Costa Mesa gets a head start on celebrating the nation’s birthday

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Chalk artist Maribeth McFaul creates a picture of the Statue of Liberty during the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday. (Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

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Costa Mesa city councilman Manuel Chavez, second from left, is given a happy birthday cheer from mayor pro-ten John Stevens, far right, with Liz McNabb from state assembly, Mayor Katrina Foley, and representative Harley Rouda, from left, during the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

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Caitlin Luong and her friend Hannah Stivac, from left, help each other compete in the burrito eating contest during the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

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Ron Steele, center, shares a laugh with friends including Richard “Big Daddy”, left, during the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

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Mayor Katrina Foley, in white, stands with members of the Costa Mesa Fire Department who cooked free hot dogs during the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

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Members of the Costa Mesa Fire Department cook hot dogs during the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

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Two girls come by to watch as chalk artist Maribeth McFaul creates a picture of the Statue of Liberty during the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

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Bill Simco faces off against other competitors during the burrito eating contest during the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

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A girdances to the live music under the shade at the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

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Costa Mesa mayor pro-tem John Stevens leads the show during the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

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48th district representative Harley Rouda, far left, reads part of the Declaration of Independence as Mayor Katrina Foley, councilman Manuel Chavez, Liz McNabb, and mayor pro-tem John Stevens, listen in, during the 2019 Costa Mesa Independence Day Party at the OC Fair and Events Center on Wednesday.

(Don Leach / Daily Pilot)

By Daily Pilot staff

July 3, 2019 10:02 PM PT

Costa Mesa had a patriotic Wednesday evening leading up to Independence Day.

The community celebration at the OC Fair & Event Center included picnicking, bike decorating, games, live music, burrito- and rib-eating contests, hundreds of free hot dogs served up by firefighters, and a dunk tank with City Council members willing to be submerged to benefit Save Our Youth, a local nonprofit.

Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Laguna Beach) made an appearance to read a passage from the Declaration of Independence.

The evening was capped by a low-noise pyrotechnics show.

Community Fourth of July festivities and fireworks shows, many of them free, continue around Orange County on Thursday.

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Costa Mesa gets a head start on celebrating the nation’s birthday

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