4th of July Will Blast in at Crack of Dawn (Yawn)

Fourth of July fireworks at Santa Monica Beach used to be a logistical nightmare. Then the city exchanged twilight’s last gleaming for dawn’s early light.

And a new tradition was born.

The second annual fireworks extravaganza at dawn will be held Monday at 5 a.m. on Santa Monica Pier.

Last year, city officials decided that they had to prevent a repeat of July 4, 1986, when dozens of people were arrested and one youth was killed in a gang shooting. About 500,000 people attended the nighttime festivities, choking the city with traffic.

“Other beach cities, over the years, had been canceling, so everybody was coming to Santa Monica,” said City Manager John Jalili. “We were reaching a crisis stage.”

The gridlock made it nearly impossible for firefighters and police to get around.

Rather than cancel, the City Council decided to begin the 1987 Fourth of July party earlier, hoping not too many people would come.

Despite the early hour, an estimated 25,000 to 75,000 devotees still crowded the beach for those bombs bursting in air. Police reported that everything went smoothly.

This year, even more people are expected.

The fireworks will be accompanied by a medley of tunes on KSRF-FM radio. At 5:30 a.m., Carlo Spiga will lead the Los Angeles Pops Orchestra in a collection of patriotic songs. Beach parking lots open at 3 a.m. No overnight camping is allowed.

Sponsors also promise an appearance by Santa Monica City Council members dressed in American Revolution costumes.

Police again will be out in full force, hoping that there will be little to do.

Do neighbors get miffed at all those people and commotion at such an early hour?

“It’s definitely an inconvenient hour, no question,” Jalili said. “But compared to what the entire city used to be subjected to, it’s a better situation.

“And, if such a thing is possible, we are asking they use fireworks that are not very, very loud.”

Other firework celebrations:

Santa Monica College, Corsair Stadium, 9:45 p.m. Sunday. Entertainment starts at 5 p.m.

Culver City High School, 4401 Elenda St., 8 p.m. Monday.

Marina del Rey, 9 p.m. Monday. Recommended viewing locations include the beach, Chace Park and Fisherman’s Village.