Back With A Bang
Napa Lights the Valley Returns July 4th
The Napa Lights the Valley Fourth of July celebration moves
to Oxbow Commons this year with family entertainment all
day and comes to a raucous close with a booming fireworks
show. But fireworks aren’t the only thing on the docket for
the day. Festivities commence at 10 a.m. with the Sunrise
Rotary Fourth of July Parade. The parade route winds down
2nd and 3rd Streets, passing in front of a grandstand and
performance area.
The fun continues with an all-day festival in Oxbow
Commons which starts at 1:00 p.m. Festival-goers will be
treated to the best fourth of July celebration in the valley.
Sample a variety of cuisine as you stroll down McKinstry
Street where a wide selection of food, beer, and, of course,
plenty of Napa Valley’s world-famous wine will be featured.
The Kids Zone in Oxbow Commons will be sure to keep the
youngsters occupied with free carnival games, inflatables, and
family-friendly activities. The Kids Zone is open from 1:30
p.m. until 7 p.m. Music on the Blue Note stage kicks off at
1:00 p.m. and continues right up to the fireworks show at
9:30 p.m.
This isn’t any ordinary festival either. Sunset.com listed Napa
among its six best small town Fourth of July block parties in
the country, joining Bend, OR; Big Sky, MT; Seward, AK;
Mesa, AZ; and Steamboat Springs, CO.
If you drive to the festival please note that Oxbow Market,
The Wine Train, and The Wyndham lots are not available for
public parking. However, plenty of parking is available at the
City Lot at Pearl and West Streets In the downtown garages
and on-street parking. Due to the increased traffic, festival-
goers are encouraged to leave their vehicles at home and bike
to the celebration. The Napa County Bicycle Coalition will be
offering free valet bicycle parking for those who opt to pedal
their way to the party.
Whether you arrive on two wheels or four, Oxbow Commons,
Veteran’s Park, or the riverfront promenade will be the places
to be as darkness falls. These three locations are the best
viewing sites for the fireworks extravaganza that brings the day
to a noisy, awesome end.
Keep an eye on www.cityofnapa.org or follow us on Facebook
for more information on bands, set times and a growing list of
activities.