BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
METHOD:PUBLISH
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:-//WordPress - MECv7.9.0//EN
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://downtownames.org/
X-WR-CALNAME:Downtown Ames
X-WR-CALDESC:
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
X-MS-OLK-FORCEINSPECTOROPEN:TRUE
BEGIN:VEVENT
CLASS:PUBLIC
UID:MEC-b0c7ae2316c7e8214fd659e4bc8a0dea@downtownames.org
DTSTART:20250704T160000Z
DTEND:20250704T180000Z
DTSTAMP:20250311T141600Z
CREATED:20250311
LAST-MODIFIED:20250626
PRIORITY:5
SEQUENCE:4
TRANSP:OPAQUE
SUMMARY:Downtown Ames 4th of July Parade
DESCRIPTION:\nThe 4th of July Parade is one of the largest events of the summer and a community favorite! Don your red, white, and blue, and help us celebrate Independence Day at this family-friendly event! What a great connection between Main Street and the City of Ames! The parade will begin at 11:00am. Parade lineup can be found at the bottom of this page.\n.\nNew for 2025!\n.\nFor the first time, our parade will have a theme! The 2025 theme is “Stars, Stripes, and Summertime” and all entries will be encouraged to join in the spirit of the theme!\n \nParade judges will be stationed at Tom Evans Park. Each parade entry will be judged on their Patriotic Spirit, Creativity, Community Involvement, Entertainment Value and Overall Presentation. The top entry will win a trophy and a complimentary entry in the 2026 Downtown Ames 4th of July Parade at the FRONT of the parade (following the Grand Marshall).  You do not need to participate in the judging to be a part of the parade. To view the judging criteria, please follow this link ( https://downtownames.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/4th-of-July-Parade-Judging-Criteria-.pdf ).\n \nWe are excited to bring back an emcee for the 4th of July Parade! Our emcee for the event will be Trent Rice, and he will be stationed outside of Sweet Caroline’s located at 316 Main St. Make sure to find a spot in the 300 block if you want to hear about all of our entries!\n.\nParade Rules\nA priority for Ames Main Street it to safely provide a celebration of our patriotic spirit. All parade entries will be held to the standards in the rules and waivers they commit to when signing up for the parade. Groups who do not follow the rules will not be invited to participate in future parades. Thank you for your understanding. To view the rules, please follow this link ( https://downtownames.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/4th-of-July-Parade-Rules-and-Waivers.pdf ).\n \nFood Trucks\nDowntown Ames businesses are open during the parade, but are you looking for a quick bite to eat? Check out the Food Trucks located on Burnett between Main and 5th!\n\nKona Ice\nNisha Soul Food\nSuperdog\nThe Outside Scoop\n\n.\nInterested in volunteering during the parade? \nVolunteers will receive Community Cash ( https://amesalliance.com/community-cash/ ) for their time! Please follow this link ( https://signup.com/go/DsUuJhw ) to see volunteer opportunities. Do you have a group who wants to volunteer? Email Sarah ( mailto:sarah@amesalliance.com ) for more information.\n.\n2025 4th of July Parade Grand Marshals: Rich & Mary Fitch!\n.\n\nRich and Mary Fitch have been passionate advocates for the Ames community for decades, making a lasting impact through their unwavering dedication to service, philanthropy, and community development.\nMarried for 42 years, Rich and Mary are the proud parents of three children and grandparents to four grandchildren.\nAs the longtime owners of Furman Corporation/Furman Realty, which they led for 40 years, the Fitches have been deeply invested in shaping the economic and social landscape of Ames. Their support has extended far beyond their business, as they have played a vital role in the revitalization of Downtown Ames through their involvement in local initiatives, nonprofit organizations, and small business support.\nTheir philanthropic contributions have touched numerous cornerstones of the community, including the Ames Municipal Airport, Ames History Museum, 60 Forward Center, and the Boys & Girls Club of Story County. Their support of community recreation has been especially impactful, from their role in the development of the Furman Aquatic Center to their continued commitment through the upcoming Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center.\nRich and Mary are widely known for their generosity, leadership, and steadfast commitment to making Ames a stronger, more connected community for all. Their legacy of giving back, uplifting others, and helping Ames thrive is why Ames Main Street is proud to honor them as the 2025 Ames Fourth of July Parade Grand Marshals.\n.\nParade Lineup!\n\nPolice Lead\nAmes American Legion Post #37 Motorcycles\nAmes American Legion Post #37 Color Guard\nStory County Commission of Veteran Affairs\nGrand Marshal\nAmes Animal Shelter Van\nAmes Fire – Fire apparatus 1\nWater Truck and Trailer 1\nAmes Public Library Bookmobile\nWater and Pollution Control Dept – Pickup\nElectric Bucket Truck\nMarine Corps League\nAmes Legion Family of Ames\nAmes Municipal Band\nMagic Matt’s Cleaning\nPoo Fighters\nAmes History Museum\nCyclone Corvettes, Inc.\nRobert Thomas Dancenter\nBus Guys LLC\nSchonert’s Corporate Catering\nSenior Variety Show\nLife Distilled & Homegrown\nFamily Healing Chiropractic\nTreats on a Leash\nAmes High Drumline\nHeartland Roofing Siding and Solar\nPrairie Flower Children’s Center\nBig 12 Towing\nMEMBERS1st Community Credit Union\nAmes Parks and Rec Taekwondo\nB-Bops\nWheatsfield Co-Op\nUnity Church of Ames\nStory County Democrats\nAmes Cyclone Aquatics Club\nCascade Clinical Connections\nLeague of Women Voters Ames and Story County\nNorthcrest Community\nState Center Rose Queen and Princess and Little Miss Rosebud\nBold Dance by Peach\nCornbred\nFRC Team Neutrino and FTC Team Photon\nPaul Lutheran Church\nBean Caffeinated\nCommunity Choice Credit Union\nIndependence Village of Ames\nAmes Youth Football\nPapa Murphy’s\nNorth Grand Christian Church\nPerformance Dance Centre\nCancer Warrior Truck\nBrekke’s Town & Country Store\nLutheran Church of Hope Ames\nBurgduff Tire and Wheel\nAmes Elks Lodge 1626\nElite Tumbling Trampoline and Twirling Academy\nBeeline Heating and Cooling\nPurple Cow Junk Removal & Home Services\nThe Connect Chiropractic\nJ&C\nCollegiate United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation\nWilson Toyota\nHABHAB’s\nDistinctive Landscapes\nPet Supplies Plus\nWiggy’s Ice Cream\nNorthridge Village & Maggie’s Place\nAmes Girls Softball Association (AGSA)\nBell Salvage\nAstra Security\nThe Hitting Hut\nSt. Cecilia Catholic School\nAmes Pet Hospital\nElmquist Towing\nRoofing Innovations\nLawn Life Lawn Care\n\nInterested in joining the parade? \nRegistration IS LIVE! Follow the link to sign up! ( https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdN38yR2PPVAmdF6xJVmzvzEowtb7k5joXZXCcoOMJId-j_zg/viewform?usp=dialog )\n.\nParade Route\n\n \n*Downtown Ames often takes photographs & video during our events for use on social media or our website. By attending, you agree that Downtown Ames may use any image of you that might appear in photographs or video taken at a Downtown Ames event.*\n
URL:https://downtownames.org/upcoming-events/4th-of-july-parade-2025/
CATEGORIES:Downtown Ames Events
LOCATION:304 Main StreetAmesUnited States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://downtownames.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/FourthofJuly-4C-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR