Spirit of the Fourth

About Us

The goal of The Spirit of the Fourth has been to provide Rancho Bernardo and surrounding communities patriotic, historical and educational activities which commemorate the declaration of our Nation's independence; to foster true patriotism and appreciation for our American heritage; to honor veterans who served our country and to demonstrate openly the principals embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America.

This community tradition is the result of an all-volunteer, entirely community supported, year-round effort. The Spirit of the Fourth provides a full day of activities that starts at 9am with a Community Fair held in Webb Park. The fair includes the Larry Himmel Memorial Patriotic Pet Contest, a play area for children, entertainment, the Wheels of Freedom Motor Show, a Veterans Memorial Service, and numerous booths set up throughout Webb Park by various local organizations and businesses.

The next event of the day is the Parade which begins at 3:30pm and includes first responders, marching bands, elected officials, community leaders, beauty queens, floats, dancers, baton twirlers, and local organizations who wish to participate.

Our last activity of the day is the Fireworks which is held at the Rancho Bernardo High School (RBHS) and Bernardo Heights Middle School (BHMS) Athletic fields. The gates open at 6pm to allow families and friends to ''hang out'', play games and listen to a live band and performances from our RB Star competition winners, before the fireworks begin. The fireworks start at 9pm.