4th of July
Dan Costley welcomed the residents and their guests to our 4th of July celebration at Barnes Park in Monterey Park.
Members of the American Legion Post 397 in Monterey Park provided the colors as part of the annual celebration. Commander Gabriel Suarez and Trinidad Rodriguez set the flags on the stage before the scheduled event. Commander Suarez, Ronnie Zaragoza and Joe Hanson posted the colors and led the Flag Salute.
Commander Suarez thanked the guests for coming out today. This makes the veterans very happy to see all of the people celebrating our freedoms.
Members of the Monterey Park Concert Band played patriotic songs as well as oldies from America’s past.
Mayor Mitch Ing, Vice Mayor Teresa Real Sebastian, Councilmembers Stephen Lam, Hans Liang and Peter Chan, City Clerk Vince Chang and City Treasurer Joseph Leon welcomed everyone.
Mayor Ing introduced the elected officials and welcomed the residents and their guests to our 4th of July celebration held at Monterey Park’s Barnes Park Amphitheater. Since 1776 we are all here for the freedoms.
Vice Mayor Real Sebastian said we celebrate the 4th of July. What does it mean to us? She is proud to be an American. Today, we celebrate our freedoms.
Councilmember Lam said Happy 4th of July! The Independence Day of this great nation. He immigrated to the USA. He is proud to be an American citizen. Enjoy!
Councilmember Liang welcomed everyone to the city of Monterey Park. It is always a pleasure to welcome you to our celebrations. It is such a proud feeling. Have a Happy and Safe 4th!
Councilmember Chan greeted the residents with Good Afternoon! Happy 4th of July! We have many freedoms. It is a great country. We need to be grateful to this great country. Enjoy the day!
Clerk Chang said it is a good day to celebrate the 4th of July. It is a good day to be an American. From many countries in the world we are Red, White and Blue.
Treasurer Leon thanked everyone for coming here today. Have a great 4th of July!
Dan Costley and Betty Lu introduced our new citizens: Xi Chen, Yuet Lam, Joanna Ling Luo and Van Le Zhau to the elected officials and the residents. The elected officials and the audience clapped loudly and welcomed our new citizens on the 4th of July.
Mayor Ing and Vice Mayor Real Sebastian welcomed all of the children to the stage for the Flag Salute. The children led the audience saying the words that mean so much to all of us. We are all united as Americans on this 4th of July.
Dan Costley led the famous game “Straw Toss” on the stage as the younger group tossed their colored straws across the stage. Winners were chosen from each group for a chance to compete in the winning round.
Joey Oro was the first place winner. Elijah Webster, the second place winner and Daniel Castro, the third place winner surrounded him. They each received some candy as their prizes.
Members of “Two Days in Cat Time” provided creative music for the audience.
The party also featured food booths and more children games.
Members of the Doo Wah Riders rounded up the live entertainment.
The celebration ended with a colorful firework spectacular that lit up the night’s sky.
It reminded many Americans of The Star Spangled Banner Lyrics by Francis Scott Key in 1814:
“Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”
Happy 240th Birthday USA!
