Turlock will put its patriotic spirit on display with a host of activities planned for the Fourth of July holiday, ending with a spectacular fireworks display on the campus of Stanislaus State.

This year's festivities will kick off with a car show and street fair from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Main Street, followed by a community parade at 10 a.m. on July 4. Local veteran Lawrence Cahill and his wife Vera Cahill will be the Grand Marshalls of the parade, which has a theme of Stars and Stripes.

Food, arts and crafts vendors, live music and a beer garden will be located on Main Street from Broadway to Center and the car show, sponsored by Glass Boss, will be on Main from Golden State Boulevard to Lander.

A Kids Zone area will be set up at Central Park and offer bounce houses, face painting, balloon artists and other family-friendly activities free of charge. Turlock Downtown will also be handing out 2,000 glow-in-the-dark Stars and Stripes bracelets to children to wear once the sun goes down.

It's not too late to secure a vendor booth or parade entry for the downtown events.  Information can be found at: turlockdowntown.com or by calling 634-6459.

Local bakers can display their patriotism in sugar and icing this holiday with the Turlock Cupcake Wars: Stars and Stripes Challenge, sponsored by Reed Realty and co-hosted by Turlock Downtown and the Turlock Journal. There will be three age categories with first and second place cash prizes. Children in the 8 and under category and 9 to 13 category can vie for a $100 first place prize and $50 second place prize. Teens and adults in the 14 and older category will have a chance to win a first place prize of $250 and second place prize of $100.

Each contestant must enter four cupcakes by July 1. The entries will be displayed at the Reed Realty office at 5 E. Main St. throughout the holiday weekend and during the Fourth of July. Winners will be chosen through public voting online and through paper ballots available at Reed Realty.

Email khacker@turlockjournal.com by June 22 for a registration form.

"The 4th of July is going to be bigger than it ever has been this year," said Turlock Downtown director Gina Loretelli. "We've teamed up with Stanislaus State, the City and the Chamber of Commerce to really tie the whole day together."

After a fun-filled day in downtown Turlock, locals and visitors alike and head north to the campus of Stanislaus State. The City of Turlock, the Turlock Chamber of Commerce and Stanislaus State will once again host Fourth of July fireworks on the university campus this year. The campus will open to the public at 7 p.m. with live music, kids activities and food vendors. The 30-minute fireworks show is set to begin between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

The main viewing area will be Pergola Meadows, the grassy area between Warrior Arena and campus housing. Guests are invited to bring blankets, chairs and a picnic dinner, if they choose, but no alcohol will be allowed.

"I'm looking forward to the continuation of the Independence Day fireworks at Stanislaus State. The City Council has made it a priority to bridge the gap between the city and the campus, and this event is just one more step in that direction," said Turlock Mayor Gary Soiseth.