Summerlin parade to celebrate Fourth of July

The Las Vegas Valley is invited to the master-planned community of Summerlin on July 4 to celebrate Independence Day at the 29th annual Summerlin Council Patriotic Parade — Southern Nevada’s largest and most colorful Fourth of July parade. American spirit will be on full display at this year’s parade with 70 entries, including a 40-foot American Eagle, 30-foot Grand Old Flag plus 18 additional giant inflatable balloons, veteran and military organizations, patriotic and pop culture-themed floats and performing groups. A fan favorite, the 2023 Stanley Cup Champions, the Vegas Golden Knights, return to the parade, along with the Las Vegas Aviators.

The parade begins at 8:30 a.m. with the escort division, followed by the official parade kick-off at 9 a.m.

The 2023 parade features several new floats, including Indiana Jones Experience; Barbieland, U.S.A.; Parade of the Pink Ladies; Star Spangled Rodeo; Schoolhouse Rock; Red, White and Bluey; and Up, Up &Away with Peppa Pig. Several popular patriotic-themed entries return this year, including A Salute to the Military, honoring the service men and women from Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases; America Sings! featuring the Desert Angels gospel choir; America Standing Tall featuring a 15-foot Miss Stars and Stripes towering high above the crowd; Happy Birthday, America; and Can’t Stop the Beat by the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts.

Other popular returning participants include Danza Del Carrizo Native American performing group, Nevada Latino Arts and Culture Association; and the Swing It! Girls. Veterans and military organizations will be represented by the Marine Corps League, American Legion, Forgotten Not Gone, the Southern Nevada Military Vehicle Association and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Also returning to the parade this year are fan favorites, Star Wars: The Fourth Awakens, featuring the Stars Wars Clubs of Southern Nevada; The Magic of Encanto; Mario Karts on Parade, featuring Mario and Luigi; Beach Day with Baby Shark; and Frozen Fun, featuring Elsa and Anna.

More than 2,500 people are expected to participate in the parade and more than 500 volunteers from dozens of local schools and community groups will assist with parade operations. Over 20,000 cubic feet of helium will be used for the 20 giant inflatables. Attendance along the parade route is expected to top 50,000.

The 2023 Grand Marshals are Colonel Brian T. Hobbins, director of operations, United States Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, and Lt. Colonel Laurel Hobbins (Ret.), a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate who retired with 20 years of dedicated service to our country.

The parade is organized by The Summerlin Council, the nonprofit arm of the Summerlin Community Association dedicated to the social, educational and recreational enrichment of residents.

The parade is free and open to the public. No parade/viewing set-up is allowed before July 3 at 7 a.m. Items placed before this time will be removed and donated. All persons and their property must remain on the curb.

Parade organizers suggest using RTC 210, which is the nearest public transportation route available, or new this year, Lyft rideshare. Parade organizers have partnered with Lyft to offer two dedicated, convenient drop-off/pick up locations close to the parade route: one near Hills Park; and one near Hillshire Drive and Village Center Circle. To access the parade-day special offering, go tolyft.com/lp/PATRIOTICPARADE.

Everyone is encouraged to arrive early, bring water and wear sunscreen.

Title Sponsor is The Howard Hughes Corp./Summerlin. Major sponsors include Station Casinos; Summerlin Hospital Medical Center; City National Bank; Centralized Security Services; Tri Pointe Homes; Pure Plumbing &Air; Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada; One Hour A/C and Heating; Palmer Electric; BrightView Landscape Services; Par 3 Landscape and Maintenance; LandCare; and Downtown Summerlin.

The parade begins at the corner of Hillpointe Road and Hills Center Drive in The Trails village of Summerlin. The parade then travels south toward Village Center Circle, then west on Trailwood Drive. The parade ends near the corner of Trailwood Drive and Spring Gate Lane.

For more information and a map of the parade route, visit summerlinpatrioticparade.com.

Now, in its 33rd year of development, Summerlin offers more amenities than any other Southern Nevada community, including 300-plus parks of all sizes; 200-plus miles of interconnected trails; resident-exclusive community centers; 10 golf courses; 26 public, private and charter schools; a public library and performing arts center; Summerlin Hospital Medical Center; houses of worship representing a dozen different faiths; office parks; and neighborhood shopping centers. Downtown Summerlin offers fashion, dining, entertainment, Red Rock Resort and Class-A office buildings. City National Arena is home of the Vegas Golden Knights National Hockey League practice facility. The Las Vegas Ballpark is a world-class Triple-A baseball stadium and home of the Las Vegas Aviators.

In total, Summerlin offers over 100 floor plans in nearly 20 neighborhoods throughout eight distinct villages and districts. Homes, built by many of the nation’s top homebuilders, are available in a variety of styles — from single-family homes to townhomes, priced from the $400,000s to more than $1 million. For information on all actively selling neighborhoods, visit Summerlin.com.

Before you visit any new Summerlin neighborhood, call the homebuilder to check on hours of operation. Phone numbers for each neighborhood are on Summerlin.com.