Dear Neighbor,
The Fourth of July is upon us!
I love American history and this holiday is hugely meaningful to me. As a tradition I watch the musical “1776” every year. Tomorrow it’s set to record on the television yet again.
It’s a day made important by our country’s earliest and most courageous leaders. It was in 1775, that the residents of New England began their uprising for independence. The next year, on July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress secretly voted for independence from Great Britain. Just two days later, on July 4th 1776, the final version of the Declaration of Independence was approved and then published in defiance of King George.
Our history is incredibly rich. In celebration of this rich history, I look forward to joining many of you at some of the fun and exciting events throughout this wonderful city. This day is a chance for all of us to come together and enjoy the many parades, barbeques, block-parties, and city-sanctioned fireworks around town.
Below this message you will find several opportunities that the whole family can enjoy, how you can report illegal fireworks to the City of San José, and information about potential wildfire threats.
Thank you for reading this announcement. I wish you and your family a most happy Fourth of July!
Sincerely,
Family-Friendly Events Around Town
The Parade begins in the parking lot across from Lincoln High School at 555 Dana Ave. and winds 1.6 miles through the charming and historic streets of the Rose Garden and Shasta/Hanchett Neighborhoods, ending at the festival area located on The Alameda near Shasta Avenue. The Parade will begin at 10:00 am and is expected to conclude by 11:30 am or Noon. This year’s Grand Marshall is, Carl Gaurdino, one of Silicon Valley’s most distinguished business and community leaders
Fun Festival at Almaden Lake Park
This special event will include community and vendor booths, live music, kids’ games, a parade, food trucks, and a fireworks display. The Fun Festival begins at 2 pm with the fireworks getting underway at 9:15 pm. Then at 5:00 pm there will be a kids’ parade and costume contest, based on best family, most patriotic, funniest, most original, craziest, most colorful, most unusual, and a judges’ choice.
San José Giants Fourth of July Game
Come one, come all, to the San José Fourth of July Giants Game and celebrate Independence Day at Excite Ballpark with baseball, barbeque and fireworks. The Independence Day ballgame begins at 6:45 pm and finishes with one of the best fireworks show in the South Bay.
San José Rotary Club Fireworks
Free, world-class fireworks return to the Discovery Meadow in Downtown San José on the Fourth of July at approximately 10:00 pm. Join the Rotary Club of San Jose as the organization once again promotes safe fireworks in our community through free, fun, family-friendly professional fireworks. The fireworks show is one of the best attended Fourth of July events in San José, and public transportation to and from the event is highly recommended.
All Fireworks are Illegal in San José
Please remember that all fireworks are illegal in the City of San José. To report illegal fireworks, please use the City of San José’s online reporting form.
Fireworks are classified as explosives and have caused loss of hands, eyesight, and have even been fatal. Fireworks have caused many fires and costly property damage. Fireworks use is frightening to many pets as well as wildlife, and the peak loss of pets during the year occurs over the Fourth of July. Fireworks are also toxic pollutants both to air and water. You can help create a safer, healthier community by enjoying fireworks only at permitted public displays and by not using fireworks in your neighborhood.
All types of fireworks are banned in San José and most of Santa Clara County, including: large bottle rockets, roman candles, firecrackers, and sparklers. Sparklers can reach over 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and account for most fireworks-related injuries to children ages 5 and under.
Potential Wildfire Threats & PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs
Starting this summer PG&E can de-energize (or shut off) power to their distribution and transmission lines to prevent their equipment from starting wildfires, also called PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).
The City of San José has formed a task force with the Office of Emergency Management, Community Energy Department, Fire, Public Works, and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services to prepare for PSPS events, assess and plan City response during an event, and coordinate with PG&E, the County of Santa Clara, and other stakeholders.
One or more PSPS events could happen in San José, and power outages could last seven days. Public Works is coordinating with departments to determine their backup power needs and capacity. In the meantime, here is what you need to know about preparing yourself and your family for a multi-day power outage.
Why San José could be affected?
Even though much of San José is urban, parts or all of the city could be affected because transmission and distribution lines powering San José are located in areas the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has designated as extreme and elevated fire-threat. In addition, if high voltage transmission lines are de-energized, the interconnected nature of the grid could result in a cascading effect that causes other transmission lines and distribution lines — potentially far from the original fire-risk areas — to also be de-energized, potentially resulting in a regional power outage.
How can you prepare and stay safe?
• Sign up to receive power shutoff notifications from PG&E or make sure your contact info is up-to-date by visiting www.pge.com/psps or calling PG&E at 1–866–743–6589.
• Prepare an emergency kit that will last at least 5 days.
• Consider safely using backup power sources such as a generator. Additionally, solar panels will not work during an outage unless you have a special inverter or battery storage.
• Prepare and practice an emergency plan that accounts for all family members and for pets.
• During an outage you should: Unplug or turn off appliances, equipment and electronics to avoid damage caused by surges when the power is restored. You should leave a single lamp on to alert you when the power returns. Then, turn your appliances on, one at a time. Do not use a gas stove for heat. Check the status of the outage at https://m.pge.com/#outages or by listening to the radio. PG&E has said it will send customers updates. Follow @CityofSanJose on Twitter, Facebook, or Nextdoor for secondary notifications.
