Rancho Palos Verdes will get into the patriotic spirit this week — with the help of some drones.

The city’s “4th of July Celebration” will return for the third year with a patriotic drone show and numerous family-friendly activities on Independence Day at the Ken Dyda Civic Center.

About 3,000 people are expected to attend the event, city officials said. The party will culminate with 150 drones combining to put on a 15-minute spectacular in the air, according to Emily Rodin, the city’s deputy director of Recreation and Parks.

“Every year it seems like the drone technology gets a little bit better and little bit more exciting,” said Lisa Welstead, recreation program coordinator for Rancho Palos Verdes.

The drone show will feature patriotic elements, just like it did the past two years, but there will also be “features that are symbolic of Rancho Palos Verdes,” Welstead said.

The celebration will take place from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday and will include “good old fashioned fun,” Welstead said, including a hula hoop contest, watermelon roll, a mayor’s pie-eating contest, a performance by the Palos Verdes Symphonic Band, country music with line dancing, inflatables, carnival games, food trucks, beer and wine, arts and crafts vendors, and informational booths on what different city departments have to offer.

The drone show will light up the night sky at 8:45 p.m.

Fireworks, meanwhile, are illegal in RPV — including “safe and sane” ones — because of the threat of wildfires on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Fines range from $1,000 to $7,500 in the city for illegal fireworks.

As for the city’s Independence Day celebration, if you’re planning to attend, limited parking is available at the Civic Center, 30940 Hawthorne Blvd. Parking is $10, cash only.

Free parking is available at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center, 31501 Palos Verdes Drive West. Shuttles began at 3 p.m. and end around 9:15 p.m., Welstead said.

For more information, go to rpvca.gov.

Schedule of events

3:15 p.m.: Palos Verdes Symphonic Band.

4:30 p.m.: National Anthem and mayor’s welcome.

4:45 p.m.: Mayoral pie-eating contest.

5 p.m.: Family games including watermelon roll.

6 p.m.: Country music and line dancing.

8:45 p.m.: Drone show.