Arts & Entertainment Community Government
Fourth of July parade to mark 250th anniversary of Independence Day
For the first time in recent memory, Gig Harbor will host an organized Fourth of July celebration in 2026.
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The Independence Day celebration, planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will include a “kids and pets” parade, a flag-themed public art project, a pie-eating contest and more.
A handful of civic groups — including the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce, the Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance, the Kiwanis Club of Gig Harbor and the city — are organizing the party. They are still ironing out details.
Saturday, July 4, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary (or semiquincentennial) of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. National, regional and local celebrations will mark “America 250.”
“America 250 gave us a wonderful opportunity to create this fun event, while bringing families together in a meaningful way,” said Melissa Rye, event coordinator for Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce. “This Fourth of July celebration is designed to be hands-on, welcoming, and reflective of the strong sense of community that defines Gig Harbor.”
Events
Plans for the celebration are preliminary, and organizers may tweak details as the big day nears. But according to a news release from the Chamber, activities will include:
Parade: A parade of kids and pets will start at 10 a.m. on Judson Street and proceed to Skansie Brothers Park. Organizers envision strollers, wagons and bikes (and dogs?) decorated in patriotic themes for the short walk. The parade will wrap up around 10:30 a.m.
Flag-raising: A “patriotic flag-raising” will occur immediately after the parade at Skansie Brothers Park.
Kids Corner: Family activities will include “entertainment designed for all ages, … patriotic arts and crafts (and) interactive family experiences.”
Finger-paint flag: Organized by the Waterfront Alliance, participants will “create a giant American flag using painted fingerprints.”
Pie contests: Pie-baking and pie-eating contests are planned throughout the event. The pie-eating contest will include divisions for kids, adults and a “special first responders’ heat.”
Hot dogs: The Kiwanis Club of Gig Harbor will host a hot dog station.
Gig Harbor and the Fourth
The news release does not mention a fireworks display, and the celebration is planned for daylight hours only
The city of Gig Harbor banned personal sale or use of fireworks starting in 2023, though the ordinance allows “duly authorized public displays.”
Some city council members mentioned a desire for the city to host an organized Fourth celebration when they approved the ban in 2022. The city set aside money for a public Independence Day celebration in 2024, but eliminated the allocation because of budget issues.
Gig Harbor hasn’t exactly been a hub of Fourth of July fun in recent decades.
Photos available on the Harbor History Museum’s website depict Independence Day parades in the 1960s. And museum Director Stephanie Lile said the city celebrated the bicentennial in 1976.
Typically, the big summer celebration in Gig Harbor has been the annual Maritime Gig Festival in June. This year, however, the semiquincentennial was too big an anniversary to pass up.
“I am really happy that the city is having a celebration this year to honor America’s 250 years of democracy, and to celebrate community,” Mayor Mary Barber said via email. “The kid and pet parade and carnival games will bring back fun memories for me. As a child, we had a neighborhood parade when we all dressed up and then played games. It will be a great day to gather and celebrate our community and the country.”