The community’s daylong celebration of Independence Day 2019 was packed with food, music, games, and family fun, as neighbors gathered at Lake Murray Community Park to enjoy the annual Lake Murray Fireworks and MusicFest event.

“Thank you to our donors, volunteers and to our community for getting behind the event and for doing their part to keep our neighborhood safe and clean this July Fourth,” said event chair Tracy Dahlkamp.

The Lake Murray Fireworks and MusicFest committee is officially committed to hosting the event again July 4, 2020. All donations made from this day forward will be applied to 2020, for expenses including fireworks, city permits, insurance, emergency personnel, portable toilets and sinks, entertainment, and lighting and stage components.

While community donations looked to fall short of the $85,000 goal this year, the total raised by the day of the event was a cool $85,171, according to Dahlkamp.

The 2019 music festival drew a rotating crowd of an estimated 3,000 people, while the evening fireworks show could be seen by an estimated 100,000 people throughout La Mesa and San Diego’s Navajo neighborhoods of Grantville, Allied Gardens, Del Cerro, and San Carlos.

Attendees feasted on pizza, bacon-wrapped hot dogs, barbecue, and sweet treats, played field games on the playground, and danced to the sounds of Republic of Music, Frankie T & The Triple Bee, Big Time Operator and Bam Bam. The surrounding neighborhood decorated with American flags, and hosted house parties and bike parades.

The San Diego Police Department reported no major incidents at the park and surrounding areas. To keep things tidy, a community cleanup of the neighborhood was well attended July 5 by local residents, community service organizations, and sports teams.

Organizers are already getting ready for next year’s event and are urging residents to visit the event website at lakemurrayfireworks.org for details on Lake Murray Fireworks and MusicFest 2020, including how to become a sponsor.