Happy Fourth of July week everybody! It is so hard to believe that July is already here and the summer is practically halfway over. As many of you know, the Fourth of July is always celebrated here in Los Alamos, but it’s sometimes difficult to figure out exactly what those celebrations will look like. Because there is one significant change this year, I wanted to give folks an important heads up.

For many of the long time Los Alamos locals, we’re used to thinking North Mesa for the Los Alamos Fourth of July Celebration. I can remember gathering at the ballpark or even on the field in front of the Middle School in the old days. Kids would do sparklers and eat junk food while parents enjoyed a day off relaxing with neighbors and friends until the fireworks began. But for a good number of years now, private fireworks aren’t such a great idea and the big display has been moved to Overlook where there is just more space for our booming population to gather and dance to the music!

Overlook Park

The venue for this year will once again be Overlook Park in White Rock. However, if you didn’t know, the Overlook Park complex is undergoing some significant renovations. Because of this, there will be NO PARKING for any of the public unless you have a handicap requirement. This is a change from previous years. Even though you could ride the ATC shuttle, folks were still using some limited parking options. Now the county is saying there will be NO public parking beyond handicap. All parking areas are reserved for vendors and activities. So please check out the county website HERE for a phone number or email if you’d like more info about the parking situation. The county is still advertising shuttle access from the White Rock Visitor Center and from Sullivan Field with regular shuttles beginning at 3PM.

4th of July Spectacular Event Schedule:
4:00pm – The Los Alamos Community Winds
5:00pm – DJ Optamystic
7:00pm – Prince Again
9:00pm – Drone Show
9:15pm – Fireworks Display

Come Support the Local Elements and Enjoy the Guest Performers!

The festivities kick off at 4:00PM with the Los Alamos Community Winds. Don’t miss out on this wonderful local non profit which provides such beautiful and sometimes traditional Fourth of July music. Involving the Los Alamos Winds gives us the opportunity to mix a bit of old school Norman Rockwell style patriotic medleys with some new and innovative sound. You can read more about the Winds HERE!

DJ Optamystic might not be well known, but this Northern New Mexico DJ has been building a following of innovative sounds and effects and is likely a good choice for a time slot when folks are looking to grab some food, talk with friends, wander the booths, and just enjoy the atmosphere. You can find more about DJ Optamystic on the artist’s Facebook page HERE.

Prince Again is a Los Angeles based tribute band showcasing the music and style of one of the most interesting musicians in American pop music culture. While the music of Prince (or the artist formerly known as Prince for some of us), might not be your regular jam. But it certainly sounds like a fun way to belt out lyrics that almost everyone knows in a venue where even the headliner is just an opening act for the main event.

I’m not going to pretend I had any clue what a “Drone Show” was when I first saw this on the schedule. But I checked out the Sky Elements website HERE and I have to say that I’m rather intrigued! It almost looks like a marching band performance if all of the band members were small, LED equipped aircraft. Kind of like modern technology meets Gandalf’s fireworks from Fellowship of the Ring. I think this is going to be a cool way to celebrate the Fourth of July with color and lights and music! But maybe with slightly less fire danger? Certainly seems like a good idea!

And don’t forget our Los Alamos Kiwanis Club who will be providing the fireworks display again this year! Most of us don’t realize just how often our lives are impacted by the Kiwanis Club. You can find them on Facebook HERE. They provide the See’s Candies fundraiser at the holidays, sponsor fundraisers for wildland firefighting efforts, and touch the lives of our students through the Key Club. Check them out and then enjoy the beautiful fireworks this coming Fourth of July!

So this week as we’re reminding ourselves that rain is good, remember that this wet weather is actually the BEST way to start the Fourth of July Celebrations here in Los Alamos! Grab your camp chairs, pack a cooler, and head for the closest shuttle pick up and join your nearest friends and neighbors for a wonderful afternoon and evening of local color and entertainment! And when you’re ready to make Los Alamos your home, give me a call! I love Los Alamos and I’d love to chat Los Alamos Real Estate with YOU!