Thomas Kelley via Unsplash

Independence Day in the Bay brings the boom of fireworks, the sizzling scent of BBQ, and the Redwood City 4th of July Parade & Festival. This year, we’re excited to announce that The Front Porch will be part of the festivities! 

We will be hosting an open-air photo booth at the corner of Broadway and Middlefield downtown. Stop by, take your photo, and bring home a special moment from the day. We will be collecting donations and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the Redwood City Education Foundation (RCEF). We’ll be there from 9:00am-5:00pm so come by anytime!

The Front Porch photo booth is just one way to celebrate Independence Day in Redwood City. Here is a full guide to all the great events going on around town:

7:30am Start the day with a pancake breakfast at the Redwood City Fire Department on Marshall Street. Breakfast will be served from 7:30-10:30am and benefits the Redwood City Firefighters Association.

8:45am The Parade Run kicks things off at the corner of Arguello and Marshall Streets. The 5K follows the parade route loop three times to the finish line. Proceeds from the run benefit music programs funded by the RCEF. Cheer on your community or register to run here!

10:00am Head on over and claim your spot at the largest Independence Day Parade in Northern California. (Some folks even set up their chairs the night before!) The parade winds its way through historic downtown Redwood City over a 1.3 mile loop. 

12:00pm Make your way over to the Festival Food Court lunch. You can find all the traditional fare from hot dogs to root beer floats.

1:00pm Watch the marching bands from UC Davis and Stanford duke it out in the Battle of the Bands. If you haven’t seen either of them perform before, you’re in for a treat! The show starts at 1:00pm on Hamilton Street.

2:00pm If you haven’t already, stop by and celebrate with us at The Front Porch’s photo booth. We’ll have plenty of silly props and guarantee it will be a good time! All proceeds will go directly to the RCEF. Then head down to the Arts and Crafts Booths to shop for handcrafted pieces from a variety of talented artists.

3:00pm You might want to start thinking about heading home, turning on the BBQ, and hanging out with family and friends. Or head over to any of the great restaurants downtown for dinner and drinks. If you have kiddos, make sure to stop at the Emerald Hills Railway for a train ride. The train will be running from 2:00-4:00.

9:30pm Give your 4th a grand finale with fireworks over the Port of Redwood City. The show will start around 9:30 and can be seen from all over the mid-Peninsula.

Hope everyone has an awesome and safe 4th of July!