Residents will have the opportunity to celebrate two milestones at once when San Dimas hosts its "Stars, Stripes & Drone Lights" celebration on Friday, July 3, bringing together Independence Day festivities and the City's 66th birthday in a first-of-its-kind event.

"Sweet Spirit of San Dimas" by Bonita Unified first grader Alexander Young.
Image courtesy of the committee's June 23 slide presentation to San Dimas City Council

Held from 4:00 to 9:30 p.m. at Civic Center Park, the celebration will feature live entertainment, a farmers market, food vendors, a beer garden, a classic car display and a 400-drone light show over City Hall.

According to San Dimas 2026 Committee Chair, Doran Barnes, combining the City's traditional birthday celebration with the nation's semiquincentennial made for a unique opportunity.

"Traditionally, San Dimas has always held a birthday event for the City, usually in August," Barnes said. "But for this one year, in light of the 250th United States Independence Day, the City Council agreed to combine the city's birthday with the Independence Day celebration to really make it something that will be absolutely memorable and fabulous for our community."

The July 3 celebration is the culmination of nearly four years of planning by the San Dimas 2026 Committee, which the City Council established in 2022 to help commemorate the nation's 250th anniversary. The volunteer committee spent 48 months preparing for the event and included 20 members representing 24 community organizations throughout San Dimas.

Rather than creating a new event from scratch, organizers combined four existing traditions into a single celebration: the City's Music in the Park concert series, the weekly farmers market, San Dimas' annual birthday celebration and America's 250th anniversary. According to the committee's presentation to the City Council, organizers hoped combining the events would create a larger, more impactful celebration than any one event could achieve on its own.

"We're trying to bring together a lot of the cool things that we have in San Dimas, plus add on a little bit to create a day of really spectacular celebration," said Barnes, who is also chair-elect of the Chamber of Commerce said.

Festivities begin at 4 p.m., with activities throughout the Civic Center campus. The Marine Corps Band is scheduled to perform at 4:30 p.m., followed by a Fife and Drum Corps procession and live music on the main stage. Visitors can also browse local vendors, enjoy food trucks and the beer garden featuring High Point Brewery, and explore a classic car display that offers a preview of the Sheriff's Booster Car Show later this month.

More than 350 pieces of artwork created by San Dimas students for a patriotic art contest celebrating America's 250th anniversary are on display inside the Stanley Plummer Community Building in San Dimas.

The evening will conclude with what organizers expect to be one of the event's biggest attractions: a synchronized drone light show featuring 400 drones illuminating the sky above City Hall.

"It'll be the first time we've ever done a drone show at Civic Center Park and above the City Hall area," Barnes said. "The maximum number of drones that we can launch from that area is 400 drones, and we've maxed it out."

Beyond the entertainment, Barnes said his favorite part of the event will be seeing neighbors gather together.

"San Dimas is a great community, and this is a place where we can all celebrate together," he said. "To me, that's the most exciting part of the whole thing. Although I will say, the drones are going to be pretty doggone cool."

The City also plans to hand out approximately 2,000 cupcakes to commemorate San Dimas' birthday.

Organizers encourage attendees to arrive early, as a large turnout is expected. Seating for the concert and drone show will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, with guests invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets. The City asks visitors not to bring umbrellas or pop-up canopies that could obstruct others' views.

While there are currently no announced plans to make the event an annual Fourth of July tradition, Barnes said the committee is focused on ensuring this year's celebration leaves a lasting impression.

"Our emphasis is really making what's coming up here in a few days truly memorable," he said.

For more information, please visit the event’s website.