(Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES-- Independence Day was celebrated all over Saturday, with many professional fireworks displays taking place across Southern California.
One major patriotic commemoration Saturday night was the 83rd annual Fourth of July Celebration at the Rose Bowl, which started at 2:00 p.m. with a "Family Fun Zone" featuring a variety of foods, live entertainment, crafts, exhibits and inflatable rides. Five of the nation's leading best drum and bugle corps performed later in the evening, and the celebration culminated with a 30 minute fireworks show at 9:05 p.m.
The 7th annual Exposition Park Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza started at 3 p.m. with live entertainment from various artists, and finished with an hour-long fireworks show starting at 8:45 p.m.
Fireworks were also set off following Saturday evening's Major League Soccer game at the Home Depot Center after the Los Angeles Galaxy square off with the New England Revolution, as well as after John Fogerty's concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
As usual, fire officials were strongly recommending no one fire off their own fireworks illegally.
Los Angeles Fire Department Deputy Chief Emile Mack warned that police officers and firefighters will be on patrol and will be taking a "very aggressive stance" against people setting off fireworks illegally and discharging firearms to revel Independence Day.
"Don't even think about using a gun, because we are going to be on top of you," Mack said in a press conference.
Keely Quinn of the Children's Burn Foundation warned parents not to even let children handle sparklers, citing that seemingly harmless sparklers are responsible for half of the injuries sustained by children under age 5 during the Independence Day holiday.
"It's often considered safe, but what many people don't know is that a sparkler can reach temperatures hot enough to melt gold," said Quinn, "Parents should know that when it comes to children, there are no safe and sane fireworks to play with."
Fire officials warned that Los Angeles County is going through a third year of drought, and that the possibility of starting a wildfire is heightened by the amount of dry brush that has proliferated in the area.
One major patriotic commemoration Saturday night was the 83rd annual Fourth of July Celebration at the Rose Bowl, which started at 2:00 p.m. with a "Family Fun Zone" featuring a variety of foods, live entertainment, crafts, exhibits and inflatable rides. Five of the nation's leading best drum and bugle corps performed later in the evening, and the celebration culminated with a 30 minute fireworks show at 9:05 p.m.
The 7th annual Exposition Park Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza started at 3 p.m. with live entertainment from various artists, and finished with an hour-long fireworks show starting at 8:45 p.m.
Fireworks were also set off following Saturday evening's Major League Soccer game at the Home Depot Center after the Los Angeles Galaxy square off with the New England Revolution, as well as after John Fogerty's concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
As usual, fire officials were strongly recommending no one fire off their own fireworks illegally.
Los Angeles Fire Department Deputy Chief Emile Mack warned that police officers and firefighters will be on patrol and will be taking a "very aggressive stance" against people setting off fireworks illegally and discharging firearms to revel Independence Day.
"Don't even think about using a gun, because we are going to be on top of you," Mack said in a press conference.
Keely Quinn of the Children's Burn Foundation warned parents not to even let children handle sparklers, citing that seemingly harmless sparklers are responsible for half of the injuries sustained by children under age 5 during the Independence Day holiday.
"It's often considered safe, but what many people don't know is that a sparkler can reach temperatures hot enough to melt gold," said Quinn, "Parents should know that when it comes to children, there are no safe and sane fireworks to play with."
Fire officials warned that Los Angeles County is going through a third year of drought, and that the possibility of starting a wildfire is heightened by the amount of dry brush that has proliferated in the area.
