Today it appears that there are parades for everything and anything. Americans celebrate Christmas with a parade. We also celebrate Thanksgiving Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Chinese New Year, and Flag Day.

There have been parades celebrating roses, Halloween, Disney characters, the daffodil, gay pride, and the odd military parade. Americans love a parade!

The first July Fourth parade in the United States took place in 1777 to celebrate our independence from Great Britain. That first Independence Day celebration included public readings of the Declaration of Independence, bonfires and bell ringing. From that moment on, the Independence Day Parade took place annually on July Fourth from coast-to-coast in this country.

Coronado’s first July Fourth Parade took place in 1888. Coinciding with the parade was a grand opening of the Coronado Beach horse racetrack. The Belt Line Railroad had just been completed around the Silver Strand. The Hotel del Coronado was very close to completion, and a roundhouse was being constructed at the Ferry Landing at the foot of Orange Avenue to accommodate train engines, rail cars and trolleys.

Orange Avenue received its name from the rows of orange trees planted down the median strip. They were replaced with palm trees not long after because indigenous rodents found them less appetizing than the orange trees.

That first July Fourth Parade featured the Goddess of Liberty on a horse-drawn float of 38 women, starring postal clerk Miss Clara Hill as the “Goddess.”

The Coronado Natural History Museum (located just south of the Hotel Del) provided horse-drawn floats featuring a taxidermist’s nightmare – a full sized rhinoceros and lion. The museum, which also had an enormous stuffed sea turtle hanging over the entrance, went out of business within two years. Today, the Coronado Historical Association and Museum thrive at their current location at 1100 Orange Avenue.

It was estimated that 11,000 people turned out for that inaugural parade. A contingent of 400 arrived by train from Los Angeles. The rest came, for the most part, by ferryboat – the 100-foot paddle wheeler named appropriately, Coronado (1886-1922).

As the only ferry in operation at that early point in Coronado’s transportation history (two others, Silver Gate and Benecia, would arrive before year’s end), the Coronado carried 13 horse teams and more than 600 people on her wooden decks. She ran non-stop until 11 p.m. that night. She cost $15,000 to build and was worth every penny of that investment.

Today, more than 100,000 people attend the Coronado July Fourth Parade. Over the decades, there have been a number of parade memories, some which are best left forgotten – spooked horses, drunken drivers (and politicians), streakers, kids playing pranks, and even a topless “mermaid” in a mobile water tank.

Late in the afternoon of July Fourth, 1888, the Hotel Del put on a twilight pyrotechnic display on the grounds. The agenda of fireworks included prismatic lights, blazing sun, caprice wheel and Roman candles.

An errant spark, however, dropped into one of the boxes and set off everything at once. Horses became frightened and bolted through the streets. People scrambled from the grounds and ran screaming in every direction. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

In 1896, celebrated architect Irving J. Gill was chairman of the Committee on Floats for the July Fourth parade.

In 1938, Central Drug Store advertised fireworks for sale. In those days, it was legal to set them off anywhere in town and selections offered included Roman candles, sparklers and pinwheels.

Local youngsters, or “Teenage Tommyrot,” as the newspapers called them, would purchase dynamite blasting caps over the counter at the local drug store, and attempt to blow the trolley off the tracks … just for fun (some succeeded).

In 1965, 55,000 people lined Orange Avenue to see the July Fourth Parade, touted as “Coronado’s 18th Annual.” Apparently, the parade was only held sporadically in the early years. In 1998, the July Fourth Parade Committee celebrated the 50th anniversary of the parade as an annual event.

Today, the parade committee goes to great pains to track which annual parade this is, usually with some debate. However, there is no denying that it all began in 1888, although “the modern parade” lays claim to starting in 1948 … hence the claim of this year’s parade being “the 76th annual” … or thereabouts.

John Laing had been the parade chairman since 1970. His father, Al Laing, had been parade announcer for 40 years and was well remembered by locals for his beautiful tenor voice and dedication to community.

In 1998, the Lone Ranger’s horse “Silver” got loose. Officials chased him all over Spreckels Park before capturing the famous white stallion.

Another time, a baby elephant ran through the front yard of someone’s house in the staging area. Prior to the 1970s it was a common sight to see parade horses galloping along our beach after the parade.

Local celebrities such as Orville Redenbacher and Johnny Downs were frequent parade participants. Actor Clint Walker (of the hit TV Western, “Cheyenne”) was set to ride in the parade one year but was talked out of his horse by then-mayor Robin Goodenough. The Mayor, an ex-Navy Frogman, rode the horse; Clint rode in the Mayor’s convertible.

Coronado has long held appeal to Hollywood’s elite, sports legends and celebrities. Actor Broderick Crawford lived on First Street for many years. Actress Anita Page was a long-time Coronado resident. Charlie Chaplin lived on Olive. And film producer Merien C. Cooper, who brought us the original “King Kong,” also lived here, just to name a few.

Each year, antique automobiles host celebrity newscasters and anchors in the parade and, almost always, award-winning journalist and historian Ken Kramer (KPBS) is riding shotgun in one of those vehicles.

In the mid-1950s the Navy Frogs (UDT, precursor to SEALs) had a float in the parade that consisted of a huge tank of water with a ‘mermaid’ inside. She was outfitted in a bikini top and full mermaid tail, but along the route her top was removed, much to the surprise of onlookers. The mermaid wasn’t invited back, although the Navy and our Navy SEALs are featured prominently every year in the parade, receiving well-deserved standing ovations.

Yes, the Coronado July Fourth Parade is indeed something special to behold. Along that 13-city block route you’ll see every branch of service represented There are horses galore, clowns, music, and antique cars to stir the nostalgic hair on the back of your neck.

Following the parade, the Navy Leap Frogs will parachute out of the sky, landing on the Coronado Golf Course. Later, a special concert will held in Spreckels Park, and the finale will, of course, be the massive fireworks show taking place in Glorietta Bay.

The rule of thumb on this very special day is to come early, stay late, don’t drive under the influence, and be careful and mindful of the hundreds of thousands of people sharing the road with you.

Happy Independence Day Coronado. More information on the July Fourth Weekend can be found at:

Coronado Fourth Of July | parade | fireworks | events

coronadofourthofjuly.com

VOL. 115, NO. 27 – July 2, 2025

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