Parade

4thFest Parade

About the 4thFest Parade
The 2023 4thFest parade begins at 10:00 am on July 4. The 4thFest parade is the area's largest Independence Day parade.  The annual parade features marching bands, floats, and loads of excitement!

Contact Us

  1. Minda Hamann
    4thFest Parade Committee Chair 
    Email


    4thFest Parade
    July 4 at 10:00 am
    Rain or shine

Parade Route
The two-mile 4thFest parade route, begins and ends at the corner of 22nd Avenue and 9th Street. It travels east on 9th Street and 8th Street, south on 14th Avenue, east on 7th Street, south on 12th Avenue, west on 5th Street, north on 20th Avenue, and west on 8th Street.  View the parade route.

Where to Watch
Seating along the route is first come, first served. For safety, always stay behind the curb when watching the parade.

Seating is not available on 22nd Avenue (parade entries line up on 22nd Avenue).

If You Have Noise Sensitivity:
An area is designated a "limited noise section" of the route.

  • 5th Street from the fire station west until the end of S.T. Morrison Park.
  • To assist those with hearing and sensory needs, entrants should not use sirens or horns in this section of the parade. The area will be marked with signs.
  • Parade organizers communicate this information to parade applicants in writing, but we cannot guarantee any section of the parade will be noise-free.

Who Is in the Parade
The parade features entries from Coralville and the surrounding area. Download the 2023 4thFest parade program (PDF)

Weather
Rain or Shine 
The parade is scheduled to be held rain or shine, except during severe threatening weather conditions. If you are watching the parade or walking in the parade, plan accordingly.  

Inclement Weather
If the parade is held during rain, heat, or other inclement weather, plan ahead and use your own judgment when deciding to attend or participate.

Severe Weather
If there is severe weather that has the potential to impact the public’s safety outdoors: 

  • The start of the parade may be briefly delayed or the parade may be canceled. 
  • Because of changing weather conditions, it may be necessary to wait until close to the start time on the day of the parade to make a decision.
  •  Any changes to the parade will be posted at www.coralville.org/news and at www.coralville.org/4thFestParade as soon as possible. 

Cancellation
If the parade must be canceled, it will not be rescheduled. Hundreds of people volunteer to be in the parade, and many logistics are involved with staging, street closures, public safety, and more behind the scenes. Rescheduling the parade is not possible.


Be in the Parade

  1. Entrant Information
  2. Parade Applications
  3. Animals in the Parade
  4. Grand Marshals

2019 Grand Marshal Award_Hills Bank

Before the Parade
Entrant Parking
  • Park in the Hy-Vee parking lot or a nearby lot.
  • Only parade vehicle entries may be in the staging areas.
Lineup
  • Be in place by 9:00 am in your assigned location. There are three staging areas:
    • Staging Area 1: Plaza West parking lot (871-899 22nd Avenue, just north of Central State Bank)
    • Staging Area 2: Central State Bank parking lot (805 22nd Avenue)
    • Staging Area 3: South and west parts of the Hobby Lobby parking lot (2050 8th Street)
    • Select entries will line up on 22nd Avenue, north of the staging areas
  • Know your number in line. Entry numbers are posted around the staging area. Volunteers will be at the entrances.
  • The parade starts promptly at 10:00 am.
How to Get to the Staging Areas
  • Enter from 21st Avenue and 8th Street, or from 22nd Avenue, from the north.
  • There will not be access to 22nd Avenue from Highway 6. See the map in the info packet.
During the Parade
  • Put your cell phone away. Cell phone use (including talking, texting, or taking photos/video) is prohibited when driving a vehicle, riding an animal, or cycling in the parade.
  • All entrants driving a motorized vehicle must have a valid driver's license.
  • Watch for children. Be careful when driving the route; kids will want to enter the road. Minimize distractions inside your vehicle so you can focus on driving safely.
  • Keep the pace. Stay directly behind the entry in front of you and leave at least two car lengths
  • Do not stop the parade. Performances must be quick and simple.
  • Walk to the crowd at the curb to hand things out. Do not throw candy into the street. 
  • Never encourage spectators to approach your float or to enter the street. 
  • Keep it safe. No open flames. All floats must be secure.
  • Do not squirt water at spectators.
  • Bring water to stay hydrated; the parade route is over two miles long.
  • Keep pets safe. Lack of shade, water, and rest on a hot day put pets at risk for overheating. The street surface may be too hot for a pet’s feet to endure through the parade route. See the "Animals in the Parade" tab on this webpage for information before including any pet in the parade
  • Respect the "limited noise" part of the parade route free of sirens, horns, etc.. See "If You Have Noise Sensitivity" section above.

Learn More

Theme
4thFest 2023 celebrates Coralville's 150th anniversary to honor our rich history and bright future. All parade entries should tie into this theme. Be creative! Learn more about Coralville's 150th anniversary

About the logo:

  • Coral in the upper left corner represents our city's namesake. The town was christened "Coralville" for the fossilized corals found in natural rock exposures along the Iowa River, including where the foundation was dug for mills along the river in the 1800s.
  • The wheel in the lower left corner represents Coralville's biking and recreational trails, as well as the river-powered mills of Coralville's early days. It also represents the Mormon pioneers who stayed in Coralville in 1856 and 1857, preparing for a 1,300 mile journey from the Midwest to Utah, towing their belongings in handcarts. 
  • The tree symbolizes Coralville's many parks and open spaces, and the growth of our community.
  • Fireworks in the upper right corner represent our community's festivals and celebrations, including Coralville's 4thFest fireworks.
  • The iconic 1876 schoolhouse in the lower right corner, with its native limestone foundation and cast iron star claps, was where generations of children in Coralville went to school; it is on the National Register of Historic Places and still sits on 5th Street.
  • The vibrant colors of the logo represent the diversity of our community and Coralville's bright future.

A copy of the 2023 theme logo for use with parade floats is available by request. Request logo

 *Standard logo usage guidelines apply: the logo may be proportionately enlarged or reduced in size, but cannot be distorted, compressed, or stretched. Do not alter or modify without authorization from the City of Coralville.

Coralville 150th logo