Celebrate Kirkland

Kenworth Trucking and the Lee Johnson Auto Family are proud sponsors of Celebrate Kirkland.  Thank you for sponsoring! 

Thank you to our participating Business Sponsors: 

Celebrate Kirkland, now in its 24th year, is proud to be produced by the City of Kirkland. Celebrate Kirkland was created in 1999 by dedicated community members and business owners and was formally organized by the Kirkland Downtown Association (KDA). Recently, the KDA handed over the coordination for Celebrate Kirkland to the City with their positive and continued support. The City looks forward to the parade, making it a "Where We Come Together" event to celebrate our community, friends, and family. Everyone is welcome. Let's keep the tradition going! 

Head to the downtown business district of Kirkland and find your favorite spectator spot along the parade route. The main parade will feature approximately 100 entries including floats, musical and dance performers, civic organizations, car and animal groups, and more! Visit this web page often for updates as we plan the 24th annual Celebrate Kirkland Parade! 

Kid's Pavilion
10:30 AM

Kid's Parade
11:30 AM

Main Parade
12:00 PM 

Come back to visit soon to look for our updated parade route map.  The parade route will remain the same as last year. 

The parade is a great way to engage with your community. Thousands of spectators line the streets to view floats, marching bands, community-based organizations, performance groups, civil servants, and more. Join our 24th year by clicking on the registration link below.

CELEBRATE-KIRKLAND-Parade-Entry-Guidelines-2023.pdf(PDF, 132KB)  

PARADE-ENTRY-AWARDS-INFORMATION(PDF, 93KB)

Parade Entry Application Link 

ENTRY APPLICATION FORM:

• The entry application form must be completed and signed with the understanding of the general rules and guidelines.
• Ability to apply begins April 1, 2023. Application deadline is June 16, 2023.
• Applicants will receive notification of their selection within approximately two weeks of receipt. First review of applicants will start on April 10.
• Parade Entry fees (if applicable) will be collected upon an entry application's selection.
• More detailed staging instructions will be emailed to selected entries approximately two weeks prior to the parade.

ENTRY SELECTION

• Entry selections will be made by the City of Kirkland, in its sole discretion.
• Entry selection will be limited to approximately 100 entries to ensure parade length.
• Entries will be selected by City Staff based on their entertainment value, uniqueness, size, appearance, community appeal, and reinforcement of the basic mission of the parade.
• Entries highlighting our area’s cultural diversity are highly encouraged to apply.
• Restrictions on the number of entries within types or categories:
  • No more than three car clubs will be selected to participate in the parade, and the selected car clubs are limited to 8 cars per club.
  • Other types or categories may be limited based on City Staff’s review of the variety of applicants. 

• Click on the Celebrate Kirkland 2023 Parade Entry Guidelines link above for complete parade guidelines

• Click on the parade entry application link above to apply for the parade

Volunteers are crucial to the success of Celebrate Kirkland! We are seeking 200 volunteers to support the event on July 4.

Volunteers are needed on the parade route, helping spectators with questions, and assisting with crowd safety. Other volunteers will assist with specific elements such as the Kid’s Pavilion, Veteran’s area, parade staging, and awards. Event day volunteers must be age 16 or older.

Read about the Celebrate Kirkland parade volunteer opportunities: Volunteer-Position-Descriptions-2023(PDF, 222KB)

1. Sign up to be an event volunteer by clicking the button below:

Complete the online volunteer application and service agreement

2. You'll receive an email confirming your volunteer assignment. 

3. One week prior to the event, you'll receive detailed information about the event, such as arrival, parking, and check-in logistics.

Group Volunteer Opportunities Available
We'd love to have your company, organization, club, team, or other group volunteer at the Celebrate Kirkland Parade. Please contact Sara Shellenbarger at sshellenbarger@kirklandwa.gov for information about group volunteering and to register. Great for families, groups of friends, church groups, work groups, and more! 

ONE-TIME EVENT VOLUNTEER (GROUP) SERVICE AGREEMENT+ROSTER(PDF, 229KB)

Community Planning Committee for Celebrate Kirkland
Join our Community Planning Committee! We’re seeking community members (age 18+) to help with advanced planning for Celebrate Kirkland. Meetings are held on the first and third Monday of each month at City Hall in the Peter Kirk Room from 5:30-7:00 PM. The Community Planning Committee assists both before and during Celebrate Kirkland with each central parade element, including float area staging, coordinating veterans, the Kid’s Parade, Kid’s Pavilion, Parade Route coordination, and grandstand. Please contact Jazmine Quintero at jquintero@Kirklandwa.gov or call 425-587-3312 to learn more about joining the planning committee.

This year what is traditionally known as the 'kids pavilion' will be in the Lakeshore Plaza area. This new area is just a few yards away from the traditional pavilion location at Marina Park, and allows kids more room to spread out so they can decorate their bikes, trikes, strollers, and wagons! Grab some patriotic giveaways while supplies last.

After decorating, line up for the kid’s parade. Walk the parade, and wave to the crowd! This shorter parade route will give you plenty of time to then find a good place to be ready to watch the main parade. 

Kids Decorating Pavilion/Lakeshore Plaza
10:30 AM

Line up for the Kids Parade
11:15 AM

Kids Parade Start
11:30 Am

Kids Parade Route Map
Coming Soon! 

 Event Details:

• The Kids Parade is open to kids and their family members
• The Kids Parade is strictly for walking, biking or pulling wagons
• Parade is a shorter version of the Main Parade route
• Look for the Kids Parade start line signage at Marina Park
• A parade route map is coming soon.  

Celebrate Kirkland has added new award categories this year! 

Kirkland Best in Show (Gold Cup)
Best overall entry that rates high in originality, spirit/engagement, and appearance.

Spirit of Kirkland Award
How well does this entry incorporate the Spirit of Kirkland? It could include Kirkland’s beloved parks, waterfront activities, community engagement, local sports, or growth in its theme.

Most Patriotic Award
This will be awarded to an entry that best captures the purpose of why we celebrate the 4th of July.  

We Care About Kirkland Award
This award is specifically for a non-profit and/or community organization that aims to make Kirkland a better place to live, work, and play.

Support Local Kirkland Award 
This award is specifically for small, local businesses that are the foundation of Kirkland’s business community.

Sustainable Kirkland Award
How well does this entry reflect Kirkland’s commitment to caring about our environment? It could highlight recycling, upcycling, reducing waste, or protecting the environment.

Judging Criteria

Originality:
How unique and interesting is the entry? How does the entry stand out among other entries?

Spirit/Engagement: 
How much energy and fun does the entry radiate to spectators? Does the entry grab and hold the spectator’s attention?

Overall Appearance: 
Does the design, style, use of color, and materials make an impact? How cohesive and coordinated is the unit?

Winning Entries 

Winning entries are provided a banner to hold while walking the parade route, indicating the category won. Banners are to be returned at the end of the parade. In addition, a trophy is given to each winning entry as a keepsake.

If you have any questions, please visit www.Kirklandwa.gov/CelebrateKirkland 

or email Jazmine Quintero at Jquintero@kirklandwa.gov 

Please visit Parking in Kirkland to view Downtown Parking locations in Kirkland. Some streets may be closed during the parade. Refer to the Parade Route Map for specific downtown street closures. Parade map will be posted soon.

FAQ's

 Who organizes Celebrate Kirkland?
Celebrate Kirkland is organized by the City of Kirkland.  Prior to 2023, the parade was created and organized by the Kirkland Downtown Association.

 Will the parade happen if it rains?
Yes. Celebrate Kirkland is a rain or shine event.

 Will there be fireworks show this year for Celebrate Kirkland?
The City of Kirkland’s July 4th event is a parade-only experience. While a fireworks show can be thrilling and has been part of a traditional celebration in previous years, we have discovered that fireworks can have a less desirable effect on pets, wildlife, the landscape, the environment, and even people. However, for residents who desire to include fireworks as part of their celebration, plenty of cities in King County will still have neighboring displays including Bellevue, Kenmore, Sammamish, and Seattle

 Am I allowed to bring my dog to the parade?
Leashed dogs are welcome at the parade, but please be aware it will be crowded. if your dog doesn't do well in busy areas, we encourage you to consider leaving your dog at home. If your dog does accompany you, please bring water and poop bags for them.

 Are drones allowed?
No. For safety reasons, drones will not be allowed during the parade for spectators, parade entrants or anywhere nearby while the parade is happening.

 What areas of Kirkland will be closed during Celebrate Kirkland?
The downtown business core will be closured during the event. This includes Marina Park, Lakeshore Plaza, areas of Market Street, Central Way, portions of Lake Street, Kirkland Ave, Main Street, areas of 1st Ave, 2^nd Ave, and 3^rd Ave. Some streets in the Market neighborhood will also be temporarily closed for float staging on event day. See our website with parade map accordion.

 Where can I park during the event?
Some public parking areas indicated on our City Parking Map may not be accessible on parade day. Spectators are encouraged to park just outside the parade map area to find public parking opportunities.  Public parking is also available at City Hall located at 123 5th Ave in Kirkland. Click here for details:  City Parking Map