Irvine councilmembers want to put on a magnificent Fourth of July for their community.
A drone show. A barbeque cook-off. Live music. Marching bands. Floats.
The City Council voted 5-0 (Councilmember Mike Carroll was absent) in late February to direct city staffers to devise a plan and a budget for what could be an inaugural citywide Independence Day celebration.
For now, the celebration is just an idea. It might not happen, or the final product might be toned down relative to expectations.
But city staff told the council they can pull off a festival this year.
City staffers will develop the preliminary plan, consider a fiscal budget and logistics and return those details to the council for consideration within 30 days.
As it stands, the council is aiming high.
“I’ve lived here 26 years, and I’ve always wondered why we never had a united citywide celebration,” said Councilmember James Mai, who proposed the festival. “Given the division that we have in this nation now, I think it’s the appropriate time to introduce this.”
Councilmember Kathleen Treseder suggested having a drone show instead of fireworks.
“I think there’s a lot of reasons to advocate for that,” she said. “There’s the fire safety issue, but also we’re the city of innovation.”
Mai liked that idea and suggested that city staff work with the Pacific Symphony to augment their fireworks show at Great Park Live.
He also directed staff to coordinate with Irvine homeowners associations that currently put on smaller Fourth of July shindigs.
“In no way is this a replacement for what’s going on,” he said. “Instead, this should be a combination, and it should be celebrated throughout the city. We are all Americans, and I believe that we love this country for all her greatness and flaws, regardless of where we’re from, our social status, race, religion or political preference.”
