting up to be a busy day for downtown Stockton as the city celebrates Independence Day with a Fourth of July Parade, Festival and Firework Show.
The parade, hosted by the United Veterans Council of San Joaquin County, begins at 11 a.m. July 4.
While the parade takes off from the corner of Weber Avenue and Center Street, the grandstands will be in front of the Civic Memorial Auditorium and at El Dorado and Channel Streets.
Directly after the parade, a free festival will kick off at the Weber Point Events Center and the night will end with a firework show.
Gates at Weber Point will open at noon on July 4 and a festival featuring live music, food trucks and giveaways will continue into the night.
Some of the activities available at the festival will include an inflatable obstacle course, face painting, selfie stations and balloon artists.
While waiting in line for that face painting, festival-goers can enjoy performances from Filipino Bahala Na, Alfonzo Spoken Word, Rhymosaurs, the Chavez High School Dance Team and more.
Fireworks are expected to light up the downtown sky starting around 9:30 p.m. and lasting roughly 20 minutes. The Weber Point Events Center will close after the firework show is complete.
For those looking to celebrate the holiday early, the Stockton Ports will also light up the downtown Stockton sky on July 3. The baseball team's game against the Fresno Grizzlies, which starts at 7:05 p.m., will end with a firework show.
The matchup at Banner Island Ballpark will also feature a pre-game barbecue, a jersey auction and a giveaway. Tickets for the game range from $13 to $18.
The Stockton Ports won't be the only group lighting up the San Joaquin County sky on July 3. The Delta Independence Foundation has two shows in the sky planned as part of its Barron Hilton's Venice Island Firework Show.
The annual boating event will feature a Patriot Jet Team airshow at 6:30 p.m. and a firework show at 9 p.m. The event is being held at Mandeville Tip Country Park in the San Joaquin Delta, just west of Stockton.
While eventgoers will need a boat to get to the park, the air and firework shows will likely be visible from the levees of the San Joaquin River near the end of 8 Mile Road and Venice Island.
Parade Route
- Start east on Weber Avenue at Center Street
- North on El Dorado Street to Oak Street
- Left on Oak Street to Center Street
- Left on Center Street
- South on Center Street to back Weber Avenue
Two grandstands will be set up for parade viewers at the De Carli Plaza at Weber Avenue and El Dorado Street and at the Memorial Civic Auditorium.
Festival Main Stage Lineup
- 3 p.m. | Brandon Leake
- 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. | Flat Busted
- 6 p.m. | Brandon Leake
- 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Latin Magic
Fourth of July Fireworks Safety
If you choose to celebrate Independence Day with fireworks at your home, bypassing the parades and public events, you should read up on local ordinances before buying any fireworks.
Fireworks sold at stands beginning June 28 with the California State Fire Marshal's "Safe and Sane" label are legal to use in the city of Stockton on June 28 from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. and June 29 through July 4 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
While Safe and Sane labeled fireworks are legal in Stockton, they are prohibited in unincorporated areas of San Joaquin County. The only cities in the county that allow the use of safe and sane fireworks are Stockton, Lodi, Manteca, Tracy and Ripon.
An average of 18,000 fires are started every year by fireworks, both illegal ones and “safe and sane” fireworks” used improperly, according to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
To celebrate the Fourth of July safely, the Office of the State Fire Marshal says you should only use fireworks outdoors, but never near dry gas or other flammable materials. It’s also recommended to keep a bucket of water and a hose nearby when using fireworks.
Regardless of where you go in California, using fireworks that explode, leave the ground or move about the ground uncontrollably is illegal. These fireworks include skyrockets, bottle rockets, and roman candles. Anyone caught with illegal fireworks could face fines or even arrest.
In the city of Stockton, city leaders voted in June 2022 to increase fines for those found with illegal fireworks. Those caught with illegal fireworks in Stockton will face a $1,000 fine the first time, increasing as violations stack up.
The city has also rolled out a "Social Host Liability" ordinance which would apply fines and the cost of police and fire response to properties with illegal fireworks, to the property's owner, tenant, landlord or property manager.
If you are not sure if your fireworks are legal, you can contact your nearest Cal Fire facility or local fire station.
Watch More from ABC10: Stockton couple escapes house fire believed to have been caused by fireworks
