East County Celebrates: Santee Salutes, Crest's 78th Parade, and Events From El Cajon to Alpine
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East County is staging a full slate of Fourth of July celebrations Saturday, anchored by Santee Salutes at Town Center Community Park East, 550 Park Center Drive, running from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. All advance on-site parking is sold out; the recommended option is a free shuttle from the Costco parking lot at 101 Town Center Parkway, running from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. with the last Costco pickup at 8:15 p.m. Shuttles pause during the 9 to 9:30 p.m. fireworks window. Pedestrians arriving from Santana High School at 9915 Magnolia Avenue face a roughly 1.2-mile walk; the YMCA footbridge is closed due to Community Center construction, so the west footbridge is the alternate pedestrian route.
The evening program at Santee Salutes includes a performance by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band from 4 to 5 p.m., a patriotic ceremony with Military Color Guard from HMH-462 at 6 p.m. with a vintage military aircraft flyover by ShowBoss Productions, live music by Those Guys from 6:30 to 9 p.m., and an enhanced grand finale fireworks display at 9 p.m. with a soundtrack streaming simultaneously on SanteeTV. Food vendors on site include American Flavors, Dirty Birds, Taco Picasso, The Go Go Truck, Up In Smoke BBQ, Turkish Grill, and dessert options.
Earlier Saturday, Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve hosted its America 250 Celebration Parade at 10 a.m., organized in partnership with the Santee Chamber of Commerce, featuring decorated golf carts, classic cars, bike crews, and themed floats. The Lakes Foundation is displaying 50 Flags of Freedom throughout the grounds.
In El Cajon, Kennedy Park at 1675 East Madison Avenue is hosting the city's fireworks celebration from 3 to 10 p.m. — free admission, with train rides, arts and crafts, family games, a DJ set from 3 to 9 p.m., and fireworks at 9. The Crest community in unincorporated El Cajon is marking its 78th consecutive Fourth of July celebration, with a parade that stepped off at 9 a.m. and festivities running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Nancy Jane County Park. In Alpine, the Independence Day parade went at 10 a.m. at Crown Hills, with a festival at the Alpine Community Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring food, games, a beer garden, bounce house, dunk tank, live music, and an appearance by Smokey the Bear — free admission.