The 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.

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New for 2025!

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For 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!

Parade 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.

We 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!

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Parade Rules

A 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.

Food Trucks

Downtown 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!

• Kona Ice
• Nisha Soul Food
• Superdog
• The Outside Scoop

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Interested in volunteering during the parade?

Volunteers will receive Community Cash for their time! Please follow this link to see volunteer opportunities. Do you have a group who wants to volunteer? Email Sarah for more information.

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2025 4th of July Parade Grand Marshals: Rich & Mary Fitch!

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Rich 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.

Married for 42 years, Rich and Mary are the proud parents of three children and grandparents to four grandchildren.

As 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.

Their 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.

Rich 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.

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Parade Lineup!

1. Police Lead
2. Ames American Legion Post #37 Motorcycles
3. Ames American Legion Post #37 Color Guard
4. Story County Commission of Veteran Affairs
5. Grand Marshal
6. Ames Animal Shelter Van
7. Ames Fire – Fire apparatus 1
8. Water Truck and Trailer 1
9. Ames Public Library Bookmobile
10. Water and Pollution Control Dept – Pickup
11. Electric Bucket Truck
12. Marine Corps League
13. Ames Legion Family of Ames
14. Ames Municipal Band
15. Magic Matt’s Cleaning
16. Poo Fighters
17. Ames History Museum
18. Cyclone Corvettes, Inc.
19. Robert Thomas Dancenter
20. Bus Guys LLC
21. Schonert’s Corporate Catering
22. Senior Variety Show
23. Life Distilled & Homegrown
24. Family Healing Chiropractic
25. Treats on a Leash
26. Ames High Drumline
27. Heartland Roofing Siding and Solar
28. Prairie Flower Children’s Center
29. Big 12 Towing
30. MEMBERS1st Community Credit Union
31. Ames Parks and Rec Taekwondo
32. B-Bops
33. Wheatsfield Co-Op
34. Unity Church of Ames
35. Story County Democrats
36. Ames Cyclone Aquatics Club
37. Cascade Clinical Connections
38. League of Women Voters Ames and Story County
39. Northcrest Community
40. State Center Rose Queen and Princess and Little Miss Rosebud
41. Bold Dance by Peach
42. Cornbred
43. FRC Team Neutrino and FTC Team Photon
44. Paul Lutheran Church
45. Bean Caffeinated
46. Community Choice Credit Union
47. Independence Village of Ames
48. Ames Youth Football
49. Papa Murphy’s
50. North Grand Christian Church
51. Performance Dance Centre
52. Cancer Warrior Truck
53. Brekke’s Town & Country Store
54. Lutheran Church of Hope Ames
55. Burgduff Tire and Wheel
56. Ames Elks Lodge 1626
57. Elite Tumbling Trampoline and Twirling Academy
58. Beeline Heating and Cooling
59. Purple Cow Junk Removal & Home Services
60. The Connect Chiropractic
61. J&C
62. Collegiate United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation
63. Wilson Toyota
64. HABHAB’s
65. Distinctive Landscapes
66. Pet Supplies Plus
67. Wiggy’s Ice Cream
68. Northridge Village & Maggie’s Place
69. Ames Girls Softball Association (AGSA)
70. Bell Salvage
71. Astra Security
72. The Hitting Hut
73. St. Cecilia Catholic School
74. Ames Pet Hospital
75. Elmquist Towing
76. Roofing Innovations
77. Lawn Life Lawn Care

Interested in joining the parade?

Registration IS LIVE! Follow the link to sign up!

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Parade Route

*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.*