Celebrating the Fourth of July in Bishop

Swimming, food, family fun and fireworks scheduled for all-day event in the City Park.

It’s time to light up the Eastern Sierra sky in celebration of Independence Day in Bishop. This year the Fourth of July party will once again take place in the Bishop City Park. The entire community is invited to come enjoy the city park with festivities scheduled throughout the day. Bring a picnic blanket and lawn chairs to set up in the baseball fields for the fireworks show, and be sure to bring a radio or download a radio app on any smart phone to tune in to KIBS 100.7 FM for synchronized music with the fireworks. KIBS’s livestream can also be found on their website, kibskbov.com.

Please note there will be no personal fireworks, dogs, or personal alcohol allowed in the city park during the event, however lawn games, picnic blankets, and family fun are encouraged. Stop by the Inyo Council for the Arts booth for a temporary tattoo, or say hello to the Bishop Fire Department at their first aid booth by the creek for a patriotic glow stick. There will be displays and food vendors available in the park from noon till sundown. For the latest schedule and information, visit the event website, 4thinthepark.com.

Big Day in the Park 

The Bishop City Council’s tradition of 12 years continues with Big Day in the Park. There will be free public swimming in the park pool from 1-4 p.m. The city councilwill be serving free pie, ice cream and watermelon in the middle of the park between the pool at skate park, from 1 p.m. until its gone. Everyone is invited to come say hello to their city council members and enjoy some free summertime treats.

Star-Spangled Bike and Scooter Pageant and Decorating Contest

The Fourth of July festivities in Bishop this year will feature a bike and scooter pageant with prizes for those who participate. Children and adults alike are invited to participate and decorate their favorite wheels. There will be a decorating contest with prizes for the most decorated, Star Spangled, and most patriotic in three age categories. Anyone who would like to decorate their bike or scooter and participate or their parents/guardians may sign a waiver at the registration table, which will be located near the pavilion prior to 5:15 p.m. The bikes and scooters will be cruising through the park at 5:30 p.m.

Live Music – Idle Hands String band and Sandy in the High Country

The Inyo Council for the Arts will once again be hosting live music in the city park prior to the fireworks show with Idle Hands String Band and Sandy in the High Country. These two beloved local bands will be performing in the back of the park, near the hill east of the pond. Idle Hands will begin at 4:30 p.m. Sandy in the High Country will begin at 6:15. The Inyo Council for the Arts also will have stick-on tattoos and pinwheels for the kids at their booth near the pavilion.

In addition to the live music, there will be vendors in the back of the city park throughout the day. Opening at noon, Pino Pies, Tutu’s, Rosa’s Food, Cloudripper, and Uncle Shyam’s will be cooking up a variety of delicious foods and drinks. Quail Sings Creations will be in the park as well, selling hand-crafted native American jewelry.

Watermelon Eating Contest 

At 5:30 p.m. Grocery Outlet of Bishop will host the highlight competition of the summer to determine who can eat the most watermelon in three differentagecategories. The contest will take place under the Grocery Outlet Easy-up beside the pavilion at the back of the city park. Participants or their parent/guardians will need to sign a waiver prior to the contest.

Bishop Fire Department Fireworks Spectacular

Shortly after 9 p.m., tune in to KIBS, 100.7 FM and look to the sky for the Bishop Fire Department’s Fireworks Spectacular, which will be launched from the east side of the Bishop City Park. The public is invited to watch from the city park, the baseball fields or watch from home in the downtown Bishop area. The fire department works with the world-famous Pyro Spectaculars by Souza, which is the same company that puts together shows like the Macy’s Celebration in New York City, Mount Rushmore, and Washington DC fireworks shows. There will be plenty of “pattern” shells, with hearts, happy faces, Saturn rings and geometric shapes, as well as spectacular shells that climb well over 600 feet in the air. The grand finale will launch more than 900 shells in less than 35 seconds.

The 4th in the Park festivities this year are sponsored by the City of Bishop, Inyo County, Wanaaha Casino, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Inyo Council for the Arts, 711 Materials, Coso Operating Company, Reach Air Medical Services, the Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce, KIBS,KBOV Radio, the Tri-County Fairgrounds, and the Bishop Fire Department.

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(From City of Bishop)

News Staff