by Jackie Houchin

The Rotary Club of Sunland-Tujunga/Shadow Hills and the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council (STNC) welcomes the Foothills communities to the  29th Annual 4th of July Parade and Family Fireworks Festival.

The parade will begin at the “elbow” of Foothill Blvd (at Mount Gleason) at 10 a.m. on Monday July 4, and travel two miles down the community’s main thoroughfare to finish at the Sunland Park. The Family  Fireworks Festival will be held in Turner Stadium at Verdugo Hills High School from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The parade features Dan McManus, president of the STNC, as grand marshal, rousing music by the Verdugo Hills High School Band, mounted and marching color guards, floats of all shapes and sizes, and vehicles representing the Fire, Forestry and Police Departments.

According to Parade Chairman, Ellis Robertson, anyone in Sunland-Tujunga, Shadow Hills, and Lake View Terrace is welcome to enter the parade. Last year’s parade boasted sixty-four entries, how many will march this year?  For entry forms, call (818) 352-3671.

Putting a parade together is not an easy feat. The Rotary Club began in February to secure the proper permits from the City of Los Angeles and to obtain approval for street closures. Next, they arranged for barricades, the putting up and taking down of “No Parking” signs, traffic control, and post-parade street sweeping.

Last year, the city of Los Angeles socked Sunland-Tujunga with a $7,000 bill for these services. They were only able to pay it through the generous donations of a few organizations and the help of the community.

This year, the club held several successful fund raisers, including the Watermelon Festival last summer, a haunted house at Halloween, and the Easter Carnival this spring.  Fortunately, the city is waiving some of its costs this year.

Admission to the evening’s Fireworks Festival is $5 per person. Kids under 30 inches are free. Families are urged to bring blankets and beach chairs, and while food will be provided by local vendors, you can always bring your own picnic basket. A watermelon court and water slide will keep the kiddies busy, and live music will be provided by six local bands.

The identity of the newly elected Sunland-Tujunga honorary mayor will be revealed from the three running candidates (Ray Moon, Jim Saurer, and Al Timins).

The fireworks display begins at 9 p.m.

  Between Friends, Jackie Houchin, JUNE 30, SUSAN STEWART