Redwood City’s 4th of July Parade, Festival & Fireworks | 2026

Submitted by the Event Organizer

The year 2026 signifies a milestone in America’s history, marking 250 years of our nation. In honor of this anniversary, our 2026 theme is Celebrating America 250.

America 250 is a celebration of the history, stories, and shared experiences that have been woven into the fabric of our nation for 250 years. This year’s 4th of July Parade honors the people who make our country and our community strong—neighbors, families, volunteers, businesses, and local heroes. Together, we reflect on where we’ve been, celebrate who we are today, and proudly march forward as one community into America’s next chapter.

All parade participants who incorporate America, red, white, and blue, or America 250 into their entries will be eligible for additional awards.

Parade:

Our annual Fourth of July Parade in downtown Redwood City, the largest Independence Day parade in Northern California, attracts thousands of spectators. It brings entries from across the state. Most of the budget for the Parade is used for cash awards to participants, of which many winners are from Redwood City.

The parade starts promptly at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2026. You will know it’s time when you hear the cannon!

Parade Route
Winding its way through historic Downtown Redwood City, check out where you can see it 1.3 mile route.

Participants
Past participants in the parade include Miss California, the Redwood City Girl Scouts, American Legion Post 585 and the Peninsula Roller Girls. See who is participating in the most current version of the parade.

Parking
There is ample street parking around the parade route. Please do not park in the Kaiser Permanente Emergency Department parking lot.

Festival:

The Festival provides an opportunity for community service organizations to raise funds buy selling food, merchandise or giving out information on their organization. There are also arts and craft booths and entertainment for the thousands of people that attend the festival immediately after the parade.

We are proud that the members of our organization have operated the Peninsula Celebration Association since 1939 as a true volunteer group. our goal is to help make our city not just a place to live, but a real community of people who care!!

Arts & Crafts Booths
Presented by California Artists, there is a wide variety of items, all hand-crafted by talented artists that are available for purchase. Items include paintings, fine jewelry, pottery, clothing, flower arrangements, woodcrafts, sculpture, toys & more.

Battle of the Bands
Featuring the Stanford band, the Battle of the Bands start at 1 p.m. on Hamilton Street.

Food and Beverages
This area is located on Middlefield. Support your favorite local non-profit organization. Many of the non-profit organizations in the area use this event as a major fund-raising opportunity. Much of their revenue for the year will come from this event. See the location of all the yummy food.

Chalk Festival
Join the artists on Courthouse Square and Chalk Alley at one of the newest additions to festival, Chalk Full of Fun on the Square. Artists of all levels will be creating their masterpieces on July 3 and 4.

Kids Area
One of the truly exciting parts of the Independence Day Festival is the Kids Area. The Kids Area is a safe and sane haven for parents and children of all ages.

Information Booths
Located along Broadway, find out information about local organizations.

Breakfast:

Join the Redwood City Fire Department at the main Marshall Street fire station for a pancake breakfast. Breakfast is from 8-11 a.m., benefiting the Redwood City Firefighters Association. Breakfast is $10.

Car Show:

Register Here

Fireworks:

End your 4th of July celebration with a patriotic fireworks show over the Port of Redwood City. The show will start at approximately 9:30 p.m. and the best location to watch the show will be at the Port.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.