July Fourth in San Diego over the years has meant trips to the beach, grilling outdoors and, of course, plenty of fireworks. These CBS 8 clips capture some of the summertime magic that Independence Day brought in the 1960s, '70s and '80s along with glimpses of the styles of the time.
Coronado Parade and Independence Day in San Diego 1964
This amazing footage from the News 8 archive features a classic Coronado Fourth of July parade from 1964 with floats, majorettes, bands and Miss Coronado Paula Epps. At :54 scenes from celebrations around town are shown, including the San Diego Zoo.
News 8 Throwback 1975: Coronado Fourth of July Parade
When it comes to the 4th of July in San Diego, Coronado has always been one of the best places in the county to celebrate. It was America's 199th birthday and 40,000 folks lined Orange Avenue to see the parade. It was one of the largest in the country according to Gene Gleeson, reporting with the Electro News unit... a catchy phrase for News8 news teams in 1975.
News 8 Throwback 1978: Coronado Fourth of July Parade
News 8's Cathy Clark was out at the 30th Coronado Independence Day Celebration on July 4, 1978 to see 177 entries parade down Orange Avenue in Coronado.
Fourth of July 1984 Oceanside
Who doesn't love a parade? Lots of folks were on hand for the 2nd annual Oceanside Fourth of July parade. A float saluted the Summer Olympics which was later that month in Los Angeles. There were clowns, food, marching bands, horses, music and so much more. Doug McAllister talked to kids who seemed to be enjoying the festivities.
Fourth of July Mission Beach 1985
The beach is one of the best places to be to celebrate America's birthday. Problem is if you don't get there early, you might have to turn around if you attempt to go. 1985 was like so many other years...too many cars, not enough parking spaces. A shuttle bus was available but Loren Nancarrow said not a lot of people took advantage of it. Closing roads when the parking areas are full prevents gridlock and kept those who did manage to secure a spot, safe.
Fourth of July 1989 Mission Beach
Fourth of July 1989 had a lot of what you'd expect from a holiday weekend: backed up traffic, overflowing parking lots and beaches so crowded you could hardly see the sand. News 8's Chris Saunders headed to Mission Beach to see how people were celebrating their independence. Unfortunately, a few people lost that right and police were seen taking one man away as he shouted, "I'm not drunk in public." Saunders summed up the day as: "bronzed bodies, beer, bikes, and beach blanket bingo."