Celebrate Kirkland

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

Thank you to our participating Business Sponsors: 

Volunteers are crucial to the success of Celebrate Kirkland!

Volunteers are needed on the parade route and also 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 offered: Volunteer Positions(PDF, 183KB).

How to Volunteer

1. Sign up to be an event volunteer when applications open in early 2026!
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 our staff at CelebrateKirkland@kirklandwa.gov for information about group volunteering and to register. Great for families, groups of friends, church groups, work groups, and more! 

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 email CelebrateKirkland@kirklandwa.gov or call 425-587-3330 to learn more about joining the planning committee. 

Applications for our planning committee will open in early 2026.

Look for details in early 2026 on how to nominate a Grand Marshal for the 2026 July 4th Parade!

Questions? Contact Jazmine Quintero at jquintero@kirklandwa.gov.

Parade Order 

Check out our 2025 parade entry line-up: Celebrate Kirkland 2025 Parade Order(PDF, 154KB)
Look for an updated list of entries to be posted here in Spring/Summer 2026.

Application Form & Guidelines

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.

• 2026 application coming soon!
• Celebrate Kirkland Parade Guidelines(PDF, 126KB)

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:
  • Some parade entries utilizing numerous vehicles may be asked to limit the number of vehicles in their entry.
  • Other types or categories may be limited based on City Staff review of the variety of applicants. 
• Questions? Email us at CelebrateKirkland@Kirklandwa.gov

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 groups, and more!

The Kids Decorating Station will be in the Lakeshore Plaza parking lot. Kids will have plenty of room to spread out so they can decorate their bikes, trikes, strollers, and wagons! Grab some patriotic giveaways while supplies last.

After decorating, gather up for the Kids 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.

Schedule

• 10:30 AM - Kids Decorating Pavilion/Lakeshore Plaza
• 11:15 AM - Line up for the Kids Parade
• 11:30 AM - Kids Parade Start

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 
• Take selfies with character princesses and superheros before the Kids Parade at the Lakeshore Plaza lot from 10:30-11:30 AM

Download a printable PDF version of the map(PDF, 297KB) .

All entries lined up by 10am will be considered for an award

Award Categories

Kirkland Best in Show 
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 through reducing carbon footprint as a few examples.

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 CelebrateKirkland@kirklandwa.gov

Celebrate Kirkland Event Safety Reminders:

• Don’t forget to bring a water bottle!
• Bring sun protection like a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses.
• Have a plan of where to meet if you get separated from your group.
• Take a group picture beforehand in case you get separated and need to describe the group.
• Bring a spare key for your car and home in case you misplace one.
• Keep a hard copy of important phone numbers in case your phone gets lost, runs out of power, or has no connection.
• Don’t forget to bring your ID and keep it with you.

Frequently Asked Questions

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. There is no fireworks show. We understand this is a change for many community members, and we hope the event will continue to be special for Kirkland and continue to bring the community together. Public firework displays can pose environmental health hazards and be disruptive and stressful for people, wildlife, and domestic animals. As such, the cost and permitting complexity associated with a public display have significantly increased in recent years. For Kirkland community members who wish to include fireworks as part of their celebration, plenty of cities in King County will have 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 the parade map section on the Celebrate Kirkland webpage.

Where can I park during the event?
Some public parking areas indicated on our City Parking Map may not be accessible on parade day. There is no parking within the parade zone from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. Roads will be closed. See our parade route map for ADA parking locations just outside of the parade zone.

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. See the City Parking Map or check out our map section on this page for parking just outside of the parade route specifically.

Celebrate Kirkland, now in its 27th 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).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!