LOS ANGELES, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Southern California staged Fourth of July celebrations on Thursday with various festivities including art shows, parades and fireworks.
Downtown Los Angeles came to life with eight blocks of partying on Thursday afternoon, including music at two main stages and a variety of kid and family activities.
The Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, hosted an annual AmericaFest with live music shows, including a live performance on Disney's Lion King which was followed by the biggest fireworks show in Southern California.
In Santa Barbara, a famous scenic spot on California's Central Coast, over 175 agencies, together with local residents and tourists, paraded to celebrate Independence Day.
A total of 80 incredible artisans staged one of the largest and longest running art shows in California at Mission Santa Barbara.
The Los Angeles Dodgers hosted home games against the San Diego Padres on Thursday evening followed by spectacular fireworks displays to end the night.
Multiple fireworks shows lit up Californian skies in different locations, such as downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Dodgers Stadium, beaches and parks.
Tom Richardson, who drove for two days from Eugene in the state of Oregon to Santa Barbara, told Xinhua he enjoyed spending the holiday on road with his family, dog and friends.
It was a lot of fun watching the spectacular firework show, and join celebrations with his countrymen, he said.
According to the American Automobile Association, a record-breaking 48.9 million Americans were expected to travel hundreds of miles and sit in traffic to spend time with family and friends for Independence Day this year.
