PARADE INFO: SCVParade.com

About 3,000 people will march in Santa Clarita’s annual Fourth of July Parade, and an additional 25,000 are expected to line the streets as spectators on Thursday in Old Town Newhall.

“The parade is about having fun and it’s about celebrating,” said Leon Worden, chairman of the parade, “It’s all the different community groups coming together and celebrating what they do.”

Preceded by a 5-K Run at Newhall Park, the parade will begin at 9 a.m. The route runs north along Main Street from 5th Street (at Hart Park) to Lyons Avenue, turns right on Orchard Village Road and ends at 16th Street.

The parade has been an annual event in Newhall since 1932, and this year’s theme is the winning spirit.

Registration for those entered in the parade opens at 6 a.m. at Veteran’s Historical Plaza in Old Town Newhall. At approximately 12:30 p.m judges will award trophies at El Trocadero Restaurant.

There will be a pancake breakfast hosted by the Rotary Club at 6:30 a.m. in the Roger Dunn Golf parking lot on San Fernando Road between 5th and 6th streets.

Street closures will begin approximately at 7 a.m. and include: Main Street in both directions from Pine Street to Lyons Avenue; Lyons in both directions from San Fernando Road to Orchard Village Road; and Orchard in both directions from Lyons to 16th Street.

There will be no parking along the parade route roads or in the staging areas. Spectators are encouraged to park anywhere they can do so legally.

Get there as early as possible because it is going to be hot, and bring plenty of water.

After the parade, the city of Santa Clarita’s Fireworks Show at Westfield Valencia Town Center is scheduled for approximately 9:20 p.m.

– David Mariuz

City of Santa Clarita:

Celebrate Independence Day with a series of patriotic events hosted throughout the City of Santa Clarita on Thursday, July 4, 2013, as a way of commemorating an essential day in American history.

The Fourth of July festivities kick off with the Independence Day 5K, presented by the Santa Clarita Runners’ Club.  All races begin at Newhall Park, located at 24933 Newhall Avenue, and end with a refreshing Jamba Juice drink for all participants at the finish line. This exciting run stretches along the 4^th of July Parade route and offers something for runners of all levels.  Race times include: 7:00 a.m. for the 10K; 7:45 a.m. for the Kid K; and 8:00 a.m. for the 5K race/walk.  Community members must register for races at scrunners.org.

After the race, residents can enjoy The Annual Santa Clarita 4^th of July Parade beginning at 9:00 a.m. in Old Town Newhall.  This year’s parade is themed “The Winning Spirit” and will feature horses, floats, music, classic cars, military presentations and more, as it travels down Main Street, Lyons Avenue and Orchard Village Road before finishing at 16^th Street.  For more information on the parade, visit scvparade.com.

The day’s festivities conclude with the City of Santa Clarita Fourth of July Fireworks Show at Westfield Valencia Town Center at 9:15 p.m.  Not only will the night’s sky display magnificent, luminous lights, the air will be filled with the sounds of KHTS AM 1220’s live soundtrack to compliment the ambience of the event.  As the fireworks show is one of the City’s most popular 4^th of July events, guests are encouraged to arrive early, as major intersections and streets will be impacted.

Travel lanes will reopen following the fireworks show as conditions allow. Due to the high number of vehicles trying to exit the area and the traffic restrictions, extensive delays should be expected. Motorist heading to the east side of the City should use the exits onto Citrus Street, while motorists heading to the west side of the City should use the signalized exits onto Valencia Boulevard or Magic Mountain Parkway.

For more information about this year’s festivities, please visit Arts.Santa-Clarita.com/ or contact the City of Santa Clarita’s Arts and Events Office at (661) 286-4018.