Where to Find Fireworks in SLO County
The Fourth of July is the annual celebration of the nation’s birthday, the anniversary of the day when the United States officially declared its Independence from England. To celebrate that, events of all sizes take place around the county on July 4. There are parades, music, fireworks and other festivities in the North County.
No matter what you prefer to do on that day, there is something for everyone. Since there are few fireworks celebrations — Paso Robles, Cayucos, Cambria and Pismo Beach — there are many events during the day, great for those with young children or those who want an earlier evening.
PASO POPS
The Paderewski Festival will host its fourth annual Fourth of July celebration, Paso Pops, on Thursday, July 4. The gates open at 4 p.m. with activities and amusements from 4 to 7:30 p.m., wine tasting from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for certain tickets and the concert beginning at 8 p.m. sharp. The event will be punctuated with fireworks from approximately 9:45 to 10:15 p.m.
“We think it’s the best Fourth of July show at least on the Central Coast and maybe all of California,” event chair Steve Cass said.
“There’s carnival rides for young kids and there’s a kids arts area.”
General admission is $30 or $15 for military personnel, seniors 60-plus and students. Children 12 and under are free with a paid adult. Proceeds go to the Paderewski Festival and other youth nonprofits. For more information, visit paderewskifest.com/pasopops or call 805-235-5409.
ATASCADERO BLUEGRASS FREEDOM FEST
The third annual Bluegrass Freedom Festival will come to Atascadero Lake Park on Thursday, July 4 from 2 to 8 p.m. The event will include live bluegrass music by Snap Jackson & The Knock On Wood Players, The Blue Js, AJ Lee & Blue Summit and Toro Creek Ramblers; family-fun amusements; beer, wine and vendor garden; chicken barbecue dinner, hotdogs, food vendors, and community games. Music begins at 2 p.m.
Come visit the Veterans of Foreign Wars at the hot dog stand and thank them for their service to our country! Be there at 3 p.m. for the flag presentation and national anthem!
For more information, visit AtascaderoFourthofJuly.com, e-mail info@atascaderofourthofjuly.com or call 805-466-4086. The annual event is sponsored by the Atascadero Colony Days Committee. All proceeds go to support Colony Days. Dinner tickets can be pre-purchased online.
TEMPLETON FOURTH OF JULY PARADE
Templeton really comes alive on the Fourth of July with its annual celebration. It starts with a pancake breakfast at the Templeton Fire Department from 7 to 9:30 a.m. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children 10 and younger and may be purchased in advance at the Templeton Community Services District office from any Templeton firefighter or at the door on July 4.
The parade, sponsored by the Templeton
Rotary Club, begins at 10 a.m. and will run along Main Street, ending at the Templeton Community Park, where there will be food,
entertainment, music and games.
Last year’s parade was the first to be organized by the Templeton Rotary Club. Rotary Club member and parade sponsorship chair Wendy Dow recommends that people show up early to stake out their seats because people will not be able to drive down the parade route as close to the start of the parade as they have in the past.
For questions or additional information on the parade or to register an entry for the parade, go to TempletonChamber.org.
FIREWORKS IN TEMPLETON
Templeton Education Foundation sells fireworks July 1 through 4 in Templeton on Main Street across the street from Joe’s Place. Live fireworks demonstrations are held July 1, 2 and 3 after dark. All proceeds from the fireworks booth go to Templeton Education Foundation which supports Templeton schools and teachers. Volunteers from the community are sought—those volunteering on July 1 to 3 will receive 25 percent off fireworks and those volunteering on July 4 will receive 35 percent off. For more information or to volunteer, email fireworks@templetoneducationfoundation.com. For exact times of when the booth will open, visit tefnow.com/fireworks.
SANTA MARGARITA PARADE
Santa Margarita Community Church hosts the community’s festivities with a small town parade that begins at about 10 a.m. on July 4 at the corner of H and Yerba Buena streets.
The parade will go east on H Street and end at the park. For more information, visit Santa MargaritaCC.org.
OTHER EVENTS IN SLO COUNTY
Morro Bay at Tidelands Park
A Family Fun Day will start at 10 a.m. and continue through 5 p.m. with a variety of events for the whole family including live music, games, bike and paddle parades, carnival, food and more.
For more information, contact Morro Bay Recreation Services at 805-772-6278 or visit MorroBay.org.
Cayucos State Beach
Cayucos has a full day of events starting with a sand sculpture contest at 5 a.m. and followed by the annual parade at 10 a.m. The afternoon will include food, Bingo and more.
The fireworks show begins at 9 p.m. For more information and details on all the events, go to CayucosChamber.com.
Pismo Beach Pier
The annual celebration in Pismo Beach will take place in the pier parking lot and the surrounding area from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. There will be music, vendors and more. With fireworks from the pier after sundown. For more info, go to ClassicCalifornia.com.
Cambria at Shamel Park
The town’s Old-Fashioned July 4 Celebration will start at 11 a.m. and run through 6 p.m., followed by a fireworks display. There will be old-fashioned games, live music, kids’ games and more.
For info, visit CambriaChamber.org.
