Several Fourth of July celebrations were scheduled to mark America’s 248th birthday Thursday across Riverside County.
Corona’s traditional Main Street U.S.A Parade occurred at 9 a.m. Thursday at Ontario and Main streets, featuring law enforcement units, fire engines, marching bands, military hardware and show animals. The procession, which typically draws upwards of 4,000 spectators, traveled about a mile and concluded at Olive and Main streets around noon. A fireworks show was set for 9 p.m. in Santana Regional Park.
Moreno Valley’s Fourth of July Parade was underway at 9:30 a.m. at Alessandro Boulevard and Frederick street, concluding about two hours later on Towngate Boulevard. The celebration continued at 2 p.m. outside the Civic Center Amphitheatre on Frederick street, where a Family FunFest was held, complete with musical entertainment, a beer garden and kids’ activities.
Fireworks were scheduled after sunset.
Temecula’s Star Spangled Parade began at 10 a.m., featuring the Temecula Valley Mounted Posse, Veterans of Foreign Wars, members of the American Legion, the Riverside County Fire Department, the Boy Scouts of America and other organizations. The parade ran northbound along Old Town Front Street. Pyrotechnics were planned after dark in Ronald Reagan Sports Park.
In Palm Desert, the Portola Community Center will hold a fireworks display meant for people who have difficulty processing heightened sounds and/or lights. The show will offer ear plugs and is described as a “display in a comfortable, sensory isolated area” for all. It will be held at 45480 Portola Road from 8-9:30 p.m., and is free to the public.
In addition, fireworks shows are scheduled at the following locations, generally beginning at 9 p.m.:
— Banning, Nicolet Middle School, 101 E. Nicolet St.;
— Beaumont, Town Center, Sixth and Eight streets;
— Lake Elsinore, Lakepoint Park, 420 Lakeshore Drive;
— Lake Elsinore, Diamond Stadium, 500 Diamond Drive;
— Palm Desert, Civic Center Park, Fred Waring Drive and San Pablo Avenue;
— Palm Springs, Sunrise Park, 1901 E. Baristo Road;
— Perris, Morgan Park, 600 E. Morgan St.;
— Rancho Mirage, Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive;
— Riverside, La Sierra Park, 5215 LaSierra Ave;
— Riverside, Mount Rubidoux, 4706 Mount Rubidoux Drive; and
— Temecula, Pechanga Resort Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway.
Desert Hot Springs will hold its celebration after dark on July 5 in Mission Springs Park, 14-510 Palm Drive.
In 2020, all but one public Fourth of July fireworks celebration was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The celebrations returned on a scaled-down level in 2021 and were back in full swing in 2022.
In Riverside County, private parties are prohibited from using fireworks except in Blythe, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs and Indio, where so- called “safe and sane” fireworks, certified by the state fire marshal, can be sold to the public.
The devices are mostly pyrotechnics that don’t explode or fly, including sparklers, ground spinners, fountains, snappers and caps.
Under county Ordinance 858, which was amended by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in response to an outbreak of blazes in 2020, fines for illegally storing, transporting or setting off fireworks can range from $1,000 to $5,000.
Any person who triggers a brush fire due to the illegal use of fireworks can be held responsible for all suppression costs.
Despite the potential penalties imposed by the county and cities, fireworks are routinely set off in large numbers by individuals in unincorporated communities and municipalities countywide every Fourth of July.