All the mountain communities have decided to fully celebrate the Fourth of July weekend in style.

In Crestline, Jamboree Days will offer the community a parade, fireworks and much more. The theme is “Let the Adventures Begin,” which reflects the attitude of many in the community after a year of lockdown.

Jamboree Days begins Friday, July 2 with Market Night with artisan vendor booths, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. in the pavilion on the south shore of Lake Gregory. This free event, with free parking, is sponsored by the Lake Gregory Company and Heritage Farms farmers market.

Saturday, July 3 begins with the Jamboree Days parade beginning at 10 a.m. in Top Town. The parade will travel along Crest Forest Drive to Fern Drive and down to Lake Drive. The parade will continue on Lake Drive through Lake Gregory Village all the way to Lake Gregory, where it will disband at Lake Gregory Drive.

According to parade co-coordinator, Gary Lopez, there will be numerous announcers along the parade route, more than in previous years, to make the parade special to a larger number of spectators. The first announcer will be in Top Town in front of Mystwood Gallery, and at the corner of Triangle Park at Crest Forest Drive and Fern. There will be an announcer at the corner of Old Mill and Knapp’s Cutoff. The So. Cal. nIEws team of Mark Ramsperger and Drew Spitulski will be announcing from in front of Encompass. The corner of 1000 Pines Road and Lake Drive at Cozy Cabins will have an announcer, with another announcer on the deck of Lake Drive Pottery. Finishing up the parade at the corner of Forest Shade at Akasha Healing Center nearer the end of the parade will be Douglas W. Motley, aka Uncle Mott, and Citizen of the Year Rhea-Frances Tetley, both from The Alpine Mountaineer newspaper.

The grand marshal for the “Let the Adventures Begin” parade will be Mick Hill, chosen for his dedication to the Crestline community and decades of trying to make his hometown community a better place to live. The 2021 Crestline Citizen of the Year being honored this year will be local historian and author Rhea-Frances Tetley. She will be available to answer questions after the parade from 1-3 p.m. at Liberation Therapies with Mark Warhol, a previous Crestline Citizen of the Year.

Higher Grounds Coffee House, Bizzyland and Lake Mud Pottery, all on Lake Drive, are having vendors in their yards with live music being performed by local bands during the day. Spray paint artist Suzan will be giving free demonstrations at Woody’s Mercantile store, with live music on its stage. The brats booth will be in the Century 21 Real Estate parking lot, offering their delicious bratwurst sponsored by E. Campus Vitus. Many stores are offering popup booths in their parking lots with local artisans. However, Lake Drive will not be closed this year due to the late opening of the state and the time required for acquiring such permits from the county.

Lake Gregory Beach will be open at 10 a.m. for visitors to enjoy at regular prices. Fishing is open from sunup to sunset. The Duffy boats will be available for rent during beach hours. Lake Gregory will have their inflatable play islands open for play at regular prices. The parking lots are $2 the first hour and $1 an hour thereafter. The beach will close at 5:30 p.m., requiring all guests to exit and the parking lots will need to be emptied.

The Lake Gregory Company will open the gates to the beaches at 6:30 p.m. for those who want to watch the fireworks show, which will begin at 9 p.m. Spectators should bring their own blankets or beach chairs to watch the fireworks. No one may play in the water while awaiting the show. The fireworks will be shot over the lake from the south shore from near the waterslides and from a barge in the lake.

The new Lakeside Grill will be open with a limited menu for visitors while they wait for the fireworks. No barbecuing on the beach grills will be permitted during these after hours. No boats may be on the water or the fireworks show cannot be started. Parking will be free in the south shore and San Moritz parking lots. The north shore parking lot is being reserved for season pass holders and invited guests.

Lake Gregory Drive will be not closed this year, so spectators may not sit in the street between Goodwin’s Market and the lake. Because of the drought and recent high temperatures drying out the underbrush, spectators are cautioned not to block roadways with their vehicles for fire safety purposes, since the fire department is on extra alert and needs to have free transit on the roadways.

On Sunday, July 4, the Arrowhead Lake Association is planning many high-flying ways to celebrate. The first of two flyovers will start at 11:30 a.m. until noon. Scheduled to fly low over the lake will be a Mooney and RV-6, a Beechcraft Dutchess, a PT-19 Fairchild, PT-17 Stearman and L-19 Bird Dog.

The Mountain History Museum will be hosting an ice cream social from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday July 4, sponsored by Goodwin and Son’s Market of Crestline. This multi-generational family grocery store is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and is well known for supporting the community. Enjoy some delicious ice cream sundaes while socializing with others outside in the shaded patio.

Also on July 4th, the Arrowhead Arts Association will present a free concert at Tavern Bay from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Drew Ninmer Brass Quintet will perform patriotic and popular music until just before the 9 p.m. fireworks over Lake Arrowhead.

The Arrowhead Lake Association will present a second flyover from 5 to 7 p.m. It will begin with Mercy Air’s helicopter, followed by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s helicopter. Following the helicopters will be Tony Higa in a Pitts Special SIS. The North American T-6 Texan Formation is next. The five warbirds from the Palm Springs Air Museum will fly low, starting with the North American T-28 Trojan, followed by a Bell P-63A Kingcobra, then a Douglas C-47 Skytrain and finishing with two P-51 Mustangs. Then a Beechcraft T-35 Mentor flown by George Watson will fly over Lake Arrowhead, followed by the Tumbling Bear Zin142C flown by Rob Harrison and ending with the Dawn Patrol Formation RVs.

In Running Springs at Rustic Arts Cabin Outfitters there will be the family friendly 12th annual Fourth of July weekend Mountain Arts Festival. There will be music by Jimmy Reid singing the blues, with woodworking to leather, stained glass to handmade jewelry, vinyl to fabrics, metal, fine arts, student art, hand crafted furniture, and wood sculptures and food vendors at 32088 Hilltop Blvd, in Running Springs beginning on July 3 at 10 a.m. and continuing July 4 until 5 p.m.

The community of Green Valley Lake also welcomes visitors over the long weekend from Friday to Monday. On Friday July 2, it is pizza night (gluten free and vegan options) with live music from 5 to 8 p.m. with the Green Label Orchestra. On Saturday, the Black Dog Shoppe will celebrate its first anniversary with music all day from 11:30 to 5 p.m. All weekend long food will be provided by Dean’s 4 Dogs Grillin’. Any donations and a portion of the profits will go to various animal charities. The free Saturday night outdoor movie of Cruella will begin at dusk.

On Sunday July 4, the annual Green Valley Lake Independence Day parade, hosted by MCA, will travel along Green Valley Road from Lakeside to Angeles Drive beginning at 11:30 a.m. After the parade, a cake walk will be held at Green Valley Lake Real Estate. All afternoon from 12 to 5 p.m. two bands will play: Neil Bradley and Tim Hatch. The Independence Day cruise will begin at 1:30 p.m. On Monday, July 5, the afternoon performances of live music will be Deep Creek

This year’s Independence Day weekend on the mountain offers many activities but remember: The possession or use of any personal fireworks, even the safe and sane type, are forbidden. Enjoy the Fourth of July by watching the professional fireworks shows in the various communities this weekend.