• The event draws more than 200,000 people each year to Surf City.
• In 2011, the 3rd Battalion/1st Marine Regiment participated in the parade for the first time. The city of Huntington Beach adopted the battalion in 2005.
• During the 2010 fireworks show, about 1,300 rounds of fireworks were shot off, including 500 during the 40-second finale.
Why they are No.1: With a history dating to 1904, this is the oldest Fourth of July parade west of the Mississippi River and features about 200 floats. The event is entirely volunteer-run. Highlights of the celebration are a breakfast, the annual Surf City 5K Run, the parade and street festival. The celebration culminates in a 30-minute fireworks show over the pier.
Claim to fame: The parade has seen its share of celebrities, including grand marshals such as Buzz Aldrin, Zsa Zsa Gabor and Mickey Mouse. Pat Stier, who has been the parade director for the last 19 years, said she is extremely proud of the event, which has become a cherished Huntington Beach and Orange County tradition for many. "We are so happy to get this parade on Coast Highway against the backdrop of the beautiful ocean," she said.
Fun fact: In the late 1930s, the city's first lifeguard and fire chief, Dilbert Bud Higgins, pulled an amazing stunt where he doused himself in alcohol, lighted himself on fire and dove off a 50-foot platform from above the pier into the water.
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