A girl smiles at the crowd as she rides her bike during the Arlington Independence Day Parade on July 4, 2025 in downtown Arlington. The parade began in 1965 and was founded by Dottie Lynn and Church Women United.
The annual Arlington Independence Day Parade is celebrating its 61 edition on Saturday in downtown Arlington.
The Arlington Parade is the largest in Texas, according to the parade’s website, and one of the biggest in the U.S.
Parade communications person Amanda Kowalski said this year’s celebration is expected to be bigger than past ones, with the city’s sesquicentennial and the nation’s 250 birthdays this year.
The event begins at 7 a.m. with the fourth edition of the Firecracker 5k run, which goes along the parade route twice, Kowalski said.
After the run is over, the parade will start at 9 a.m. and wind through UTA and downtown Arlington. It will feature bands from Arlington ISD high schools, floats, cars and more.
A unique addition to this year’s parade for America’s 250 birthday will be a “ring out” at 9 a.m. Kowalski said. Ringing will be heard from church bells in downtown Arlington, as well as people with bells. The idea comes from Daughters of the American Revolution with the idea to “ring out freedom.”
She said the goal of the parade is to celebrate the city as well as the country, to show the care we have for everyone.
“It makes it feel like it’s a small town, even though of course we’re getting close to half a million people,” Kowalski said.
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