For many of East Bay residents, July 4th means spending the day at the Berkeley Marina, eating, socializing, watching the kids run around having fun, culminating, after sunset, with a fireworks display over the bay. This year will be no exception.
The Berkeley Marina festivities run from noon until 10 p.m. and include all kinds of free family fun in an alcohol-free environment.
Below we list some highlights. For the full program, and information about how to get there — note there will be no AC Transit 51B service to the Berkeley Marina area between 6 p.m. and midnight Wednesday — bringing children and pets; accessibility; BBQs and parking, visit 4th of July at Berkeley Marina web page.
Adventure playground Kids can ride a zipline or use hammers, nails, saws and paint with parental supervision for free through 8 p.m.
Free photo booth Red, white and blue costumes available.
Free Dragon Boat rides Berkeley Canoe Racing Club is offering free Dragon Boat rides 12-5 p.m.
Live entertainment 12-1:15 p.m.: Troupe Tangiers and Sharifa’s Habbibis, traditional dances from North Africa, Turkey, and the Middle East regions. 1:30-3 p.m.: Humanistic, a jazz funk unit. 3:15-5:00 p.m.: Stompy Jones’s jump style music. 5:15-7:15 p.m.: Idlewild West, an Allman Bros tribute band. 7:30-9:30 p.m.: Dancing near the main stage to Guarandinga led by singer Rowan Jiménez and bassist Jeremy Allen. In the southeast corner of the park, on the point south of Cal Sailing Club, will an Afro-Cuban drumming circle put together by Sam Siegel.
Food Court Performing Area includes Golden Lion Martial Arts (1 p.m.); the Merry Mary Show (2 p.m. and 4 p.m.); Failure to Disperse (3 p.m.) with Carol Denney, James Nelson and Steven Strauss playing old-time and folk music on acoustic instruments; Sean Lee: A One-Man Band (5 p.m.) playing banjo, bass drum, and tambourine; Bay Station (6 p.m.), Kwame Copeland and Deborah Crooks, combine their talents to create a diverse form of Americana music.
Food All kinds of food stalls and gourmet food trucks… from key lime calamari to hand-dipped corn dogs, BBQ oysters to organic ice cream, cobblers to kebabs.
Other: Live pony rides, carnival rides, inflatable bounce area, mini-train rides, giant wavy slide, and walk-on-water bubble balls. Face painting, henna tattoos, balloon animals; craft vendors.
Fireworks Grand fireworks over the water near the end of the Berkeley Pier at 9:35 p.m. presented by the City of Berkeley. Viewing is best along Seawall Drive south of the Pier or from Hs Lordship’s parking lot.
Berkeleyside is a media sponsor of July 4th at the Berkeley Marina.
