Fourth of July Parade - Downtown Ames

The 4th of July Parade is one of the largest events of the summer and a community favorite! Don your red, white, and blue, and help us celebrate Independence Day at this family-friendly event! What a great connection between Main Street and the City of Ames!
Registration for the 4th of July Parade is LIVE! Please sign up by May 25 to avoid a late fee: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6ntQTNb3Oq7rKuZ6pnf0o1n43k65LAb360BI7C-zE1pufTg/viewform
Parade theme
The 2026 theme is “Happy Birthday, America!” and all entries will be encouraged to join in the spirit of the theme!
Parade judges will be stationed at Tom Evans Park. Each parade entry will be judged on their Patriotic Spirit, Creativity, Community Involvement, Entertainment Value and Overall Presentation. The top entry will win a trophy and a complimentary entry in the 2027 Downtown Ames 4th of July Parade at the FRONT of the parade (following the Grand Marshall). You do not need to participate in the judging to be a part of the parade. To view the judging criteria, please follow this link: downtownames.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/4th-of-July-Parade-Judging-Criteria-.pdf
Interested in volunteering during the 4th of July Parade? We would love to have you! Please sign up here: signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/941472148073/false#/invitation
Find all parade details here: downtownames.org/upcoming-events/4th-of-july-parade-2026/