Families across San Diego County celebrated on Saturday by lining neighborhood streets for patriotic Fourth of July parades, waving flags and marking America’s 250th anniversary.
People who live in Scripps Ranch gathered along Scripps Ranch Boulevard for the community’s annual parade, a tradition that has continued for more than 50 years.
Melissa Bench told NBC 7 that the event reflects the neighborhood’s strong sense of community.
“Everybody’s out here . We love America and we love Scripps Ranch. We all have each other’s backs.”
NBC 7’s Monica Dean and Steven Luke announced the parade from the reviewing stand. Both news anchor are long time residents of the community.
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Crowds of people lined Scripps Ranch Blvd, Saturday, for a close up view of the annual parade, July 4, 2026.
While Scripps Ranch celebrated a long-standing tradition, Bird Rock in La Jolla offered a different take on national holiday.
The neighborhood’s annual Fourth of July parade featured do-it-yourself floats built around the theme of great moments in American history. Families assembled homemade creations using everyday materials, with one family recreating the Apollo moon landing.
Briede Charbonnet and his children used PVC pipe, foil and paper plates to build their float.
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Briede Charbonnet, and two of his children put finishing touches on their homemade float, Saturday, La Jolla, Calif., July 4, 2026.
The homemade floats only had to travel about two city blocks, but organizers and participants embraced the creativity behind the annual tradition.
“For me it means, like a big party day so we can celebrate America. Yay,” said Charbonnet’s daughter, Cortney, 8. Her old brother, Dennis, 10, said, “this is a big day where the whole family is together, and we do all these amazing things.”
Charbonnet, who is a port engineer and a reserve member of the merchant marines, said that he hopes the country continues to grow stronger in the years ahead.
“( I have) this lofty idea of maybe all of us individually aren’t perfect, but together we can make something and evolve it to be better,” he said. This is the first time his family particpated in the annual parade that they’ve watched on the sidelines for several years.
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This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.