Races, Parade, Fireworks Set to Go ‘Fourth’

Miss America Katie Stam and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will ride in Saturday’s Fourth of July Parade as Pacific Palisades once again celebrates the nation’s birthday with morning-to-night festivities. ‘We came up with the idea to invite Miss America as a way to add a new, exciting element to the parade, and it worked,’ said Rob Weber, president of the Palisades Americanism Parade Association (PAPA). ‘Mayor Villaraigosa joined us three years ago and we look forward to his return.’ The day begins with the 32nd Annual Will Rogers 5K/10K Run, starting at 8:15 a.m. at the entrance to the Palisades Recreation Center and involving about 2,500 runners. The 1K Kids Fun Run for children 12-and-under will follow at 9:15 a.m., same location. Prior to the parade, a VIP luncheon is held in the Methodist Church courtyard, where those who have donated more than $150 to PAPA can enjoy a buffet meal donated by several dozen Palisades businesses, while also mingling with parade dignitaries, including Honorary Mayor Gavin MacLeod, Reviewing Officer Major General Richard Mills of Camp Pendelton and Parade Marshal Bud Petrick, a longtime realtor and community leader.   Once the Carey Peck Skydiving team lands at Sunset and Swarthmore at 2 p.m. and the parade gets underway along Via de la Paz, watch for politicians (County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, State Senator Fran Pavley and Assemblywoman Julia Brownley), various community activists and honorees, and notables such as Notre Dame’s Daniel ‘Rudy’ Ruettiger, 1964 Heisman winner John Huarte (also of Notre Dame) and Palisadian Matty Whitmore, who survived to the final four in last year’s ‘Survivor Gabon.’   Spectators will enjoy a crowd-pleasing array of marching bands, from the town’s OomPaPa Band and the lively New Orleans Traditional Dixieland Band to a pair of world-class drum and bugle corps: the Bluecoats and Pacific Crest. ‘This is one of our best years ever for parade music,’ Weber said. Early in the evening, the stadium at Palisades High School will come alive with two main events. ‘I’m really looking forward to the concert that we’re holding at 6:30 before the fireworks show,’ Weber said. ‘In past years, the pre-fireworks entertainment was mostly an after-thought, not very well organized, and typically featuring just one performer. This year we will have three rock-and-roll bands plus other musical entertainment, thanks to the inspiration and hard work of several new PAPA committee members, most notably Keith Turner.’ The $20,000 fireworks show, sponsored by the Occidental Petroleum Corporation, will begin about 9 p.m.