Fourth of July drone show to launch from Ocean Beach Elementary School

The team behind the Ocean Beach Luminosity Festival of Light drone show coming on the Fourth of July visited Ocean Beach Elementary School for three assemblies June 2 to show students examples of drone shows around the world and to announce that the inaugural OB show will launch from their schoolyard.

Luminosity founder Mike James speaks to Ocean Beach Elementary School students about OB’s inaugural Fourth of July drone show that will launch from the school.

(Luminosity)

Mike James, founder of Luminosity, a nonprofit organization created to find an alternative to Ocean Beach’s previous Fourth of July fireworks shows at the pier, said drone shows are less stressful for pets than traditional fireworks.

Susan Winkie, a Luminosity steering committee member, invited the children to create storyboards of drone shapes they’d like to see.

Ocean Beach Elementary School Principal Marco Drapeau (center) greets Luminosity founder Mike James and steering committee member Susan Winkie.

(Luminosity)

The drone show will begin at 9:05 p.m. Tuesday, July 4, at Ocean Beach Elementary, 4741 Santa Monica Ave. It will feature hundreds of synchronized drones lighting the sky. Organizers say viewing will be better away from the launch location.

James, who proposed Ocean Beach’s first Fourth of July fireworks show in 1980, began contemplating a re-imagining of the display in 2019 when it became evident that fireworks were “no longer able to be staged off the Ocean Beach Pier due to structural issues, coupled with environmental concerns and the negative effects fireworks have on pets, wildlife and individuals who have PTSD,” he said in a statement in March this year. “We believe the Luminosity event will set a standard for communities looking to move away from fireworks.”

For more information, visit obluminosity.com.