What organizers call the largest free Fourth of July celebration on the West Coast will return to downtown Los Angeles Saturday after a one-year absence.
Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Summer Block Party will run from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Its theme is “Voice and Expression as Power.” The party is “more than a holiday celebration,” Robert Gonzalez, the park’s director, said in a statement.
“Through music, dance, food and art, we are creating a space to uplift our community,” Gonzalez said. “Our summer block party will remind us that freedoms of expression — our voices and our stories — are the most powerful tools we have to impact change today and for future generations.”
The Backyard Stage, located directly in front of Los Angeles City Hall, will include performances by trumpeter Tatiana Tate, who serenaded reliever Edwin Diaz with her rendition of his entrance song “Narco” when he made his debut with the Dodgers, and the L.A. Tropifunk Collective. DJ Anthony Valadez will host and spin tunes.
On the Front Yard Stage, between Olive Court and Hill Street, the global DJ collective Pangea Sound will provide a fusion of Caribbean, African and Latin American sounds to energize dancers.
The party will also include interactive art with several participatory installations by local artists and a Community Sports & Health Zone, offering wellness resources and sports activations.
A drone show will begin at 9 p.m.
There will be four specially marked entrances — Grand Avenue and First Street; Hill and Temple streets; Main and First streets and Hill and Second streets.
Parking will be available for $10 at The Music Center garage and Walt Disney Concert Hall garage. Because of the large number of people expected, taking public transportation is highly encouraged.
The party was postponed last year out of safety concerns for “our guests, artists, staff and volunteers” following federal illegal immigration enforcement actions, Gonzalez said. It was eventually held Sept. 6.
Another venue with an evening Independence Day event Saturday that did not have one last year is Palisades Charter High School, where a drone show will begin around 9 p.m. The overall event will begin at 6 p.m. and also include music, children’s activities and food trucks.
Tickets must be purchased in advance at events.ticketleap.com/events/palisades4th. Attendees must be scanned into the stadium before the gates close at 8:45 p.m. Any ticket holders arriving after the gates close will not be admitted and no refunds will be given.
Burbank will present a drone show from 9-9:10 p.m., which can be seen from any location with a clear view of the hillside surrounding the Starlight Bowl. The venue will not be open for public viewing, and no event activities will take place on-site. There is no designated viewing area.
The synchronized soundtrack for the show can be heard at youtube.com/watch?v=QI5vTqQwvm0. Pre-show music starts at 8:45 p.m. and leads directly into the synchronized drone show.
Councilman Bob Blumenfield’s July 4th Extravaganza at Warner Center Park will include a fireworks show. The event will run from 5:30-9:30 p.m. and also include a concert by Doctor Wu, performing the music of Steely Dan.
A 20-minute fireworks show will be held in Marina del Rey. It will begin at 9 p.m., synchronized to music played over loudspeakers at Burton Chace Park and Fisherman’s Village. The show can be viewed from “nearly everywhere” in Marina del Rey, the Venice Pier, Playa Vista and Dockweiler Beach, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches & Harbors.
Fireworks will follow the Dodgers-San Diego Padres game at Dodger Stadium and The Beach Boys concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
Fireworks shows are also scheduled at Six Flags Magic Mountain and Universal Studios Hollywood.
Fireworks displays are also set for 9 p.m. at:
— Cerritos Civic Center, 18125 Bloomfield Ave.;
— Rowley Park, 13220 S. Van Ness Ave., Gardena;
— Crescenta Valley High School, 2900 Community Ave., La Crescenta;
— La Bonita Park, 1440 W. Whittier Blvd., La Habra;
— Marie Kerr Park, 2723 W. Rancho Vista Blvd., Palmdale;
— Rosemead Park, 4343 Encinita Ave.;
— Valencia Town Center, 24201 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita;
— South Gate Park, 9615 Pinehurst Ave.;
— Dr. Richard Roux Memorial Park, 26233 Faulkner Drive, Stevenson Ranch;
— Walnut High School, 400 Pierre Road;
— Westlake Village Golf Course, 4812 Lakeview Canyon;
— Friendly Hills Country Club, 8500 S. Villaverde Drive, Whittier; and
— York Field, 9110 Santa Fe Springs Road, Whittier.