MAGA hats, stars-and-stripes bikinis and a sea of Old Glory took over Huntington Beach as more than 500,000 patriotic Americans packed Surf City USA for what is widely recognized as the largest Independence Day celebration west of the Mississippi River.
American flags waved from parade floats, classic cars and horseback riders as spectators lined the streets in red, white and blue.
Families cheered from folding chairs, children proudly carried flags, and beachgoers soaked up the sunshine in patriotic gear during the massive, multi-day Fourth of July celebration.
At the heart of the festivities is the 122nd Annual Fourth of July Parade, a 2.5-mile procession along Pacific Coast Highway that is widely recognized as the largest Independence Day parade west of the Mississippi River. The holiday weekend culminates with a fireworks spectacular launched off the Huntington Beach Pier, lighting up the Pacific Ocean in the grand finale. Despite the enormous crowds and the millions of dollars in indirect economic benefits generated for local businesses, the City of Huntington Beach still loses money covering the operational costs of staging the annual celebration. “It’s amazing. Huntington Beach, Fourth of July, there’s nothing like it,” Katie Jarrett told The California Post. “I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl and this is just my most favorite day of the whole year.”
For Carolyn Jesse, the event is a chance to celebrate both country and community.
“I feel blessed and privileged to live in America, and to be at the largest celebration west of the Mississippi,” Carolyn Jesse told The Post. “God bless America.”
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