Fireworks Display Monday at WLAC

The Culver City Exchange Club will present its 50th annual Culver City Fourth of July Fireworks extravaganza this year, beginning at dusk on Monday, July 4 at the West Los Angeles College, on the college baseball diamond.

Proceeds from this event will be used to help to combat child abuse and to support local youth programs including college scholarships for deserving students. Other programs support by the event are the YMCA, the Culver Youth Health Center and “Backpacks for Kids,” a program that provides supplemental weekend food and nutrition to children from needy families.

The Fourth of July event will mark the golden anniversary of Culver City fireworks celebrations. This year the event will feature a special “Kids Zone” with carnival games and a mega-raffle where the grand prizes include a big screen TV, an aerial tour of Los Angeles and week-long luxury stay in Las Vegas.

“This will be our 50th year of bringing this family-friendly celebration to Culver City. People who first came as kids will be arriving with their kids or even their grandkids. We’re excited,” said event co-chair Xavier Nuques. “And, we’ve got a very special pyrotechnics provider this year – Garden State Fireworks — one of the country’s oldest family-owned fireworks companies. Garden State has won several international fireworks competitions.”

Nuques said Garden State has been entertaining crowds from the White House to the Super Bowl and New York Harbor for over 125 years.

To celebrate the contributions of the nation’s veterans, the New Directions for Vets Choir – a finalist on TV’s “America’s Got Talent” — will perform at the event. Comprised of formerly homeless and addicted veterans, the choir will also sing the national anthem as an all veteran’s color guard raises the nation’s flag.

Guests may bring picnic baskets and blankets and will be able to sample the fare of more than a dozen gourmet food trucks. Tents, umbrellas, pets, alcoholic beverages and smoking all are prohibited. The gates open at 4 p.m.

The suggested donation is $5 per person ($0 for children age 5 and under). Parking is $10 and limited.

West Los Angeles College is located at 9000 Overland Ave., Culver City. For more information, visit CulverCityFireworksShow.com.