Safety first this 4th of July

St. Augustine’s annual “Fireworks Over The Matanzas” draws more people–and cars–into the downtown area than any other single event all year long. A growing trend in recent years has been the use of bicycles by those who live close to downtown or carpooling with friends to minimize the number of cars in need of a place to park.

The Historic Downtown Parking Facility can accommodate 1,200 vehicles and for July 4th will be charging a flat $7.00 for all day parking. Public parking in city owned parking lots will be free on July 4th with the largest concentration of available parking located on Granada Street. We at Historic City News recommend that those who are not close enough to walk or bike, avail themselves to parking in the new garage.

Another tip — keep it safe and legal.

Those attending Fireworks Over The Matanzas should remember two important safety rules that will be strictly enforced:

• Alcohol is prohibited on public property, including parks, streets and sidewalks; and
• Possession of fireworks that explode or leave the ground is illegal. Those found with such fireworks will be subject to citation or arrest and will have prohibited fireworks confiscated. The cost of the citation is $100.00.

Simply put: have a great time with friends and family, but keep it safe and legal.