CORONADO, Calif. (KGTV) — The spirit of the Fourth of July is all over Coronado.
From the store window fronts to the flags and banners. A glimpse of normalcy that many residents and tourists have been waiting to see.
"It feels great. The atmosphere, everyone’s so kind over here. It’s just a great place to be," John said. For him and his two little brothers, Nillo and Mikko, they’re happy to hear the annual Fourth of July parade is back this year.
"I’m excited to see a parade for the first time in a while," Mikko added.
The parade was canceled last year because of the pandemic. It’s one of the largest events in Coronado that draws crowds of people — great news for businesses like Trident Coffee.
Manager Samantha Smith says things are starting to pick up and they’re seeing more than just the regulars pop in.
"It’s definitely bringing in more business overall as well as the locals so this is a good thing for us," said Smith.
And she’s hoping the return of big events like the Independence Day Parade means even more foot traffic in the area.
"I think people were just excited to be outside and be out in the sun and explore. They’re kind of over being inside, especially now that people are getting vaccinated. They’re more open to socializing," said Smith.
Coronado's festivities kick off on Saturday with an Independence Day Parade starting at 10 a.m. on Orange Ave., followed by the Crown City Classic 5K and 12K run, starting and finishing at Tidelands Park. Sunday, the city's fireworks display will light up the sky above Glorietta Bay Park and Stingray Point at 9 p.m.
As Coronado's fireworks fire off, San Diego's Big Bay Boom will also draw in visitors around San Diego Bay at 9 p.m. For more July 4th events around the county, click here.
