Rancho Bernardo to celebrate the Fourth of July with full day of activities

A full day of Independence Day activities will be offered in Rancho Bernardo on Monday as the 53rd annual Spirit of the Fourth festivities resume in full for the first time in two years.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced a cancelation in 2020 and limited activities to just the fireworks show in 2021. But this year organizers are bringing back all events, including the community fair and its events, the afternoon parade and evening fireworks with pre-show musical entertainment.

The admission-free community fair, in Webb Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., will feature at least a couple dozen vendor booths plus other activities. The park is accessible from Avena Place off Bernardo Center Drive.

First up will be the 12th annual Patriotic Pet Contest. All sorts of well-behaved pets in festive attire are welcome, including dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, rabbits and hamsters. Entrants are encouraged to get creative with their costuming to show off their patriotic spirit.

There is no fee to enter the contest sponsored by the Rancho Bernardo Community Council. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. near the stage in Webb Park. Judging starts at 9:30 a.m. with Jeff Zevely from CBS 8 picking the prize winners.

At 10:45 a.m. a patriotic ceremony will be held at the Rancho Bernardo Veterans Memorial in Webb Park. It will feature members of the Military Order of World Wars Gen. J.P. Holland Chapter and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Maj. Abraham J. Baum Post 7766.

Other activities in the park throughout the day will include the Wheels of Freedom Motor Show sponsored by the Poway Cruisers, the Quilts of Valor Quilt Show, and games for kids. There will also be food vendors selling refreshments.

The Spirit of the Fourth parade will start at 3:30 p.m. in downtown Rancho Bernardo with Lucia Capital Group as the parade’s grand marshal.

The parade will travel north on Acena Drive, west on Rancho Bernardo Road, south on Bernardo Center Drive and then go east on Lomica Drive, concluding near the post office. Parade viewers can bring blankets and lawn chairs to line the route.

No one will be able to enter or exit the parking lots in the RB Town Center (Vons) and The Plaza from 3 p.m. until the parade ends, which could be 4:30 or 5 p.m., according to parade organizer Myrna Estremera.

As of Tuesday, there were at least 55 entries, she said, including five high school marching bands, community organizations, elected officials and pageant queens.

Those of all ages who would like to participate in the parade are welcome to join its Wheels of Freedom segment. Check in at 3 p.m. in the parking lot near Round Table Pizza in The Plaza, 16761 Bernardo Center Drive.

The Wheels on Parade is open to anyone who dresses up in patriotic colors and uses some type of wheels — roller skates, roller blades, skate boards or wheelchairs — or patriotically decorates their bicycles, tricycles, unicycles and other similar devices. Participants will be given a red, white and blue safari hat, Estremera said. They are to wear appropriate safety gear, such as bicycle helmets, elbow pads and knee pads.

The festivities will conclude with evening entertainment from 6 to 9 p.m. followed by the fireworks show. The requested donation for admission to the grass practice field at Bernardo Heights Middle School is $10 per person or $20 per family, who are advised to bring blankets or lawn chairs.

Parking is in the student lot at Rancho Bernardo High School, accessible from Avenida Venusto, and along nearby streets. Those with a disabled parking placard and Freedom Club members can park in the staff lot, 13010 Paseo Lucido.

Poway-based band Not Quite Right will perform at 7 p.m. as part of Rancho Bernardo’s pre-fireworks show entertainment. Members are top row Bill Sharp and Gary Fletcher, bottom row Steve Horvath and Rick Smith.

(Courtesy of Richard Smith)

Evening event organizer Lynn Ewing said three musical acts have been booked.

“We are highlighting local talent,” he said.

First will be country singer/songwriter Barbra Green from 6 to 6:45 p.m. She is a soloist and Rancho Bernardo resident who will perform her original patriotic-type music, he said. Her new album, “I’ve Arrived” is set to be released this summer.

From 7 to 7:45 p.m. will be Not Quite Right, a rock band based in Poway. It features guitarist/lead vocalist Bill Sharp, bassist Gary Fletcher, guitarist Steve Horvath and drummer Rick Smith. The music of Not Quite Right is upbeat with a retro California feel containing infectious melodies and hooks that will leave the audience yearning for more, according to the band.

The final band, taking the stage from 8 to 8:45 p.m., will be Shark Jones. The four members — guitarist Chuck Knight, drummer Chip Holz, bassist Peter Ballantyne and songwriter/guitarist Rock Hunter — will be playing their original rock and roll music from their recently released album “Dream Come True.” The San Diego band has played together for 33 years.

For more details on the Fourth of July festivities, go to SpiritOfTheFourth.org.