A Day for Sun, Fun and Fireworks

From a body building competition on Muscle Beach in Venice to Russian emigres singing America’s praises in a balloon-bedecked West Hollywood park, it was a uniquely Los Angeles Fourth of July.

After the sun’s warm rays broke through the Sunday morning clouds, hundreds of thousands of people headed for the coastline from Zuma Beach in Malibu to Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro.

A brass quartet played a tapestry of American music at Santa Monica’s Farmer’s Market, and that beach city’s pier and Third Street Promenade were filled with holiday crowds.

To Inna Satanovsky, the Fourth meant repeated trips into a water-filled dunk tank every time a softball pitch struck a metal plate at Plummer Park in West Hollywood. “It’s really a lot of fun,” she said between “a couple too many” soakings.

To Mark Zisman, who emigrated from Russia three years ago to run an arts academy for children who sang for the park’s diverse crowd, it was a proud day. “It’s America’s birthday. We’re all Americans. We love America,” he said.

Across town, the Mr. & Ms. Muscle Beach Venice competition drew an enthusiastic crowd as male and female bodybuilders flexed their stuff. Bare-chested master of ceremonies Bill Howard wore a red, white and blue scarf around his neck as he called on contestants to show off their biceps, triceps and abs. Howard, a 66-year-old personal trainer, has been hosting the competitions on the three summer holidays--Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day--at the beach for 36 years.

Rosa Sandoval and friends were cheering their favorite bodybuilders. “Our husbands are watching the girls,” she said. “We’re watching the guys.”

Heavyweight competitor Mike Perrette, 24, of Monrovia was savoring his moment in the sun. “All the work is before,” he said. “It’s hell going through it. At the end of it you see the results. That’s what does it for me.”

But when the judging was done, Hans Hopspaken, 42, of Monrovia was chosen as Mr. Muscle Beach. Lightweight Maria Raia, 40, of Chatsworth, clad in an American flag swimsuit, captured the title of Ms. Muscle Beach.

Elsewhere at the beach, break dancing roller skaters danced to hip-hop music blaring from flag-draped speakers in Venice. Crowds packed the Strand in Hermosa Beach and the shore in Long Beach for the fireworks show near the Queen Mary.

More than 1,000 people turned out for the Sunland-Tujunga Independence Day Parade.

“It’s the thing to do here. Every year it seems it’s gotten prettier,” said Tony Lois, 42, of Tujunga. “I wouldn’t miss the last Fourth of July of the millennium.”

Perhaps the most popular entry was the Los Angeles Police Department Motorcycle Drill Team, a formation of 26 officers who wove and swirled their way down the street before screeching to a halt in two perfect lines.

In Simi Valley, a record crowd of more than 7,000 revelers came to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library to enjoy apple pie and American anthems performed by musical groups.

“This is great,” said Peggy Reid, a Simi Valley resident. “It’s like a little piece of Iowa in Simi Valley.”

In Orange County, more than 100,000 people crammed Huntington Beach’s streets for the annual parade. But by midafternoon, about 50,000 people--down from the usual Independence Day crowd of 70,000--were sunning themselves on the city’s beach.”I guess a lot of people went to Las Vegas,” said Huntington Beach Marine and Safety Lt. Steve Davidson. As night fell, singer Pat Boone was the headline attraction at the fireworks show at Cal State Northridge. World War II veterans were honored at Dodger Stadium before the team played the San Francisco Giants. A fireworks show followed.

Across Southern California, pyrotechnic displays lit up the night sky, with one of the largest fireworks shows at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

Times staff writers Roberto J. Manzano, Tracy Wilson and Jack Leonard contributed to this report.