LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Fourth of July Fun in Lamorinda


Fourth of July parade in Orinda Photos Ohlen Alexander

The Old Farmer's Almanac predicts a sunny, hot inland day, perhaps with morning clouds for this year's Fourth of July. So bring layers of red, white and blue and don't forget the sunscreen as Lamorinda celebrates Independence Day.

Lafayette does not host official celebrations, the better to allow its denizens to enjoy a dawn to post-dusk roster of events in the two other nearby Lamorinda towns.

In Orinda, connect with family and friends and enjoy music and great food at the annual pancake breakfast, sponsored by Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary, at 7:30 a.m. at Orinda's Community Park. After getting properly loaded up with carbs, runners can take their marks at the 11th annual Haley's Run for a Reason (http://www.sudc.org/haleysrun/), benefitting Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood. Be at the Community Center five minutes before the 8 a.m. race start to watch the stars and stripes run up the Orinda Community Center flagpole. An Orinda book sale in the library's breezeway will help while away the hour until the start of the Lamorinda Fourth of July Parade, which steps off at 10 a.m. from the Orinda BART east parking lot, then up to Theatre Square and back down to Camino Pablo, ending at the Community Park (https://orindaassociation.squarespace.com/parade-info). Community Center and Park area activities, including kids activities, a petting zoo and food courts will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

In Moraga, the "Fun Run" with three events in all, including a kiddie race and two- and five-mile courses, begins at 8 a.m. Proceeds benefit the Campolindo High School Track, Field and Cross Country program (sign up online at https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Moraga/Moraga4thofJulyRun). Then Moraga Commons goes to the dogs with its annual parade of pooches beginning at 9 a.m. near the band shell and the town's community booths open simultaneously. Then at 10:30 a.m. line up at the flagpole for the annual children's bike parade, quickly followed by a round of kid games at 11 a.m. and a family magic show at 12:30 p.m.

The party continues at 7 p.m. where picnickers can enjoy music by the FUNdamentals, a rockin' dance band, at the Moraga Commons band shell. Food booths will be open at the park until 8 p.m. The fireworks are scheduled to start after dark at around 9:30 p.m. Moraga has been working to raise $25,000 to defray the fireworks show costs. To make an online donation, visit www.moragarec.com.

Fortunately, this year's Fourth of July celebration falls on a Saturday, so we can all sleep in on Sunday.

Moraga schedule of events:

8 a.m. Kiddie Race, Moraga Shopping Center

8:30 a.m. Two- and Five-mile Run, Moraga Shopping Center

9 a.m. Dog Parade, Moraga Commons

9 a.m. Community booths open until 1 p.m., Commons

10:30 a.m. Bike Parade, Commons

11 a.m. Kids' Games, Commons

12:30 p.m. Family Magic Show, Commons

7 p.m. Outdoor concert by the FUNdamentals, Commons

9:30 p.m. (approximate) Fireworks, Commons

Orinda schedule of events:

7:30 a.m. Pancake breakfast (until 10 a.m.), Community Park

7:55 a.m. Flag Raising, Community Center

8 a.m. Haley's Run for a Reason, Community Center

9 a.m. Friends of Orinda Library book sale

10 a.m. Lamorinda Fourth of July Parade, starts at BART parking lot

11:30 a.m. Community Park activities (until 1:30 p.m.)

Fourth of July Road Closures

Orinda Street Closures During Parade

The westbound Highway 24 on-ramp (east side of Camino Pablo) will be closed during the parade from approximately 9:30 to 11:45 a.m. One northbound lane of Camino Pablo will remain open. The southbound lanes of Camino Pablo with the on/off ramps on that side of the street will remain open. Moraga Way from Wells Fargo Bank to the Davis Road intersection will be closed from 10 to 11:45 a.m. A portion of Santa Maria and all of Orinda Way will be closed from 9:30 to 11:45 a.m. for the Parade and Community Center.

Moraga Way Closure During Fireworks

Due to the Fourth of July celebration, there will be heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic around the Moraga Country Club, and Moraga Way will be closed at 8:45 p.m. between Camino Ricardo and Hardie Drive. The road will remain closed during the fireworks display. During the July 4 road closure, there will be a posted detour around the closure area, although the detour will not accommodate tractor-trailers and very large trucks. Moraga Road will be open and may be used as an alternate route.