Thousands of people came out Tuesday morning to begin the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration, a tradition since 1904.
The parade stepped off at 10 a.m. at Pacific Coast Highway and Ninth Street and will wind its way north on Main Street, with radio talk show host Tim Conway Jr. as the grand marshal. Former mixed martial arts fighter Tito Ortiz is also among the celebrities participating.
The parade was expected to last about two hours. Authorities expect that vehicle traffic will be flowing freely again in the parade area by 2 p.m. at the latest.
The daylong festivities conclude with a 9 p.m. fireworks show at the Huntington Beach Pier at 1 Main St.
In addition, the Orange County Fire Authority lists the following public, professional fireworks displays scheduled for Tuesday evening after sundown: — ALISO VIEJO: Grand Park Aliso Viejo Community Association, 26703 Aliso Creek Rd. — BUENA PARK: Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd. — DANA POINT: Dana Point Barge, Dana Point Harbor; St. Regis Monarch Beach Golf Club, 1 Monarch Beach Resort — IRVINE: Irvine H.S., 4321 Walnut Ave.; Woodbridge Village Association, 31 Creek Rd. — LADERA RANCH: LARCS Founders Park, 28192 O’Neil Dr. — LAGUNA BEACH: Emerald Bay Barge, Emerald Bay Cove — LAGUNA HILLS: Laguna Hills H.S., 25401 Paseo de Valencia — LAGUNA NIGUEL: Laguna Niguel Regional Park, 28241 La Paz Rd. — LAGUNA WOODS: Laguna Woods Village Golf Course, 24112 Moulton Parkway — MISSION VIEJO: Mission Viejo Activities Committee, 22056 Olympiad Rd.; Mission Viejo Country Club, 26200 Country Club Dr. — RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA: Lago Rancho Santa Margarita Beach Club, 21472 Ave de Los Fundado — SAN CLEMENTE: San Clemente Pier — SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO: San Juan Sports Park, 25925 Camino del Avion — SANTA ANA: Santa Ana Centennial Park, 3000 W. Edinger; Santa Ana Country Club, 20382 Newport Blvd. — SEAL BEACH: Old Ranch Country Club, 3901 Lampson — TUSTIN: Tustin H.S., 1171 El Camino Real — YORBA LINDA: Yorba Linda Middle School, 4777 Casa Loma.
—City News Service