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Costa Mesa gets a jump on Independence Day with a July 3 celebration

by in News

Quick, without Googling it: How many people signed the Declaration of Independence? In which country did fireworks originate? Who wrote the Pledge of Allegiance? Which Costa Mesa elected official has a birthday closest to July 4?

  • Kate Fitzpatrick, 3, of Costa Mesa, smiles as she enjoys an inflatable slide during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Costa Mesa Mayor Kristey Foley falls into a dunk tank during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  • Fireworks explode over the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • U.S. Representative Harley Rouda, left, reads part of the Declaration of Independence as he is joined on stage by city officials during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Joselyn Prado, 6, left, and her sister Valerie, 4, both of Costa Mesa, play with patriotic headbands during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • U.S. Representative Harley Rouda reads part of the Declaration of Independence as he is joined on stage by city officials during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Costa Mesa Mayor Kristey Foley falls into a dunk tank during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Bill Simco wins the Miguel, Jr’s burrito eating contest during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Tijuana Dogs perform on stage during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Tijuana Dogs, including lead singer Matt Mauser, center, and guitarist Dave Murdy, perform during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Leighton Pajari, 4, of Fountain Valley, left, hits the target dunking Eduardo Iniestra during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. Iniestra is the Arts & Music Coordinator for Save Our Youth, the non-profit benefitting from the dunk tank donations. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Fireworks explode over the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Matthew Moreau, of Costa Mesa, plays with his daughter Mila, 1, while they wait for the fireworks to start during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Josey Escobar, 3, of Huntington Beach, dances as Moxie Anne and Sydney Ellen perform during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Shannon Burris, of Costa Mesa, left, high-fives her daughter Remi, 1, after she rode down an inflatable slide with her dad Scott, right, during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Fireworks explode over the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Fans dance as the Tijuana Dogs perform during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Fans dance as the Tijuana Dogs perform during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Heidi Alonso helps her son Hunter Vargas, 7, with the ketchup after after getting a hotdog from the Costa Mesa Firefighters, including her husband Antonio, during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • An American flag hangs on a beef jerky stand during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Fireworks explode over the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A staffer grabs Mayor Pro Tem John Stephens’ patriotic hat after he was soaked in the dunk tank during the City of Costa Mesa’s July 3 celebration at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Those questions were among the patriotic-theme trivia Costa Mesa Councilman John Stephens was ready to fire off at residents who came to the city’s July 3 celebration of Independence Day. He was hoping the family celebration at the OC Fair and Event Center would draw several thousand guests to enjoy eating contests (burritos and ribs), live music from the Tijuana Dogs, prize giveaways and bicycle decorating, two performances of the national anthem, and fireworks to cap off the evening.

While his colleague Mayor Katrina Foley was preparing to get drenched in a dunk tank, Stephens was most excited about “just overall having people have a great time and celebrating the country,” he said.

And the patriotic trivia, of course. Those questions from a few sentences ago? The answers are 56, China, Francis Bellamy, and a tie between Councilman Manuel Chavez (born July 3) and Foley (born July 5).