Fired Up for the Fourth

A countywide roundup of Fourth of July activities:

Ventura

* Ventura’s 21st annual Fourth of July Street Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and features a seven-block-long fair in the downtown area. On tap: hundreds of artisan booths, entertainment on seven stages, food and more. The children’s Pushem Pullem Parade will commence at 10:30 a.m. and travel from Main Street to Fir Street. Call 654-7830.

* The Rotary Club of Ventura will present the third annual Community Picnic & Fireworks Show at Ventura College. Gates open at 5 p.m., with fireworks at dusk. The event includes live music and entertainment, game and food booths, children’s activities and more. Tickets: $8, $5 for children ages 3-12. Call 642-6797.

* The Ventura Townehouse, 4900 Telegraph Road, will celebrate its 31st anniversary with Independence Day-themed festivities. Lunch: 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Live music, 1 to 3 p.m., provided by The Hux Reid Trio. No charge. Call 642-3263.

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Oxnard

The annual Fourth of July Entertainment and Fireworks Extravaganza will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. at Oxnard High School Stadium, 3400 W. Gonzales Road. Pop singer Juice Newton will headline. The pyrotechnic ground display and fireworks begin at dusk, and celebrants must be seated by 8:45 p.m. Ticket: $5, $3 senior citizens and children 2-12. Call 385-7578.

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Santa Paula

The Santa Paula Coalition Against Alcohol and Other Drugs will host holiday activities at Harding Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities include deejay music, food booths, car- and bike-club exhibitions and information-service tables on a variety of health topics. A fireworks show will commence at 9 p.m. Admission is free. Call 525-0836.

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Simi Valley

* The Rotary Club of Simi Valley will present “The American Adventure, Voices in the Wind” beginning at 2:30 p.m. at Simi Valley High School, Cochran and Stow avenues. Activities include live country music, line dancing, children’s games, food and more. A fireworks show will begin at 8:45 p.m. Tickets: $7, $5 children, free for those under 3. Call 520-4894.

* The Reagan Presidential Library, 40 Presidential Drive, will host holiday activities beginning at 10 a.m. Entertainment includes live jazz music, storytelling, a pie-eating contest, children’s activities and more. Concluding the event, the 1st Division Marine Band will perform at 2:30 p.m. Free admission. Call 522-8444.

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Fillmore

The Sespe Creek Regional Chili Cook-Off & Car Show will be held in downtown Fillmore from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Besides all the chili and cars, there’s arts and crafts, food booths and a horseshoe tournament. A fireworks display and other activities will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Fillmore High School stadium. Free admission. Call 524-0351.

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Thousand Oaks

The Conejo Recreation and Park District will sponsor Fourth of July activities, including a 7 a.m. nature walk at Wildwood Park, 8-11 a.m. pancake breakfast at Borchard Community Center, a Home Run Derby at Borchard Park (8:30-11 a.m., field No. 2), a family swim at Thousand Oaks High School and Newbury High School (noon-4 p.m.) and a free fireworks show at dusk, with the best viewing at The Oaks mall parking lot. Also, conductor Elmer Ramsey will lead the Conejo Pops Orchestra for a free 5 p.m. concert at Conejo Community Park, at Dover and Hendrix avenues. For more information, call 381-2747.

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Ojai

* The Ojai Independence Day Committee will present the following activities: breakfast (6-10 a.m., Ojai Auditorium, Ojai Avenue); Kids Freedom Run (9 a.m. registration, 9:40 a.m. start, Libbey Park); parade (10 a.m., from Country Drive to Ojai Avenue, ending at Sarzotti Park); family activities at Sarzotti Park (noon-4 p.m.); concert and fireworks at Nordhoff High School Stadium (4-10 p.m.). Free admission. Call 649-2729 or 646-4295.

* The Channel Islands Symphony Orchestra, guided by music director Paul Polivnick, will perform at 5 p.m. at Libbey Bowl in Ojai. Titled “Freedom,” the orchestra will perform works by Beethoven, Verdi, Rossini and more. Tickets: $15, $10 children. Call 497-1902.