The Sonoma Volunteer Firefighters Association has big news. Sonoma’s Fourth of July Celebration — the fireworks show and the Plaza parade — will return in 2022.
“It’s been sometime since we have been able to celebrate our nation together in person with all the normal events and we are thrilled that we can experience the full 4th of July again.,” says an enthusiastic Joe Keechler, parade organizer. “This year’s parade theme is ‘Honoring Frontline Workers'”.
The planned parade route begins and ends at First St. E. and East Spain St. The judging area will be located in front of Sonoma City Hall and all parade entries will be judged on their adherence to our theme, originality, enthusiasm and patriotism.
Once again, the parade will end at the “Splash Zone,” which has been renamed the “Tim Gray Memorial Splash Zone” in the honor of its founder, the late Tim Gray, said Joe Keechler, parade organizer.
Beginning May 2, 2022, parade applications will be available on the association’s website, sonomavolunteerfirefighters.org. Applications are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and will be limited to 70 entries. Parade entry deadline is June 3, 2022 at 5pm.
The parade will start promptly at 10 a.m. Adults of drinking age are welcome to stop by the Sonoma Volunteer Firefighter’s Association (SVFA) booth for Mimosas beginning at 9 a.m.
The parade is just beginning. The Festival in the Plaza with an assortment of games, information booths, food, live entertainment, drinks and fun for the whole family kicks off at 11 a.m. A full schedule of events and Plaza vendors will be posted as details develop.
As the skies turn to dusk, the attention will shift to the General Vallejo’s field (West Spain at Third Street), for the fireworks show at about 9:30 p.m.
Another tradition, that of a hometown celebration produced by volunteers with the grass-roots support of local citizens, continues as well. The success of this event hinges largely on community support. Unfortunately last years’ firework show donations didn’t cover the costs of the full show, Keechler said.
“This year we are hopeful that more donations from the community will make up this deficit so we can continue to provide this show for years to come. We want to take this time to thank everyone who has donated in the past and welcome additional donations.”
To make a donation, please visit our website at sonomavolunteerfirefighters.org or mail your donation addressed to SVFA, 630 2nd St. W., Sonoma, CA, 95476. For more information check sonomavolunteerfirefighters.org
Why are there not any black or transgendered people n any of the photos you selected for this article? I zoomed in and saw none in any crowd shots too. Are there really no forbidden black trans? It looks like photos from me i Germany minus the Hindu-Aryan good luck crosses better known as swastikas. Maybe you are familiar.
Absolutely impossible to believe a city can be so racist and homophobic. It makes me sick you could not find any sonoma photos of trans folks. At least you could have used a photo from many of the gay men who were at the recent film festival and tastings. There were lots of proud trans and gays and This paper would do well to include more of their photos.
Showing only binary white people is so racist I can’t believe I have to say this. I thought we could count on this paper to include all sexually preferences. I guess this was a chance to show how insensitive to alternative lifestyles we really are. We need to show the trans and happy gay men. Especially if they are successful so our kids know they have choices and the gender and sexual preferences are not forced on them.
This has to be a joke
Please share some of your photos! We can’t really control who is on the street in a crowd shot, but maybe you have a some pictures that are representative? Thanks!