Novato Fourth of July Parade Invites Entries and Appeals for Volunteers

The Novato Fourth of July Parade, the North Bay’s largest Independence Day event, is only a few weeks away. Registration for entries is open on NovatoParade.com, but organizers are also looking for individuals and groups to volunteer.

This year’s parade theme is a celebration of the country’s 250^th anniversary. Entrants are encouraged to showcase the red, white, and blue spirit and demonstrate the spirit that sparked the founding of the United States of America in 1776.

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The all-volunteer parade committee has been working on the Parade since January and is now looking for volunteers to assist in running this annual event that attracts roughly 10,000 spectators. The call is out for individuals to assist and also for service organizations, houses of worship, youth groups, and school clubs to put groups together and donate time on the morning of Saturday, July 4. It’s an excellent opportunity for high school students to accumulate community service hours to boost a resume.

Seventy to eighty volunteers are needed to run a safe, smooth, and efficient parade. Volunteers are assigned to traffic monitoring, trash can placement, temporary signage installation, barricade supervising, and post-parade cleanup.

Go to the website, novatoparade.com, to read the various job descriptions and signup. Send questions about volunteering to NovatoParadeVolunteer@gmail.com. An orientation meeting for volunteers will take place July 3.

“As of late-May, we only have two dozen people signed up, so we are concerned but hopeful,” said parade volunteer coordinator Sophia Osotio. “We are networking as much as we can to recruit.”

The parade starts at 10 a.m. on Grant Avenue at Reichert Avenue and runs west for approximately seven-tenths of a mile to Seventh Street. There are four announcer stands along the route to provide color commentary and a panel of judges will award top prizes. The judging categories are: Classic Vehicle; Horse, Animal Performance; Marching Unit; Non-commercial; and Commercial.

Parade information is on novatoparade.com. Questions about entries, sponsorships, vendor opportunities and parade policies can also be sent to info@novatoparade.com.