Downtown Los Alamos roads close for Firecracker 5K and parade

Canyon Road will close through downtown Los Alamos from about 8 to 10 a.m. on July 4 for the Family YMCA’s Firecracker 5K Family Fun Run and Community Parade, tightening traffic around 15th Street, Central Avenue, the Los Alamos High School parking lot and Diamond Drive. Motorists moving through the center of town should expect brief delays and use alternate routes if possible.

The race begins outside The Family YMCA after check-in from 7:15 a.m. to 7:45 a.m., with the start set for 8 a.m. The Firecracker 5K is an annual event open to all ages, with prizes for top male and female finishers in Kid, Youth, Adult, Adult 60+, Stroller and Dog Jogger categories. Participants also receive a 5K T-shirt. Registration is $35, $25 for Y members and $15 for youth under 14, with a $5 extra fee for day-of registration.

Once the race is over, the free community parade will begin at 10 a.m. after a flag ceremony at the flagpole outside The Family YMCA. The route will run along Central Avenue toward Fuller Lodge Lawn and end at the grassy area behind Y Express in Central Park Square.

County offices will be closed on July 4, though essential police, fire and utility stand-by crews will remain on duty. Other county facilities may also operate with modified hours and services.

The county’s 4th of July Spectacular is set for 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Overlook Park in White Rock, but there will not be a fireworks display this year because of Stage 2 Fire Restrictions.