The Santa Monica 4th of July Parade is an annual Independence Day celebration centered on Main Street and organized by the Ocean Park Association. The free community parade brings together neighborhood groups, local businesses, schools, civic organizations, elected officials, musicians, classic cars, floats and families in a deliberately informal, hometown-style procession. Spectators line Main Street for the morning parade, which has grown into one of the city’s signature community events and can draw thousands of residents each year. Themes change annually, often highlighting Santa Monica history or local milestones; the 2026 parade celebrated both the centennial of Route 66 and the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The modern parade began in 2007, when Ocean Park Association co-founder Jeff Jarow and a small group of fellow neighborhood volunteers organized the first event as a way for Santa Monicans to gather and celebrate locally. That inaugural parade traveled down Main Street with only a few thousand spectators and had a memorably rough start when Jarow’s tractor-drawn float knocked roadway reflectors loose along the route. Despite the mishap, the parade returned the following year and steadily grew, interrupted only by a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over time it expanded to include all of the city’s neighborhood associations and numerous service and community organizations while retaining its intentionally local character.

4th of July Parade

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