Chula Vista 4th Fest: A Community Celebration of Fourth of July
It’s that time of year again when our community celebrates the Fourth of July in style. I had the pleasure of attending this year’s Chula Vista 4th Fest, and let me tell you, it was quite an experience!
Our city has hosted this fantastic event at the Elite Training Center for five years. While some of us still fondly remember the days it was held at the Chula Vista Marina, the new location has its charm. Sure, there’s been some grumbling about the change, but that’s just because we Chula Vistans are passionate about our traditions!
Chula Vista 4th Fest was a lot busier this year than in the past
This year’s turnout was impressive. If I had to guess, I would say over 1000 people attended the event. The excitement was palpable as folks started lining up at 6 PM, eager to enter when the gates opened at 7 PM. Seeing so many familiar faces and new friends coming together to celebrate our nation’s independence is heartwarming.
Food and Entertainment. Can we get more?
Now, let’s talk food. We had four food trucks this year, serving up shaved ice, coffee, waffles, and everyone’s favorite chicken sandwiches from Chick-Fil-A. I’ll be honest, the lines were pretty long, and it’s been a recurring issue over the years. Here’s hoping we can get more vendors in the future to keep our tummies happy and the wait times down!
While the food situation might need some work, the atmosphere was fantastic. Families brought games and balls for the kids to play with, and radio station 102.5 was there handing out flags, stickers, and bags. It really added to the festive spirit!
There was plenty of seating to see the fireworks
The Elite Training Center, while cozy, provided enough space for everyone to spread out and enjoy the fireworks. Speaking of which, this year’s display at 9 PM was even better than last year’s! However, parking can be a challenge with only 350 spots available. Pro tip: arrive early or be prepared for a bit of a post-fireworks traffic jam.
Loved to see our Chula Vista police officers keeping us safe
Safety is always a top priority, and I’m happy to report that there were no issues this year. Our local police force and event staff managed the crowds and parking well. A big shout-out to the parking staff; they did a great job. I know it’s hectic, but thank you for working the event.
One of the highlights for many was seeing our mayor, John McCann, mingling with the crowd and handing out free stickers. It’s clear he understands how vital these community events are to us, Chula Vista.
What I would love to see for Chula Vista 4th Fest 2025
There is always a little room for improvement, and as the city plans next year’s event, here are some ideas. I’m not an event planner, and kudos to the city staffer who has to put these together. Here are a couple of ideas that would make 2025 event much better.
For one, more food vendors PLEASE!! They could have easily had four more food trucks at the event. A better option is to get a catering company with a simple menu. This way, the food trucks don’t get overrun with orders. Maybe sell hot dogs and hamburgers to keep it simple.
I would love to see some live music at this event. How cool would it be to have a cover band play classic hits to get the crowd going and hyped for the fireworks? This would cut into the spectator area, but we could make it work somehow. The radio station was trying to do its best playing music. However, with this large of an area, they needed to bring more speakers.
I want to hear from you. If you went to the event, what would you think? If they added you to the planning committee, what ideas would you like to see? Drop us a message on Facebook, and maybe someone from the city will see them.
