East Bay Fourth of July Celebrations

Celebrate Independence Day in these SF Bay Area Cities

In 2017, you will find a number of fun Fourth of July celebrations, parades and festivals throughout the East Bay near San Francisco. They range from the 163rd Annual Parade in Vallejo to the worldOne Live Music Festival in El Cerrito.

You will also find almost a dozen places to catch the fireworks including Benicia, Berkeley and Pleasanton.

For some of the links on this page, I receive a small commission when you purchase. You don't pay more when you buy through me and it gives me the chance to offer you all this great content for free!

Alameda

The annual Alameda Fourth of July Parade starts at 10am on Tuesday, July 4th. This parade is one of the longest in the US with more than 3 miles of parade route. Get there early to find your spot.

Albany

This year's Green, Red, White, and Blue Celebration in Albany is on Tuesday, July 4. Festivities start with a pancake feed at the Veteran's Memorial Building from 9 am to 12 pm.

The rest of the celebrations kick off at noon at Memorial Park. Enjoy food from local food trucks and plenty of family fun until 4 pm.

Other activities include:

12:10 to 1:10: Live Music
12 to 3: Car Show
1:10 to 1:35: Albany Lions Watermelon Eating Contest
1:40 to 1:55: Beard and Mustache Contest
1:55: Free Ice Cream
2 pm: 5th Annual Diaper Derby
2:30 to 3:10: East Bay Vivarium Reptile Show
3:10 to 3:35: 4th of July Pet Show
3:30 to 4: Family Games

You can also purchase a fun band for your kids for $5 and they get unlimited use of the following:

Zip Line
Pony Rides
Mega Rock Wall
Petting Zoo
Jump House
Face painting
& More

Antioch

This year's Antioch celebration offers a full day of fun on Tuesday, July 4th. The parade starts at 11 am in downtown Antioch on 2nd Street. You can also enjoy family fun, live entertainment, a car show, and more at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds, at 10th and L Streets, from 4 pm to 11 pm.

The fireworks start at around 9:15 pm to 10 pm.

Benicia

The Independence Day celebration in Benicia starts on Monday, July 3. From 6:30pm to 9pm, they host their annual Torchlight Parade along First Street, where you will see dancers, floats, clowns, and more.

The Picnic in the Park starts at noon on Tuesday, July 4. All day long at Benicia City Park you can enjoy arts & crafts, hot food, live entertainment, and children's activities. Fireworks will start around 9pm.

Berkeley

Head to the Berkeley Marina on Tuesday, July 4 between noon and 10pm for this year's Fourth of July Celebration. During this all day event, you will find live entertainment, food trucks, arts and crafts, a petting zoo, carnival rides, free dragon boat rowing, and much more. The fireworks display starts just south of the Berkeley Pier at 9:35pm.

Clayton

This year's parade starts at Center and Oak, on Main Street, and will start at 10am. The parade includes fun homemade floats and a variety of other entries. It usually lasts around two and a half to three hours.

Concord

Celebrations kick off with the Stars and Stripes 5K Run and Walk/Run at 8am (registration starts at 7 am). The 2017 parade starts at 10am at Mount Diablo High School on Grant Street.

The 4th of July Festival starts at 4pm at Mt. Diablo High School. The festival features a carnival, food, arts & crafts vendors, and live music. The day concludes at around 9pm with a fireworks display that you will be sure to enjoy.

Danville

This year's annual parade in Danville is on Tuesday, July 4 from 9 am to 12 pm. The route starts at Hartz and Railroad Avenues and ends at San Ramon Valley Blvd. and Sycamore Valley Road. The parade includes over 150 entries, including bands and floats, and attracts more than 40,000 attendees each year.

This year's theme is "Honoring the Vietnam War Veterans."

El Cerrito

The worldOne 4th of July Festival in El Cerrito is on Tuesday, July 4 from 10am to 6pm in Cerrito Vista Park.

This free festival includes food, live entertainment, children's fun area, art show and sale, and vendor booths by local organizations.

Fairfield

The annual Independence Day Parade in Fairfield is on Tuesday, July 4. The parade starts at 10am and travels down Texas Street from Taylor to Union. All activities last until around 1pm.

Fremont

Fremont will host its Fourth of July parade on Tuesday, July 4 starting at 10am. The parade starts at the Fremont Library, continues north and concludes at Capital Avenue.

Livermore

Livermore's Red, White & Boom Fireworks and Block Party is on Tuesday, July 4 from 4pm to 10pm. Downtown streets will be closed for family fun as well as restaurant and shopping specials, and a large fireworks display will take place around 9:30pm, launched off the top of the downtown parking structure.

Martinez

This year's Fourth of July celebrations in Martinez will take place on Tuesday, July 4, beginning with a Pancake Breakfast hosted by Roxx on Main Street from 8am to 10am.

The flag raising ceremony is from 9am to 9:15am at the Veterans Memorial Building. The 4th of July annual parade starts at 10am from Court and Main Streets and makes its way to Alhambra Avenue and Main Street.

Moraga

Events in Moraga are all day on Tuesday, July 4 at the Moraga Commons Park on St. Mary's Road. The day ends with a community fireworks display.

Morgan Hill

Morgan Hill's annual Freedom Fest kicks off this year on Monday, July 3 at the Morgan Hill Amphitheater with the Patriotic Sing, featuring a chorus of children from the community. The Sing is followed by the Family Street Dance, an evening filled with live music and dancing, food and drinks.

The Freedom Festival continues all day on the 4th too. This year's parade starts at 10 am. It ends with a concert and fireworks at dark.

The Freedom Fest also includes a 5K run, a car cruise, a parade, and fireworks. This event started in 1876 and cointinues to be one of the best in the Bay Area.

Oakland

From noon to 6 pm on Tuesday, July 4 at Jack London Square, enjoy a Backyard BBQ! It includes performances by magicians, jugglers, clowns and puppeteers. You can also enjoy other activities such as a special petting zoo, the Lego jeep, Kinetic Art face painters, a mobile craft workshop, and more.

Admission is free.

Orinda

Here is the full schedule of events for this year's Orinda Parade and Celebration:

7:30am - 10:00am: The Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary Breakfast in the Park/Community Center
7:55am: Flag raising ceremony at the Community Center
8:00am: The Haley's Run for a Reason
8:45am: Parade participants assemble in the BART parking lot
9:00am: Friends of the Orinda Library Book Sale
10:00am: Parade begins
11:30am to 1:30pm: Park activities

There is live music, a kid's petting zoo, and tasty treats for you to enjoy.

Piedmont

The Fourth of July Parade in Piedmont begins at 11am at the corner of Highland Avenue and Park Way. After the parade, a community picnic will be held in the Main Park which includes big band music on the main stage.

Pleasant Hill

The 40th Annual July 4th Celebration in Pleasant Hill includes a parade, fireworks display, and a 5k Fun Run. Here is the line up:

8:00am: Firecracker 5K Fun Run
9:30am: Parade
10:30am: Entertainment, food, children's games, and other activities in Pleasant Hill Park
7:15pm: Live music by Fast Times
9:00pm: Fireworks at College Park High School

Pleasanton

Pleasanton's annual Fourth of July event will be held at Lion's Wayside Park from Noon to 1:30pm. For an hour and a half, you can enjoy music by the Pleasanton Community Concert Band. They will also pay tribute to those that served in the military.

In addition, you will be able to see fireworks again this year. The display is on Tuesday, July 4 at 9:30pm. The show is at the Alameda County Fairgrounds.

Richmond

This city of Richmond celebrates early again this year on Monday, July 3rd. Head down to Marina Bay Park from 5:30pm to 9:30pm to enjoy live blues music, food vendors, and the interactive Fun Zone for kids. Fireworks begin around 9:15pm.

San Pablo

This year's celebration in San Pablo will take place on Tuesday, July 4. Activities include live entertainment, kids games, and food & drinks. It concludes with a fireworks show.

All events start at 5 pm at the El Portal Soccer Field on Moraga Road. Admission is free, but there is a cost for the games and activities. Festivities end at 9:30 pm

San Ramon

San Ramon hosts two events on Independence Day. Activities start at 8am with Run San Ramon. It includes a 10k, 5k and 3k run starting at Central Park.

The city also hosts Celebrate America, Celebrate San Ramon, a community festival from 5pm to 8pm in Central Park. It's a free event that will feature live, free music all evening long.

Vallejo

The 164th Annual Vallejo Fourth of July parade begins at 10am on Tennessee and Broadway Streets and will last until around noon.

The Waterfront Festival will be held at the Vallejo waterfront beginning at 11am, featuring a beer garden, good, live entertainment, door prizes, and fun for kids.

Is your event missing from our calendar? Click here for details on how to add your event for free!