The Rotary Clubs of Plano gets its annual 4th of July Parade marching alongside the city’s All American Fourth and birthday celebrations
Plano’s Fourth of July festivities run from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on July 4 itself.
The annual Plano 4th of July Parade is back to marching this year as part of the city’s All American 4th and 150th birthday celebrations.
After hosting a static parade at last year’s Fourth of July festivities, the Rotary Clubs of Plano organized its first moving Independence Day parade this year. The parade will make its way down Spring Creek Parkway near the city’s celebrations at Collin College on July 4.
“We wanted to bring (the parade) back to the downtown area,” Parade Co-Chair Lisa Bloomer said, adding that it was a challenge to come up with a route that made sense for all the different groups involved in planning the celebrations and helping them run smoothly.
The Rotary Clubs of Plano, composed of six rotary clubs in the city, started the 4th of July Parade as a successor to the annual Plano Early Lions Club Parade that ran for more than 30 years in the city. While the clubs shared information about past parades, fellow Parade Co-Chair Liz Lansing explained that she and Bloomer have put their own touches on the yearly event, including adjusting the parade route.
“This is kind of a trial run to see how it’s going to flow in the same area with the fireworks,” Lansing said.
With more than 30 entries, the parade will include various floats, firetrucks, corvettes and a wide variety of walkers from different groups and organizations, according to Bloomer.
In addition to the parade, the All American Fourth celebration will include the aforementioned fireworks show and a kids’ zone along with the continuation of the Plano 150th birthday celebration. The celebration, which Plano Magazine notes organizers originally cut short due to rain, includes free treats and gifts for guests and an “Instagram-able birthday photo op” as well, according to the city.
Overall, Bloomer hopes that the close proximity and pairing of the parade with the city’s celebrations will help increase its size and scope to rival that of the Rotary Clubs of Plano’s annual Holiday Parade, which the co-chairs said will continue this year in conjunction with the city’s Charles Dickens-themed celebration on December 2.
“We’re setting the groundwork for it to really grow and (for) more people to become aware of it, especially when its right there in front of 20,000 people,” Bloomer said of the 4th of July Parade.
The festivities run from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on the Fourth of July. The 4th of July Parade will commence at 7:30 p.m. with fireworks planned for a 9:30 p.m. start. For more information about Plano’s Fourth of July events, visit the city’s website. To learn more about the parade itself, visit https://www.rotaryparadesofplano.com/.
