Save the Date: Gaithersburg's 76th Annual Labor Day Parade

The end of summer will be celebrated when Gaithersburg’s 76th annual Labor Day Parade takes place beginning at 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1.

High school marching bands, costumed characters, cars, fire engines, horses, clowns and more people will make their way down East Diamond and Russell Avenues in Olde Towne Gaithersburg.

The parade will start at Girard Street and East Diamond Avenue, move down East Diamond Avenue onto Russell Avenue and finish at Russell and Odenhal Avenue.

The parade’s roots harken back to 1938 when the Gaithersburg Fire Department established a rescue squad and hosted a traditional fundraising events, including dinners, dances and, of course, the parade. Eventually the fundraising events ceased, but volunteers continued the tradition of the Labor Day Parade until 1977, when a citizen’s committee took over organizing the unofficial end-of-summer event.

The event is now organized by the City of Gaithersburg Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture with support from the Gaithersburg-Washington Grove Fire Department. The parade has taken place every year except 1942, during World War II.

Julie Wright, traffic reporter for All News 99.1 WNEW and Fox 5 Morning News, will join the parade as Mistress of Ceremonies.

Free parking is available in the Olde Towne garage, corner of Olde Towne and South Summit Avenues. Handicap parking is available behind the Victor Litz store on the north side of Diamond Avenue and behind the Shell gas station on South Summit Ave.

Free shuttle bus service is provided from the Lakeforest Shopping Center transit station to Gaithersburg Elementary School beginning at noon.

This is a rain or shine event. For more information, visit Gaithersburg’s website or call 301-258-6350.

Photo Credit: Screenshot from the seventh annual Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade promotion video.