Newsletter: Force of July keeps summer dance battle tradition alive
Full Force San Diego hosts its third annual Force of July breaking event at Civita Park this Saturday.
Håfa adai everyone!
Fourth of July traditions often consist of fireworks, barbecues and red, white and blue-themed everything.
But for the breaking community in San Diego, the holiday weekend is all about the Force of July. This Saturday, the Full Force San Diego dance crew will host their third annual Fourth of July weekend event with food, vendors, live performances and most importantly, dance battle competitions.
Eddie “Eddie Styles” Gutierrez, founder of the Full Force San Diego chapter, said his crew hosts this event to bring back the essence of breaking and hip-hop in the San Diego community.
He said that although the event has become a new breaking staple event, the summer tradition started long before Force of July was born.
Past events inspired him to once again make breaking a summer affair. He looked back on Mira Mesa Park Jam that ended five years ago and B-Boy Summit in 1997. Gutierrez said when they were still running, he looked forward to attending them because they welcomed the whole community, not just dancers.
Luis “Lprad” Prado, a Full Force San Diego crew member, said he felt the same way since joining the community 15 years ago, but the events were on and off since organizers eventually stopped hosting the events.
“When we were growing up, that was part of our experience in this community, knowing Fourth of July, there will be something,” he said.
Prado said helping to create Force of July filled the need for summer breaking fun.
Gutierrez said his biggest goal is to give back to the community that he's been a part of for the past 30 years. Holding Force of July each year helps him do that.
He said Full Force San Diego hopes to one day build a full festival around Force of July where dancers can compete for free and everyone gets prizes.
“The goal is to provide a safe space, an event, for people to go and to have a good time and express themselves as dancers and artists in the San Diego community,” Gutierrez said.
Force of July will have 3 vs. 3 breaking battle and 1 vs. 1 footwork contest, the latter of which Prado described as the fundamental vocabulary of breaking. He said the six-hour event will have back-to-back dance battles, bringing over 100 dancers competing for prizes. It's from 1-7 p.m. at Civita Park and attendance is free to the public.
Full Force San Diego is having a pre-party at AMP 30 in North Park at 6 p.m. on July 4.
— Brittany Cruz-Fejeran
Daylight San Diego Launch Party!
We are having a launch party on Aug. 14! We are so excited to celebrate the beginning of this journey with you. The best part is, everyone is invited! More details to come, but make sure to save the date!
— Brittany Cruz-Fejeran
Whether you want to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend with fireworks displays or by participating in community protests, there’s lots happening around San Diego throughout the weekend. Here’s a roundup of events to check out from July 3 through July 9.
— Lauren J. Mapp
San Diegans marched together under scalding heat during the “ICE out of El Cajon” rally last Saturday. Dozens of people showed up in response to the heightened arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers throughout San Diego to show support for the immigrant community in El Cajon.
— Brittany Cruz-Fejeran
Governor weighs suggestions to improve Californians’ health
Gov. Gavin Newsom is considering recommendations that might improve the physical and mental health of Californians. Some food policy experts worry about the language in Newsom’s order, saying it may lead to limits on what low-income families can purchase with electronic benefit transfer cards, or EBT cards.
— George B. Sánchez-Tello, Capital & Main
Other news
Paloma Aguirre won the District 1 supervisor special election and will represent South County on the board, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
An Afghan man who worked with the U.S. government in Afghanistan and is now living in San Diego was waiting to reunite with his father, who did similar work in their home country, when President Donald Trump took office, KPBS reported. Now, the Trump administration has cut off the pathway for his father to come to the United States.
The city of San Diego has finalized its fiscal year 2026 annual budget with a $350 million deficit, up from the initial projections of a $258 million deficit, according to Voice of San Diego. The new budget means that all libraries will be closed on Sundays and only 16 will be open Mondays. The Arts, Culture and Community Festivals program is facing a $450,000 cut, and Balboa Park will soon have parking fees, along with non-resident parking fees in the San Diego Zoo lot.
A grant awarded last week will help convert carpool lanes to high-occupancy toll lanes on the 805 in the South Bay, KPBS reported.
Upcoming Events
Oceanside Fireworks and Drone Display: Oceanside hosts its free fireworks and drone show to celebrate the Fourth of July and the 137th anniversary of the city's incorporation on July 3, 1888. The evening includes a family fun zone with inflatables, lawn games, food trucks and live entertainment. Gates open at 4 p.m., fireworks begin at 9 p.m., SoCal Soccer Complex at El Corazon, 3300 El Corazon Dr., Oceanside CA 92054
US Military Stand Down! Protest: A coalition of local activist groups are holding a protest against U.S. military troops being deployed in California and overseas. Organizers are calling for service members and veterans in particular to join in the demonstration. 1 p.m., Memorial Community Park, 2975 Ocean View Blvd., San Diego, CA 92113
City Heights Swap Meet: The Southeast Art Team is hosting an all day swap meet at the Columbus Club in City Heights on Saturday. The day will include a community clean up, live jazz music, a summertime chili cook off, Sip and paint, a karaoke contest, raffles and vendors — plus a glow in the dark party with free face painting from 7-9 p.m.
Entry is $5 and free parking is available. To sign up to volunteer or participate in the sip and paint, contests or as a vendor, register online. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Columbus Club, 4425 Home Ave., San Diego, CA 92105
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