ANTIOCH, Calif. (KGO) — The city of Antioch has decided to cancel its annual 4th of July parade. City officials say the extreme heat would make it unsafe to hold the event.
“It’s too hot and it’s too dangerous,” said Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe. “The last thing we are going to do is put people’s health in jeopardy.”
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The parade usually runs from 11 a.m. to around 1 p.m. when the temperatures are expected to be some of the hottest. On Wednesday, the high temperature in Antioch was 109. Thursdays forecast is set to be similar.
“To have people out in such dangerous temperatures will be foolish of the city,” Hernandez-Thorpe said. “I have put out a call for folks to cancel activities if they are out and about and we need to practice what we preach.”
Neighboring city Brentwood is still going through with their parade. However, their parade starts early in the morning.
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“Ours is at 9:30 a.m. – it is not very long,” said Amy Tilley, the executive director of the Brentwood Downtown Coalition. “I would say definitely bring a chair, bring some water and bring some sun block.”
The heat wave is expected to last several more days. Some businesses in Brentwood have been busy all week, and they expect it get busier tomorrow.
“It gets so busy, especially in the evening when there is a lot of events downtown,” said Caitlyn Washington, one of the servers. “Tomorrow is 4th of July, which is our busiest day, so we are going to have a couple stands around town so it is not super busy, because we would have a long out the door.”
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