America turns 250 this year, and Paso Robles is doing it big! City officials say they're expecting about 10,000 people at their Fourth of July celebration Saturday. They spoke with Paso Robles Community Reporter Monique Lopez about everything that goes into making it a safe and successful event.
The sounds of drills and other tools could be heard throughout Barney Schwartz Park Thursday, all to set the stage for what’s to come this Fourth of July.
“The fun zone with all the free family fun activities, including inflatables, and yard games, and axe throwing (they’re silicone), will all be happening for free beginning at 4 o’clock,” said City of Robles Recreation Services manager Lynda Plescia. “The food trucks will open at 4 ‘clock, as well - have nine different food trucks and a concessionaire this year providing a variety of food.”
There’s a lot that goes into preparing for the Paso Robles Fourth of July event and, for a city revving up to host thousands, safety tops the list.
The Parks and Trails crew behind this event has been preparing since January, clearing hazards and completing intensive crowd management training to handle just about anything.
“It is absolutely important the public come to a park like this; it's a public park,” said Parks and Trails supervisor James Taylor. “They expect to be safe, and they expect to go home with their family and their loved ones, and it's on us to make sure that that happens.”
This is the City’s fifth annual free Fourth of July event at Barney Schwartz Park, but this year, guests will get a few extra sparks that the city has been trying to ignite for a while.
“We've invited the North County veterans to present the color guard and local performer and artist Callie Twisselman to sing the national anthem, and as soon as she's done, the fireworks should be going off over on the softball field,” Plescia said.
And that’s not all, because what is a birthday party without some type of cake?
“We have 250 commemorative cupcakes that will be distributed throughout our concession stand,” Plescia said.
Attendees can also score commemorative fireworks glasses that will be distributed throughout the park.
Organizers suggest coming prepared for the heat and the cold, carpooling, and packing your patience, because it is going to get pretty crowded there.
