Ross council weighs changes to Fourth of July and town dinner events; staff to prototype alternatives

Town staff on April 3 asked the Ross Town Council for direction on two long-standing community events: the Fourth of July parade/celebration and the annual Ross Town Dinner.

For July 4, staff proposed moving the parade start from 11 a.m. to 10 a.m. so the celebration would wrap earlier and creating an option for on-site sale of beer and wine via a single-day ABC permit. Recreation staff said the change would deliver fuller audiences for bands and allow attendees who want an on-site beverage option to make purchases rather than leaving early.

On the Ross Town Dinner — an evening, tabled community meal — staff presented four options after attendance fell sharply in 2024. Options ranged from (1) keep the event on the Common with modest changes and add on-site food/beverage sales, (2) move the dinner to April to act as a community kickoff event (with weather risk), (3) move the dinner to the Marin Art & Garden Center (MAGC) with on-site food/beverage and lower rental and seating costs, or (4) discontinue the dinner and replace it with alternative events (car show, monthly farmers market pilot, family movie night, maker’s fair, and downtown Halloween trick-or-treat).

Councilmembers and residents who spoke at the meeting generally favored a test of option 3: a pilot at the Marin Art & Garden Center with softer (lower-volume) music, options for on-site food/beverage while allowing attendees to bring their own food, and an emphasis on “community tables” to seat people who do not have a full group. Some council members and residents urged the town to drop the $10–$12 ticket fee and instead encourage free registration and stronger marketing, arguing the small fee may deter attendance and that Live on the Common events — which are free with on-site vendors — attract different crowds.

Recreation staff said they would work with partners (RPOA, Ross Auxiliary, merchants, Ross Gold PTO and others) to recruit volunteers and vendors and to develop a marketing and registration plan. They also recommended exploring alternative events (movie nights, a Maker’s Fair, and a merchants’ trick-or-treat) and said the special-events budget can cover modest changes for 2025.

Next steps: Staff will pursue a pilot plan for the town dinner (including checking MAGC availability and pricing), adjust the July 4 start time and ABC permit planning, and return with logistics. Councilmembers asked staff to consider no-fee registration, community tables, clearer marketing, and lower-volume music for the town dinner pilot.