The sixth annual Main Street Parade presented by the Ocean Park Association will run the entire stretch of Main Street on Wednesday, July 4.
The parade, which is themed honoring science and technology, will start at 9:30 a.m. outside Santa Monica Civic Center and continue down the length of Main Street from Pico to Marine, turning right on Marine, then right onto Barnard Way/Ocean Avenue where it will finish near the beach.
Street closures will block drivers on Main Street from Colorado Avenue to Pico Boulevard starting at 6 a.m., from Pico to Marine at 9 a.m. to noon, and Neilson Way at Marine from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Pico, Bay, Bicknell, Pacific, Strand, Hollister, Ocean Park, Hill, Ashland, Pier, and Marine between 4th St. and Neilson Way will be closed from 8 a.m. to noon.
This year’s parade will feature several Grand Marshals who are all local science teachers. They were Benjamin Kay (Santa Monica High School), Joe Wise (New Roads High School), Marianna O’Brien (Lincoln Middle School), and Kristin Jurewicz (John Adams Middle School).
Lori Nafshun, one of the 4th of July Parade founders, said the science teachers deserved to take a bow for the tremendous work they have done for the children of the Santa Monica community.
“In these days of emphasizing standardized testing, it’s important to have teachers in our schools who have an opportunity to teach critical thinking,” Nafshun said. “We owe the science teachers our gratitude for helping to keep the passion for learning alive.”
For an entire list of street closures and parking availability visit opa-sm.org/parade.
