These Towns Have the Best 4th of July Parades
While most people settle for backyard BBQs, these towns throw America’s birthday party like they actually mean it, and trust us, the difference is spectacular.
While some folks celebrate the Fourth by grilling questionable hot dogs and setting off sketchy fireworks in their backyard, the real patriots know where the action is: at America’s most legendary Independence Day parades. From tiny towns that throw parties bigger than their populations to beach cities that make patriotism look effortlessly cool, these celebrations prove that when it comes to birthday parties for America, we don’t mess around.
Best 4th of July Parades Around the Country
Bristol, Rhode Island: The OG Parade
Let’s start with the granddaddy of them all. Bristol, Rhode Island has been throwing the same party since 1785, which means this celebration is older than your great-great-great-grandmother’s sourdough starter. When Rev. Henry Wight decided to host the first “Patriotic Exercises” (clearly, they hadn’t invented fun names yet), he probably never imagined that 240 years later, over 200,000 people would descend on this tiny coastal town like patriotic locusts.
Bristol throws a nearly month-long red, white, and blue extravaganza that starts on Flag Day. It’s basically Christmas in July, but with more Uncle Sam costumes and fewer awkward family dinners. The locals take their patriotism so seriously that Bristol earned the nickname “America’s most patriotic town,”which is like being crowned the most competitive family at Thanksgiving, but in the best possible way.
Why It’s Amazing: This 2.5-mile parade has been running longer than the country has had paved roads, and somehow they’ve kept the tradition alive without a single sponsorship from a mattress store. Pure magic.
Huntington Beach, California: Surf’s Up, Patriotism’s Up
Welcome to the biggest 4th of July parade west of the Mississippi, where beach culture meets American pride in the most California way possible. Huntington Beach figured out in 1904 that if you’re going to celebrate America’s birthday, you might as well do it with an ocean view and perfect weather. Smart move, Surf City.
This parade is what happens when Southern California decides to be patriotic: classic cars cruise past pristine beaches, cheerleaders perform under palm trees, and everyone looks suspiciously tan and healthy. The 2.5-mile route winds past the iconic Huntington Beach Pier, because nothing says “freedom” quite like a parade with a Pacific Ocean backdrop.
The best part? They kick off the day with a 5K run along the parade route, because apparently some people think the best way to prepare for watching a parade is to jog the entire length of it first. Only in California, folks.
Why It’s Amazing: Where else can you watch floats decorated with surfboards while getting a suntan? It’s like America’s birthday party crashed a beach vacation and decided to stay.
Fairfax, Virginia: The Beltway’s Best-Kept Secret
Don’t let the suburban setting fool you, Fairfax throws down with the largest 4th of July parade in all of Virginia. Since 1967, this parade has been organized by a sorority (because apparently Greek life never really ends), and they’ve turned it into a full-scale production featuring everything from marching bands to Shriners zooming around in those impossibly tiny cars.
The parade loops around Old Town Fairfax like a patriotic NASCAR race, complete with nine local marching bands who’ve probably been practicing “The Star-Spangled Banner” since February. Pro tip: Locals reserve shady spots with lawn chairs the day before, which is either brilliant planning or the most polite form of turf warfare ever invented.
Why It’s Amazing: It’s close enough to D.C. that you get the political energy without the traffic nightmares, plus you can hit up the evening fireworks show at the high school like you’re reliving your glory days.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Where It All Started (And They’ll Never Let You Forget It)
Philadelphia doesn’t just have a 4th of July parade, they have the 4th of July parade, and they’ll remind you that they literally invented Independence Day every chance they get. Their “Salute to America” parade is structured like a history lesson that doesn’t make you want to take a nap, starting with Native Americans and working chronologically through American history.
It’s like watching the world’s most elaborate timeline, but with floats, Miss America appearances, and enough marching bands to soundtrack a small war. The parade basically says, “You’re welcome, America” in the most Philadelphia way possible—with pride, attitude, and just a hint of “we did it first.”
Why It’s Amazing: Where else can you celebrate independence in the actual city where it was declared? It’s like throwing a birthday party in the house where the birthday person was born.
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Jackson, Wyoming: Yeehaw Meets USA
Any parade that starts with all-you-can-eat pancakes at 8 AM has its priorities straight. Jackson Hole’s 4th of July celebration is what happens when cowboys decide to throw a birthday party for America, and honestly, we’re here for it.
Set against the Grand Tetons (because apparently even the mountains wanted to join the party), this parade features working cowboys, actual ranching equipment, and enough Western charm to make a city slicker trade their latte for black coffee. They even have judges who rate the floats annually, turning patriotism into a friendly competition, which is the most American thing ever.
The celebration continues with the country’s longest-running shootout show, because nothing says “America” quite like a good old-fashioned theatrical gunfight in the town square.
Why It’s Amazing: It’s authentically Western without feeling like a theme park, plus you get mountain views that would make a postcard jealous.
Aptos, California: Short and Sweet (Literally)
Aptos hosts the world’s shortest parade at 0.6 miles, which is either refreshingly efficient or the result of someone really bad at event planning. But here’s the thing: thousands of people show up for this bite-sized celebration, and somehow they stretch it to last a couple of hours. That’s some serious parade magic right there.
It’s like the haiku of Independence Day parades, short, sweet, and somehow more memorable than celebrations twice its size. In a world of supersized everything, Aptos proves that sometimes the best things really do come in small packages.
Why It’s Amazing: You can literally see the entire parade from one spot, which means no FOMO about missing the good floats because you went to get a snow cone.
Lake Placid, New York: Olympics Meet America’s Birthday
When your town has hosted two Olympic Games, your 4th of July parade better bring some serious star power, and Lake Placid delivers. Olympic athletes march down Main Street alongside floats and classic cars, because apparently when you’re an Olympic village, even your patriotic celebrations need to be world-class.
The parade ends with fireworks over Mirror Lake, which sounds like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting if Norman Rockwell had been really into winter sports and mountain towns.
Why It’s Amazing: Where else can you wave at actual Olympians during a small-town parade? It’s like the All-Star Game of patriotic celebrations.
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Ready to Celebrate the 4th?
These parades aren’t just about watching floats roll by (though let’s be honest, some of those floats are works of art). They’re about communities coming together to celebrate the idea that started it all, that maybe, just maybe, people can govern themselves without everything falling apart. Sure, we’ve had our ups and downs as a country, but every July 4th, Americans gather in small towns and big cities to remember what we’re working toward.
So grab your lawn chair, practice your parade wave, and get ready to celebrate America’s birthday in style. Because if we’re going to throw a party for the land of the free and the home of the brave, we might as well make it legendary.
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