With grace and beauty

Here she comes.

Miss America.

Katie Stam, Miss America 2009, will be the grand marshal of this year’s Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade.

This will be the first Surf City parade in its 105 years that has been graced by a reigning queen.

The parade marks the city’s 100th anniversary, and will feature a number of special touches to highlight the celebration.

“The fireworks show is going to be longer this year, because of the centennial,” parade representative Connie Young said. “Also, parts of the centennial float that were in the Rose Parade have been preserved, and will be on the city float.”

At the Boeing plant, employees are readying their 1951 Van Pelt fire engine, which they will load up with employees and their children to ride in the parade.

The vintage engine was originally purchased by one of the employees’ fathers to restore. When the man died, the employees took over the renovation, and debuted it to the employee and his mother. They then inaugurated it at the 2002 Fourth of July Parade.

Miss America 2009 will serve as the grand marshal of this year’s parade as part of her year-long agenda of appearances.

“We are thrilled Miss America 2009 Katie Stam will grace our parade and festivities,” Patricia Stier, parade director said.

“She will lead the 300-entry parade on what will be a special day for Huntington Beach and a tribute to the city’s centennial celebration.”

“Miss America is such a huge draw, so we’re really excited,” Young said.

“She’s certainly a breath of fresh air.”

Other parade VIPs include Corporal Terry Knight of the California National Guard; local surfer Robert August, who starred in “The Endless Summer;” and Nickelodeon star Nathan Kress, from “iCarly.”

A highlight of this year’s parade will be its community grand marshals — nearly three dozen Huntington Beach residents who have lived in the city since its early days. Representatives from the group will ride in the parade, while their fellow grand marshals are given VIP seating for the event.

The grand marshals will be: Tim Alvarez, Anna Capocciama, Jack Clapp, Jeanette Clapp, Cliff Clemens, Delbert Corker, Betty Dillon, Juan Dillon, Don Goode, Ferogene Goode, Roy Graser, Nadine Hanson, Bill Harbison, Roger Hosmer, Arline Howard, Billie Kennedy, Bill Kettler, Marge Kettler, Virginia Lauer, Harlo LeBard, Annabelle McNeil, Russ Paxson, Francis Rathburn, Rosemary Robinson, Sam Robinson, John Rohrig, Ellen Trabant, Jack Weide, Jane Wells, Richard White, Gene Whitfield, Shirley Worthy and Ray Vidal.

Longtime resident Lucille Brewster, who died recently, also was a designee.

T-34 military training aircraft, UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and the Huntington Beach Police Helicopter Unit will make special flyover appearances during the parade.

Another entry of note is the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps, which travels more than 12,000 miles each summer making appearances.

But there’s far more to the weekend than just the parade.

An annual festival will run Friday to Sunday.

Kicking off early Saturday morning will be the annual Surf City 5K Run and Fitness Expo, beginning at 7 a.m.; various events include the Residents Run and the Kids Run. Miss USA 2009, Kristen Dalton, and Miss Universe 2008, Dayana Mendoza, will award medals to each child who crosses the finish line during the Kids Run.

The annual event benefits the Huntington Beach Jr. Lifeguard program. For more information, visit surfcityrun.com.

And to view this year’s half-hour-long fireworks show at 9 p.m. Saturday, pull up a beach chair anywhere along the eight miles of coastline; the show, which will include more than 1,300 fireworks shells, will be visible from the entire beach.

Fourth of July Events

FRIDAY

Pier Plaza Festival

 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Huntington Beach Pier

SATURDAY

Surf City 5K Run & Fitness Expo

 6 a.m., 17th Street at Main Street

Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast

 6 to 9:30 a.m., Lake Park, 11th Street at Main Street

Live music featuring Sally’s Gap and the Dirty Dix Rock And Roll Circus

 9 a.m., Gallagher’s, 300 Pacific Coast Hwy.

105th Annual Fourth of July Parade

 10 a.m., Begins at Eighth Street and Pacific Coast Highway. Turns north on Main Street and ends at Yorktown Avenue.

Pier Plaza Festival

 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Huntington Beach Pier

Main Street Family Fun Activities

 1 to 7 p.m., Main Street at Pacific Coast Highway

Live Music Featuring Stone Soul

 4 to 6 p.m., Huntington Beach Pier

Live Music Featuring the Golden West Pops

 7 to 8:30 p.m., Huntington Beach Pier

Fireworks over the Ocean

 9 to 9:30 p.m., Huntington Beach Pier

SUNDAY

Pier Plaza Festival

 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Huntington Beach Pier