New events at Rancho Bernardo's Spirit of the Fourth

July 2, 2014 2:13 PM PT

By Elizabeth Marie Himchak

Rancho Bernardo will be celebrating Independence Day with its 45th annual Spirit of the Fourth parade and festivities, including some new community fair activities.

The celebration will actually begin the evening before, when children and teens take to the stage in Webb Park for the ninth annual RB Idol talent competition. It begins at 6 tonight (Thursday). Admission tickets are $5 per person, which includes one vote for the Audience Choice award winner. Additional votes may also be purchased at $5 each.

As for the July 4 events, those begin at 6:30 a.m. in Webb Park when the Knights of Columbus members from San Rafael and St. Michael’s Catholic churches start serving the annual pancake breakfast. Tickets are $7 per person, with children 4 to 7 years admitted for $4 and children younger than 4 admitted for free, according to Spirit of the Fourth President Bryan Brigham. The breakfast will conclude at 10 a.m.

The community fair will go from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Webb Park. There are some additions to this year’s offerings. The Rancho Bernardo Business Association is hosting an 18-hole miniature golf course. Players can “hit the greens” starting at 10 a.m. The cost to play is $2 per person.

“We wanted to hold an event that would appeal to the entire spectrum of RB residents from kids to senior citizens, and we thought miniature golf would fit the bill perfectly,” said RBBA President Marty Judge.

The course was constructed by RB residents and woodworking hobbyists Bob Anttila, Ken Waters and Clarence Wilkerson. “(They) took some rough sketches and turned them into works of art,” Judge said. “They are terrific craftsmen.”

Though in its third year, the Bob Wells Memorial Rubber Ducky Race is making its first appearance at the community fair. The race in the Webb Lake is also sponsored by RBBA.

Ducks will be sold at the community fair until the 1:30 p.m. race time, unless all 1,500 are bought earlier. They are $5 each or six for $25.

Another attraction — for adults only this time — is the beer garden organized by the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition. Stone Brewing Company is providing 12 ounce cups of Stone Pale Ale or IPA, which will be sold for $5 a cup from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The bicycle coalition is also offering secure valet bicycle parking adjacent to the beer garden, so attendees will have the option of riding their bikes to the park instead of driving. Donations will be accepted for this.

As for returning events to the fair, they include the 10th annual Wheels of Freedom Motorfest hosted by Poway Cruisers, the Patriotic Pet Contest hosted by the Rancho Bernardo Community Council and the Veterans Memorial Service organized by the Military Order of World Wars Gen. J.P. Holland Chapter and Maj. Abraham J. Baum Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7766.

For times and details of these events, plus additional offerings during the community fair, see the Spirit of the Fourth program inserted in the July 3 Rancho Bernardo News Journal.

The parade will start at 3:30 p.m., with viewing available along Bernardo Center and Acena Drives plus Rancho Bernardo Road in RB’s retail district.

The July 4 festivities will conclude at Bernardo Heights Middle School, where gates will open at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 per person or $20 per family. Parking is free.

There will be musical entertainment provided by Eve Selis plus the winners of the Golden Idol and RB Idol competitions. The fireworks show will start at 9 p.m.

For more July 4 details or to make a donation to cover this year’s and next year’s festivities, go to