Alameda:
Music, games, and clowns starting at 10 am, with fireworks at 9:30 pm. $5-$20. USS Hornet Museum, Pier 3, Alameda Point. (510) 521-8448; www.uss-hornet.org.
American Canyon:
Festival all day in Community Park I with fireworks at 9:30 pm. Info: americancanyoneagle.com.
Antioch:
Parade at 7 p.m., followed by live musical entertainment along the downtown waterfront on Second Street. Fireworks at 9:30 pm. Info: http://rivertownevents.wordpress.com/fourth-of-july/
Benicia:
Picnic in Benecia City Park from noon to 9:30 pm with entertainment, food, arts and crafts, and kids' games. Fireworks at First Street Green at the waterfront about 9 pm. Info: http://www.beniciamainstreet.org/events.php
Berkeley:
Celebration at Berkeley Marina from noon to 9:30 pm with live entertainment, arts and crafts, boat rides. Fireworks at 9:30 pm off the end of the Berkeley Pier. Info: www.ci.berkeley.ca.us.
Calistoga:
Parade takes place at 11 am, followed by a festival and concert at the Napa County Fairgrounds from 1 to 9 pm. Fireworks show follows at 9:15 pm. Info: http://sf.funcheap.com/
Concord:
The Singing Flag Variety Show at Dave Brubeck Park. Shows starts at 7:30 pm, followed by fireworks at 9:30 pm. Parade at noon Saturday at Todos Santos Plaza. Info: www.concordfirst.org.
Cloverdale:
Fireworks at 9:30 pm at Cloverdale High School football field. nfo: http://www.sonomauncorked.com
Cupertino:
Children's parade at 10 am starting from the Memorial Park ball field. Fireworks at dusk at Creekside Park. Info: http://sf.funcheap.com
Foster City:
Parade at 9 am, followed by festivities all day at Leo J. Ryan Park including live music, food and more. Fireworks at dusk. Info: www.fostercity.org.
Gilroy:
Fireworks display at Gilroy High School at 9:15 pm. Info: http://sf.funcheap.com
Guerneville:
Block party in downtown Guerneville starts at 10 am, BBQ at 1 pm and firewoks at dark. Info: http://www.sonomauncorked.com
Half Moon Bay:
Parade on Main Street at noon, followed by BBQ picnic and live entertainment at the American Legion Post. Fireworks at sundown at Pillar Point Harbor. Info: http://sf.funcheap.com.
Healdsburg:
Fireworks display at Healdsburg High School Athletic Field at 9:30 pm. Info: http://www.sonomauncorked.com.
Hercules/Pinole:
Parade at 10:30 am down to Redwood Road to Sycamore Avenue. Fireworks at 9 pm at waterfront. Info: www.herculeschamber.com.
Livermore:
Old-Fashioned Fourth of July festival with live music and food from 4 pm to 10 pm at Robertson Park. Fireworks at 9:30 pm.
Info: www.larpd.dst.ca.us.
Martinez:
Fireworks begin at approximately 9:30 p.m. at Waterfront Park. Info: www.cityofmartinez.org.
Milpitas:
Water activities at Milpitas Sports Center Pool from 1 pm to 5 pm with music, games, BBQ lunch. Concert beginning at 7:30 pm at Milpitas Sports Center Milpitas Sports Center Football Field, followed by fireworks at 9:30 pm. Info: http://sf.funcheap.com.
Moraga:
Events at Moraga Commons Park including 5k and 2k runs, parades, food, music starting at 8 am. Fireworks at 9:30 pm.
Info: http://ci.moraga.ca.us.
Morgan Hill:
Award-winning parade in downtown at 10am. Fireworks at dark at Morgan Hill Community Park. Info: www.mhidi.com.
Mountain View:
San Francisco Symphony Fireworks Show at Shoreline Ampitheatre at 8 pm. Full concert followed by fireworks display.
Info: www.livenation.com/edp/eventId/408122.
Napa:
Fourth of July Celebration at dusk at Napa's Veterans Memorial Park. Info: www.napavalley.com.
Oakland:
Festival starting at 4 pm with live music and BBQ followed at dusk by Oakland's free community fireworks display, all in Jack London Square. Info: http://www.jacklondonsquare.com.
Petaluma:
Entertainment and food at Sonoma-Marin fairgrounds starting at 3:30 p.m., with fireworks at dusk. Info: http://www.sonomauncorked.com
Pittsburg:
Celebration from 5 pm to 9 pm at Pittsburg Marina with food and live music. Fireworks at dusk over the Marina. Info: www.pittsburgca.net.
Pleasant Hill:
Fourth of July Celebration in Downtown and Pleasant Hill Park with 5k run, parade, fun and games - all starting at 8 am. Fireworks at 9 pm at College Park High School. Info: http://pleasanthillrec.com/events4.htm#July4.
Redwood City:
Parade downtown at 10 am, followed by an all-day festival and fireworks at 9:30 pm. Info: www.parade.org.
San Francisco:
Waterfront Festival at Pier 39. Free admission. Live music from 1 pm until the fireworks at 9:30 pm. Info: www.pier39.com.
San Jose:
Fireworks extravaganza following the conclusion of the San Jose Giants minor league baseball game. Info: http://www.sjgiants.com.
San Rafael:
Fireworks at the fairground, starting at 9:30 pm. Info: www.marinfair.rtrk.com/.
San Ramon:
Star-Spangled Spectacular at San Ramon Central Park, from 5 to 10 pm featuring live music and fireworks after sunset. Info: http://www.sanramon.ca.gov.
Santa Clara:
Pancake Breakfast at 8 am, followed by games and live entertainment throughout the day at Central Park. Fireworks at approximately 9:30 pm. Info: www.santaclaraca.gov.
Santa Rosa:
Sonoma County's Red, White, and Boom at Sonoma County Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds open at 4:30 pm. The fireworks begin at 9:30 pm. Info: www.santarosaredwhiteandboom.com.
Sausalito:
Parade starts at 10 am and meanders through downtown Sausalito into Dunphy Park where an afternoon of live music, food and fun for the whole family awaits. Followed by a fireworks display at dark. Info: http://sf.funcheap.com.
Scotts Valley:
Celebration begins at 3 pm with a parade down Scotts Valley Drive, between Civic Center Drive and El Pueblo Road. There will be food, games and entertainment (including live classic rock by Mike Hadley band) at Skypark until the fireworks show begins around 9:15 pm. Cost: $5* ($5 adv, $7 at door) Website: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_12598113?source=most_viewed
Venue: Skypark Address: 361 Kings Village Rd, Scotts Valley, CA
Sonoma:
Parade at 10 am, followed by festival on Sonoma Plaza all day, with fireworks display at dusk. Info: http://sf.funcheap.com
Suisun City:
Celebration with live music, games, arts and crafts from 11 am to 10 pm at the Waterfront District. Fireworks at 9:20 pm. Info: http://sf.funcheap.com.
Vallejo:
Parade at 10 am, rubber duck derby at 3 pm at the Waterfront and watch fireworks at 9:30 pm over Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Info: http://sf.funcheap.com.
Yountville:
Festival at Veterans Home at noon with live music and kids activities. Napa Valley Symphony performs at nearby Lincoln Theater at 5:30 pm. Fireworks display at 9:30 pm on Vinters Golf Course. Info: http://sf.funcheap.com/.
Image courtesy Marcin Wichary via Flickr.
