Undisputedly, the Fourth of July is the biggest celebration of the year in Coronado. With multiple events spanning the entire day, the non-profit organization Coronado Fourth of July has its work cut out all year long.
Coronado Fourth of July Non-Profit Board and Volunteer Structure
“It’s an all-volunteer board of directors, and many of us have a vertical we oversee as a chairperson.” Jamie Hartnett, current President of Coronado Fourth of July, explains. “I started as a volunteer with the group three years ago as a PR, marketing, and social media volunteer.”
When the board and the executive committee restructured, Jamie assisted the transition. “The next year, I came onto the board, and the existing interim president termed out of the executive committee and his board role and I was elected president. Last year I was the president, and I’m the president again this year.”
Terms are two years, making this year Jamie’s final Fourth of July as president. There are 12 board members in Coronado Fourth of July, and over 150 volunteers are needed.
One notable volunteer is Kathy Summers, the Volunteer Coordinator. “I’m a long-term Coronado resident and became involved four years ago. The board was restructuring and one of my neighbors, Rob Huff, asked if I would be interested in being the volunteer coordinator.”
Jamie explains how vital volunteers are. “I want to give Kathy all of the props. It’s a lot of heavy lifting and making requests, asking friends and neighbors in the community to do things for us. So much of what happens takes place on the Fourth of July. Some things happen a few days before, maybe a day after, but mainly on the Fourth.” Kathy chimes in, “It’s really a by-the-people, for-the-people event, not just for Coronado. Many people come from San Diego.”
The organization takes time to reflect each year on what is working and what can be improved.
The Parade
“We wouldn’t touch the parade; it’s sacred,” Kathy says. Jamie adds, “We get a lot of feedback about the parade, people are very opinionated about it, especially people who have been around for a long time. ‘Why don’t you have more horses?’ ‘Why don’t you have a Marine Corps Band?’ ‘Where are the Boy Scouts?’, the list goes on.”
“I’ve learned so much about the production of this parade since I’ve been involved,” says Jamie. “There are so many things that go into getting a group to participate in the parade, and it’s a different world we’re living in. I grew up here. I was a Girl Scout. If our Girl Scout Troop Leader told us we’re going in the parade, my mom said, ‘Okay, put on your sash and get in that parade.’ Now it’s different. Sometimes kids prefer to attend the parade, or go to the beach, or do something else. It’s not as black and white as, ‘oh, you’re the Coronado Boy Scouts, or you’re the Coronado Junior Lifeguard Association, you’re going to have an entry in our parade.’
“It’s not your mom and pop parade anymore, it’s bigger. Naturally, like the rest of the world and our experiences, it’s become bigger than it used to be in a lot of ways,” Jamie explains.
With between 100 and 120 parade entries, another factor of the parade is timing coordination. “We work with the parade chair on the pacing. Kathy has volunteers who hold up signs: speed up, slow down. With Third and Fourth Streets state routes, we work with the timing of the traffic lights so that we only have to stop so many times, and we can stop and start and have it in sync. But we’re always working on keeping the parade moving, keeping it entertaining, keeping kids from running out into the street. We’re constantly telling people they can’t throw things from their entries.”
Jamie and Kathy talk about the various volunteer jobs. One person the duo exclaims about is volunteer Brad Morris, who co-chairs the volunteer coordination with Kathy. In addition, Dave Szymanski heads up the parade.
“There are twelve announcer stations along Orange Avenue. Each one has someone announcing the parade entries, doing commentary, and entertaining people while they’re waiting before the parade starts. We have parade judging. We have the Navy LEAP frogs. There is a treasurer, the development chair, the food vendors chair, and the fireworks chair. We have a really good group of volunteer board members who head up all those different channels or verticals that make the day happen.”
The Concert Series
After the parade ends, a series of three concerts takes place. The first is the kids’ concert with Disney songs; the second is the Coronado Concert Band singing patriotic songs, a standalone event; and third is Coronado Fourth of July’s big “concert in the park” with a dance band as the headliner.
“We used to have the concerts on the golf course,” says Jamie, “Then we moved them to Spreckels Park. That was based on feedback from the community; people weren’t going over there [the golf course], so we pivoted. The concerts seem to be a point of discussion every year because many people like to have a break. They want to BBQ, take a nap, and get ready for fireworks.”
Fireworks
Fireworks are a hot topic lately. “This is kind of controversial,” Jamie warns. “Fireworks in general are under a lot of scrutiny right now for environmental reasons, and there are a lot of county, state, federal agencies, environmental groups that would prefer that we did not shoot off fireworks.”
When asked what alternatives would be considered, Jamie points out, “The fireworks are on the same night as the Big Bay Boom, which is gigantic with three huge barges. We shoot off a small fireworks show from Stingray Point. It’s lovely, and we’re proud of it. We’re moving forward with fireworks. We’ve made our down payments and done the proper paperwork. But I do hear rumblings of changes in the future. I don’t know how soon that will come. I would feel comfortable saying we would not replace our fireworks show with a drone show. Imperial Beach did one a couple of years ago, then went back to fireworks. The impact of watching a drone show versus watching fireworks in the sky is apples and oranges.”
Over 75 Years of Community Celebration
Everyone in Coronado has a Fourth of July story. Whether it’s a memory of their favorite Independence Day or traditions through the years, the event has a place in the hearts and minds of locals.
In 2024, Coronado Fourth of July created a movie with the help of the Coronado Historical Association to document and celebrate the 75th anniversary parade, which is currently nominated for a local Emmy.
Of her own Fourth of July days, Jamie recalls, “We used to spend the night in sleeping bags on the median. We would ride our bikes up to get donuts and orange juice in the morning. We sat on the roof at Village Theatre and watched from up there. It was old-school fun. Everyone had their place so you knew where to find them. We were always between 9th and 10th on Orange.”
Kathy chimes in with her experience: “We were typically over by the base. My family has been on Coronado since the ’60s. My dad was at the service station on North Island, and then we moved away. I came back to Coronado in 1988. I was an active-duty Navy nurse.”
The Coronado Fourth of July is extra special for Kathy as it led her to her husband. “He was with America’s Cup, and they were all living down at Oakwood. I was at the parade with my mom in front of the bands, and he was in the parade for the New Zealand team’s emeritus cup. He threw a New Zealand flag to me! I’m married to him now.”
Volunteers Needed to Assist Coronado Fourth of July Team
Coronado Fourth of July appreciates all the volunteers who have stepped up. “We have a great partnership with the military, but we still have many volunteer positions open,” Kathy says. “The biggest volunteer position I need a lot of help with is the parade banner carriers. We’ll take Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, families.”
There are no explicit requirements for banner carriers, so if you’re interested, reach out. There are two people to a banner, and they carry the banner down Orange Avenue in front of the parade entries.
Volunteers will receive a certificate for a minimum of eight volunteer hours along with a t-shirt with the Coronado crown on the back. Volunteers are invited to a private volunteer appreciation dinner. Children are welcome to volunteer as well.
Volunteer Needs:
Parade Banner Carriers (20)
Parade Flow Monitor (4): The flow monitors have signs: “speed up” and “slow down”
Ushers (3): The parade ends on Churchill, next to the VIP grandstand, by Yummy Sushi and Subway. Coronado Fourth of July does not want the parade to go out to Ocean Boulevard because it causes a traffic jam. These volunteers will direct the parade to Star Park Circle.
Concert Support (8): The Coronado Concert Band has 75 seats. Concert support volunteers will help with the chairs and reset the band area from one musical group to the next.
Kathy enjoys working with all the volunteers. “It’s a fun day, and people can pick and choose what they want to get involved in. We’ve had a huge turnover, and volunteering is a good way to get involved. If you want to meet more people, come to the Fourth of July!”
Volunteer Sign Up – Coronado Fourth Of July
Schedule of Events on 4th of July
7:30 am – 10:00 am | Pre-Parade Entertainment
Orange Avenue
10:00 am | 76th Annual Independence Day Parade
Orange Avenue
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm | Adrian Empire Demonstration and San Diego Star Wars Society Photo-Op
Star Park
2:00 pm | Navy Leap Frogs Aerial Demonstration
Coronado Golf Course 16th Fairway
2:30 pm – 3:15 pm | Public Kids Concert – Katleen Dugas sings Disney Songs
Spreckels Park
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Patriotic Concert – Coronado Concert Band
Spreckels Park
5:45 pm | Dance Concert – Detroit Underground
Spreckels Park
9:00 pm | Fireworks
Coronado Golf Course. Title Sponsor: City of Coronado
All Day | Food Trucks
Next to Spreckels Park on Seventh Street by Sacred Heart, all the way up to Orange.
A Message from the Coronado Fourth of July Non Profit
Jamie and Kathy reiterated that the event is for the community, by the community, and in conjunction with the city. “Really, it’s an all volunteer effort, and we hope everyone comes and enjoys their time and has a great day,” Jamie concludes.
