Hey, do you remember when 4th on Broadway was actually on Broadway? 

This iconic Lubbock event may still be on the street, but it’s making it’s way out of town.

Let me take you back a bit. There was a time when the event truly felt like a community celebration, with businesses up and down Broadway fully embracing the chaos. The street filled up with people, the sidewalks were packed, and everyone felt like they were part of the same party.

After the parade, you didn’t just go home. You wandered the street. Vendors were everywhere, food smelled amazing, and tents hosted some of the best West Texas music you could find on a hot July afternoon. It wasn’t overly polished, but that was the point — it felt like Lubbock.

Eventually though, something shifted.

My guess is that some of the businesses along Broadway stopped loving the arrangement. Thousands of people clogging up the street probably wasn’t ideal for regular customers. There was trash, crowds, and the occasional parade-goer wandering into a store with no goal other than conquering the restroom. I can’t say that’s exactly what happened, but if you’ve ever hosted a massive street party, you can probably connect a few dots.

Now let’s talk about the real draw — the parade.

For years the parade started around Avenue Q and rolled west down Broadway toward the Texas Tech campus. It was simple, easy to understand, and it filled the entire corridor with people.

Then in 2015 someone had the bright idea to flip the route around and send the parade the other direction so it would funnel crowds toward the big celebration at Mackenzie Park.

From a logistics standpoint, maybe that made sense.

From a nostalgia standpoint… that’s about the moment a lot of people felt like the event sold a little piece of its soul.

Since then, the parade route has kept creeping farther and farther east. Each adjustment makes sense on paper — crowd control, staging areas, traffic flow, parking. Those are all real concerns when you’re dealing with one of the largest Independence Day celebrations in Texas.

But if you look at this year’s route, it’s hard not to notice how far things have drifted.

Here Is The Parade Route For Lubbock’s 4th On Broadway

The parade is expected to start near Avenue M and Broadway and head east toward MLK Jr. Boulevard, rolling right past the South Plains Fairgrounds. Conveniently, that also puts the route in prime territory for event parking.

Now I’m not accusing anyone of anything — but if a few extra parking dollars fall into the coffers along the way, I doubt anyone will complain.

To someone who was around during the early years of this event, though, the whole thing can feel a little strange. What started as a celebration centered on Broadway now looks like it’s slowly being nudged farther and farther away from the city’s core.

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At this point, you could argue that more of the parade route sits outside the Interstate than inside it.

And this isn’t meant as a knock on the businesses along the current route — not at all. But if history is any indicator, you might want to enjoy it while it lasts.

Because if parade creep keeps doing its thing, there’s a good chance the celebration will eventually keep marching right past you too.

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