Summerlin’s July 4th parade, with ‘small-town charm,’ ready to march
The Las Vegas Valley’s largest Fourth of July parade is preparing to march the Stars and Stripes through the streets of Summerlin.
More than 35,000 people are expected to attend the 31st annual Patriotic Parade in Summerlin on Friday. The parade route starts at the intersection of Hillpointe Road and Hills Center Drive. before rounding Village Center Circle and ending at the intersection of Trailwood Drive and Spring Gate Lane, stretching about three-quarters of a mile. The parade starts at 9 a.m. and attendees can start saving a spot along the parade’s route at 7 a.m. Thursday.
The free parade will feature more than 70 floats, parade balloons and musical groups with themes ranging from Baby Shark and Bluey to Spider-Man and “Star Wars.” Some new floats this year feature the Emerald City from “Wicked” and a Red Rock-inspired float decorated with real plants.
The celebration also draws notable figures from all around the valley and state. Golden Knights right winger Reilly Smith will ride on the hockey team’s float, and Gov. Joe Lombardo, Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony and Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley also will make appearances at the event.
Humble beginnings
The first Summerlin Patriotic Parade took place in 1995 and operated on a much smaller scale. It featured a person dressed as Uncle Sam on stilts leading dozens of children on bikes and wagons adorned with red, white and blue streamers flapping in the wind. Now known as the Patriotic Pedalers, they’re crowd favorites as they make their way from the Summerlin Library to the Trails Park.
Lezlie Barnson-DeNardin, executive director of the Summerlin Council, helped organize the second-ever Patriotic Parade after moving to the area in 1996.
From its early days, she said the creativity in people’s wagon decorations inspired her to help build the parade into a larger event. “You could just kind of feel that there was an opportunity to create something really special,” Barnson-DeNardin said.
She said the parade has seen steady increases in scale and attendance over the past three decades as the celebration as grown and developed alongside the Summerlin area.
“We have tried to preserve the small-town charm of a hometown parade with ours, but we’ve also tried to infuse in the grandure of a large-scale event,” she said. “I really feel like it’s part of the Summerlin community fabric.”
Bill Witter, a self-employed entertainer, has seen that growth from 10 feet in the air as the parade’s stilted Uncle Sam since 1998. He’s returning this year to walk through the streets, playing a role he sees as a great honor.
“There’s a lot of dedication from the community,” Witter said. “My dad was a veteran, and so I have a very fond place in my heart for people who are patriotic and I really do enjoy celebrating the Fourth of July.”
The parade has greatly expanded since its inception to include more than 2,500 marchers and floats dedicated to featuring the military, local companies and youth organizations. Still, the Patriotic Pedalers and Uncle Sam remain staples of the yearly celebration.
Finishing touches
Under a big white tent in Trails Park on Tuesday morning, volunteers such as Stephanie Day stapled streamers, tested smoke machines and added last-minute details to dozens of idle floats. She’s one of more than 500 people helping to put on the parade this year.
Originally from Las Vegas, Day said she now lives in Colorado but took the week off from work to come to Summerlin and assist with the parade. “My first parade was in 2017 … and just the evolution of these floats are amazing,” she said. “It’s going to be a giant, fun party.”
Tommy Porrello, a Summerlin Council spokesperson who has worked on the parade for 18 years, said they try to make the parade new and exciting every year.
“There’s people that participated in the parade or were a spectator in the parade when they were a child, and now they’re bringing their children,” he said. “It’s America’s birthday, and so we want to start with an event that the community can really appreciate and enjoy no matter how old they are.”
Here are a few more options for celebrating Independence Day
— Bicentennial Park, 1100 Colorado St., Boulder City
— 7 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
— Wake up early on Independence Day for a pancake breakfast and the parade, then spend the day playing games, enjoy food from local vendors and dancing to music before the nighttime fireworks finale at the 77th annual Damboree.
Henderson’s Fourth of July Celebration
— Heritage Park, 350 S. Racetrack Road, Henderson
— 6-9:30 p.m.
— Hear country musician and U.S. Marine veteran Tony Jackson perform; take part in patriotic putt putt and other activities; check out the food vendors’ offerings; and kick back to watch the fireworks show.
— Lake Las Vegas Parkway, Henderson
— Fireworks start at 9 p.m.
— Bring your chairs and blankets to watch on land, or hop in a kayak and get on the lake to witness the Lake Las Vegas fireworks show.
Contact Spencer Levering at slevering@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0253.
