The streets of Summerlin were crowded Saturday morning as tens of thousands of people came together under clear skies to watch the Las Vegas Valley’s largest Fourth of July parade.
American pride was on full display. Parade onlookers dressed in red, white and blue as floats featuring American flags and a bald eagle passed by. Many attendees held flags that dozens of volunteers handed out throughout the parade.
This year’s parade featured musical groups, dozens of helium parade balloons and more than 70 floats — including eight new historically themed floats that highlight the Mayflower voyage, Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, the sacrifices of veterans during World War II, the Declaration of Independence and the women’s suffrage movement.
Among the parade onlookers were Timothy Dutt and his wife, Loretta, from south Las Vegas. The couple, who are nearing retirement age, said they hadn’t gone to the parade for a few years and were looking forward to the special floats to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Timothy Dutt also cited Saturday’s lower temperatures as another reason for attending.
“It’s only going to be 104 degrees today,” Dutt said before the parade started, adding that he was surprised by the number of people who attended the parade.
Last year’s Independence Day had similar temperatures to Saturday, with a high of around 104 degrees, but highs reached 113 in 2024.
Saturday’s parade also drew multiple international visitors — including parade volunteer and first-timer Arthur Serod — a missionary from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Serod and a small group of missionaries held up a giant red, white and blue star helium parade balloon with string for the nearly a mile-long parade.
“I had a great time,” Serod said. “It was more fun than work.”
Other participants included roughly 30 members of Scouting America Troop 312, who marched with two American flags as they followed with cars that had even more.
For Scott Moody, an American Legion District 3 member who marched with the troop Saturday, the parade is special because it symbolizes unity and community.
“We enjoyed patriotism and community,” said Moody, whose American Legion chapter sponsors Troop 312.
Contact Lucas Hellberg at lhellberg@reviewjournal.com.
