Happy Birthday, Uncle Sam – Here are some local events for the 4th of July!
Even the smallest towns here in the Bay Area seem to pull out all the stops to celebrate Independence Day. From parades to fireworks to festival activities, there is no shortage of 
entertainment.
Our team here at Town + Country hails from all over the Bay Area, and each of us have grown quite fond of our local celebrations, and we thought we’d share some of them with you. Below you will find some of our favorite places and activities for the 4th!
San Francisco
The San Francisco fireworks display can best be seen from the northern side of the City. Crissy Field, the Marina Green and Aquatic Park are great options. There will be a fireworks display near the Marina Green and a second one closer to Fisherman’s Wharf. These both promise to be gorgeous displays, pouring off the side of the Golden Gate Bridge and showering the ocean with a waterfall of bright lights. Other activities to do over the July 4th weekend in San Francisco include fireworks cruises, live music and family activities at Pier 39, local attractions including Alamo Square & The Painted Ladies, Aquarium of the Bay, the Botanical Gardens, Cable Cars, Grace Cathedral, Japanese Tea Garden and of course the famous Lombard Street. Click here for a longer list of events & links for San Francisco.
Berkeley and Oakland
Jack London Square on Oakland’s waterfront promises to be a festival of fun packed with free interactive activities! Activities and performers for both parents and children include bubble wrangler, jugglers, magicians, stilt walkers, petting zoo, face painters, balloon artists, hula hoopers, bike rentals, puppet shows, craft making and more.
For an all day and evening event visit the 4th of July celebration at Berkeley Marina. Festivities are from noon until 10 pm with all kinds of free fun! Adventure Playgrounds, face painting, a giant slide and a splash on the beach, plus live entertainment until 9:30 pm featuring Bang Data, The Boston Boys, The Lady Crooners, The Blondies, and The Allman Stepbrothers. Also enjoy juggling and magic acts while eating at food trucks, playing games at booths, making crafts, getting massages and riding carnival rides are all part of the fun. At the end of the night enjoy Berkeley’s grand fireworks over the water from the end of the Berkeley Pier starting at 9:30 pm.
Mountain View
The city of Mountain View and the San Francisco Symphony put on an evening only event. The main show starts at 8 pm and features the San Francisco Symphony. Last year Jon Williams’ Star Wars, Jurassic Park and E.T. themes songs kept the crowd entertained all the way up to a climax of fantastic fireworks.
Redwood City
Redwood City is hosting an extravagant parade through the downtown district starting at 10 am. The route starts on Marshall Street at the corner of Winslow Street and continues on Marshall, Main Street, Middlefield Road, Winslow Street, Broadway and onto Arguello Street where it ends near Alden Street. After the parade, enjoy festival activities that cover several blocks in the heart of Redwood City. This carnival continues from 9 am until the fireworks, which should start at about 9:30 pm at the Port of Redwood City with a public viewing area along the waterfront off of Seaport Court.
Sonoma
Have you been to the Wine Country lately? This is a fabulous time of year to visit. Sonoma’s festival and parade start at 10 am. The entire town will gather around the downtown square for the annual parade. After the parade enjoy carnival games, delightful local eateries, live music and other festival activities. At dusk, head over to the large field in front of General Vallejo’s home where you can enjoy a 30-minute fireworks show with one of the best finale’s you’ve ever seen! Well, we have covered the North Bay, Peninsula and East Bay.
There are many more places to enjoy the fourth of July but these are a few of our favorites!
Happy 4th of July!