Napa Valley celebrates Independence Day
Although it’s popularly called the Fourth of July, let’s not forget that Independence Day commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America and freeing us from tyrannical kings. Like other towns and cities across America, those in Napa Valley have ceremonies to bring the community together and remind us why we declared indendence and turned the power over to the people, not kings.
Perhaps the biggest change in recent years is fewer fireworks shows, partly due to fire danger, and the introduction of eleborate drone exhibitions and laser shows in their place. In Napa Valley, only American Canyon and St. Helena will have traditional firework shows. Napa has drones and Calistoga lasers.
American Canyon
American Canyon will honor Independence Day with a parade, live music, food and fireworks at Community Park II at the corner of Donaldson Way and Benton Way.
— 3 p.m. – Parade: The festivities begin at Elliott Drive and travel to Amarillo Drive. Come early to find a good spot and cheer the floats, local groups and community heroes.
— 4 p.m. – Festival: Once the parade wraps up, the celebration continues at Community Park II with a free festival featuring live music, family activities and eats from local food vendors.
Live music:
— 4:15 p.m. – Fog City Swampers – Rockin’ classics to get the party started
— 5:45 p.m. – Soro’s Dance Party – High-energy dance beats for all ages
— 6 p.m. – Los Cochinos – Latin-infused rhythms and soulful vibes
— 7:45 p.m. – Papa Joe & The New Deal – A funky, feel-good set to carry you into the evening
— Fireworks at dusk – As the sun sets, the sky above American Canyon will light up with a spectacular fireworks display.
Napa
Downtown Napa will host a full day of fun, family activities, food and entertainment. Ride your bike downtown and enjoy free bike valet service. Tune in with music
streaming available throughout the day.
— 9:30 a.m. – The annual 4th of July Parade. The celebration kicks off with the Napa Sunrise Rotary Parade beginning at 9:30 a.m. and proceeding along Second and Third streets.
— 3-10 p.m. – Afternoon and evening fun at Oxbow Commons after the parade with a family-friendly party including live music, food and activities. The food court will have tacos, pizza, hot dogs and offerings to satisfy your sweet tooth.
— 3-8 p.m. – Kids Zone filled with inflatables, carnival games and live entertainment for them.
Main Stage schedule:
— DJ Ren the Vinyl Archaeologist
— 4 – 6:30 p.m. – Patrón
— 7 – 9:30 p.m. – Wonder Bread 5
— 8 -8:25 p.m. – Salute to America
— 9:30 p.m. – Drone Show. Northern California’s largest drone show, lighting up the Napa sky with 400 synchronized drones and music. The best viewing spots include Oxbow Commons, local bridges and riverfront parks.
Music for the Drone Show will be available at Oxbow Commons, Veterans Parks and First and Third street bridges.
Yountville
Yountville will have a lively Fourth of July celebration filled with music and family-friendly fun at Veterans Memorial Park from 4 to 7 p.m., but no evening activities. It includes music by The Davies Dukes Band, playing upbeat tunes for dancing or relaxing on the lawn. There will be lawn games and children’s activities. Have a hot dog or hamburger from the grill while you mingle with neighbors and friends. Veterans Memorial Park, 6465 Washington St., Yountville
St. Helena
St. Helena will celebrate the Fourth of July at both Lyman Park and Crane Park:
— 4:30 p.m. – Red, White, and Blue Bike Ride from Jacob Meily Park to Lyman Park. On-site registration begins at 4 p.m.
— 5:30 p.m. at Lyman Park – St. Helena Community Band will perform a free concert of pop and patriotic tunes. Mayor Dohring will MC the event. An A&W booth will have free root beer and ice cream.
— 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Crane Park – Food vendors (Ray Ray’s Tacos, Erosion Tap House, Chantico Eats, Boom Glizzy’s and Roman Holiday Gelato)
* St. Helena Police and Fire Department vehicles will be available for children (and children at heart) to explore.
* Children can enjoy inflatable attractions, two giant slides, an obstacle course, a rock wall and more.
* Children’s circus activities include a stilt walker, balloon animals, face painting, a caricature artist and bubble play.
* Hear live music by Bad Cat Band and Nicole Marden Band
— 9:30 p.m. – Fourth of July firework show
All activities and entertainment are complimentary. Food will be for sale. Lyman Park is opposite the Post Office on Main Street in St. Helena.
Calistoga
The theme of this year’s Calistoga Fourth of July parade is “American Roots” and the parade will be packed with creativity and patriotic spirits. Starting at 11 a.m., it will proceed along Lincoln Avenue with dancers, horses and colorful floats. The parade lines up on Cedar, turns left on Lincoln, then left on Fairway and finishes at North Oak.
Following the parade, the Star Spangled Social will take place at the Calistoga Fairgrounds from 1 to 10 p.m. The family-friendly event will include a maker’s market, local food vendors, bounce houses, climbing wall, mechanical bull and carnival games. Magician Dr. Joe Culpepper will perform, and Marshall House Project will play at 8 p.m.
The evening’s grand finale, a laser light show by ESL Lasers, will begin at dusk.
Tickets and wristbands will be sold for the bounce houses and carnival games. Proceeds from games benefit the organizations running each station. The annual parade and social are hosted by local nonprofit Celebrate! Napa Valley. For more information about the events, visit: www.celebratenapavalley.org.
Other Fourth of July events around the valley
Stateline Road Smokehouse
Stateline Road Smokehouse will celebrate with BBQ plus live music by the Bottom Dwellers and a bounce house on the patio from 2 to 5 p.m., when you can head downtown for the evening’s activities.
Stateline Road Smokehouse, 872 Vallejo St., Napa, stateline-road.com, 707-699-2793
Party on Sky & Vine Rooftop Bar at the Archer Hotel
Sky & Vine Rooftop Bar at Archer Hotel offers front-row viewing of the drone show and a patriotic party to go with it. Sky & Vine is hosting a BBQ buffet and live music by JourneyDay, starting at 5 p.m..
The Sky & Vine BBQ will have a make-your-own pulled pork sandwich station, hot dogs, and all the trimmings and toppings, plus a wide assortment of sides, salads and sweets. Adults $65; children 11 and under are $30 (plus tax and gratuity). Sky & Vine Rooftop Bar at Archer Hotel, 1260 First St., Napa
Rooftop Party at Jessel Gallery with Johnny Smith
Celebrate Independence Day on the rooftop at Jessel Gallery with the voice of Johnny Smith from 6 p.m. until the stars come out. Everyone is welcome and a chair lift is available. It’s a potluck: bring your favorite dish to share.
RSVP to jesselgallery@napanet.net – The cost is $30 per person. Venmo @jessel-miller; they’ll ask for the last four numbers of her texting phone, 707-287-3342. You can also mail or stop by with payment.
Jessel Gallery, 1019 Atlas Peak Road, Napa, www.jesselgallery.com, 707-257-2350
Fourth of July garden party at Chandon
The French were pivotal allies in winning our independence, so it’s appropriate that French-owned Chandon will have a Fourth of July garden party from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy lawn games, beats by a DJ from 1 to 3 p.m., a specialty à la carte menu featuring Chef Cham’s fried chicken and your favorite chilled bubbly by the glass and by the bottle. A $24 ticket includes a glass of frosé. Lounge seating and picnic blankets are available, first-come, first-served. Families are welcome. Chandon, 1 California Drive, Yountville, chandon.com, 707-204-7461
Paul Franson is editor and publisher of NapaLife, a weekly newsletter. For more information, visit napalife.org.
