SANTA MONICA—Santa Monica is hosting its annual Fourth of July parade on Saturday, July 4, organized by the Ocean Park Association. The theme this year is to celebrate the arts and will include marching bands, classic cars, and decorative floats. The parade kicks off at 9:30 a.m. on Main Street and Pico Boulevard. The parade travels south on Main Street, turns right onto Marine, and finishes at beach lot 5 south.
Pulse in the Park, a free World Cup-themed festival, begins shortly after the parade ends and runs from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Tongva Park. There will be live music, food vendors, and pop-up shops. Street closures will take place from 6 a.m. to noon, with parking lots available off Neilson to the west, though the OPA recommends walking or biking to the events.
This will be the 19th year the Ocean Park Association has held the event, which will be celebrating the nation’s 250th year of independence. The parade’s co-founder, Jeff, has lived in the community for over 40 years and sits on the boards of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Monica Pier Corporation. The parade’s grand marshal is Dr. Walid Ghurabi, the longtime medical director at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center.
