There may not be fireworks but the Fourth of July is back big in Santa Cruz!

Aptos’s “World’s Shortest Parade” is back after a year off, with a huge assortment of family friendly people and crazies marching the few blocks between Wells Fargo and Trout Gulch. This is the event that made Growing Up fall in love with the town many years back. There won’t be a breakfast or park event because of the last minute drop of Covid restrictions, but we are thrilled. Come check us out, handing out the latest Growing Up with the cover story about berries. It’s berry good.

The parade starts at 10 a.m. and lasts an hour..supposedly. We’ve seen it stretch longer. It’s a touch of Mayberry in California and it reminds us what a small town feel our county has. (As does the County Fair, which returns in September.)

Scotts Valley, which usually has the area’s biggest fireworks show, had to cancel it, but will still have their parade at 3 p.m. featuring an airplane flyover. It can be seen along Scotts Valley Drive.

Watsonville will have a great bicycle ride on the Fourth led by Mayor Jimmy Dutra from 12:45 p.m. to 2 p.m.starting at the alleyway next to the Second Street Garage. One of the city’s new electric buses will lead the way and you can ride on it. Then, there’s a Red, White and Blue concert at City Plaza at 2 p.m. featuring the Watsonville Band, which has been performing on the country’s birthday for 75 years. There’s also a flyover at 2 p.m. featuring local pilots strutting their stuff. For more details check Spirit of Watsonville at City of Watsonville.org.

[From Julie Horner]