2026 Dunwoody Fourth of July Parade

50 Years Strong –250 Years Free

PARADE SCHEDULE & VIEWING

This year’s theme– “Honoring the Past, Marching into the Future”– marks the parade’s 50th year and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Dunwoody Fourth of July Parade is the largest Independence Day parade in Georgia, drawing some 2,000 participants and 25,000 spectators along the 2.7-mile route.

Parade Route

The parade route is approximately 2.7 miles and steps off from the intersection of Mt. Vernon Road and Jett Ferry Road at 9 a.m., proceeds west on Mt. Vernon to Dunwoody Village, turns right onto Dunwoody Village Parkway, circles around the parkway, and turns left into Dunwoody Village at Starbucks.

Viewing information

Spectators are encouraged to set up chairs along Mt. Vernon and around the Dunwoody Village Parkway into Dunwoody Village. Viewing starts on the west side of Jett Ferry on Mt. Vernon. Mt. Vernon Road, between Jett Ferry Road and Dunwoody Village, will be closed from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Parade festival

After the parade ends at Dunwoody Village, stay for the family festival. Enjoy patriotic music and an opportunity to meet representatives from local businesses, neighborhood friends, and politicians. Scout Troop 266 will be selling McDaniel’s QN2 barbecue as a fundraiser (pre-order at troop266.us), and the Rotary Club will be selling hot dogs to raise money for the organization.

2026 GRAND MARSHAL

Dunwoody Preservation Trust

This year, the Dunwoody Fourth of July Parade is proud to name the Dunwoody Preservation Trust as its Grand Marshal– a fitting choice for a year themed “Honoring the Past, Marching into the Future,” and a tribute to the organization that has spent decades protecting the places and stories that preserve Dunwoody’s history.

Leading the trust this year are 2026 President Allegra Johnson and Executive Director Kristin Simons, who will ride near the front of the parade, with the Dunwoody Preservation Trust float following right behind them.

The Trust was founded by two longtime Dunwoody icons, Joyce Amacher

and Lynne Byrd, after the overnight demolition of historic 1880s railroad section houses– buildings that once housed the workers who laid the tracks for “Old Buck,” the little train that connected 19thcentury Dunwoody to the world beyond. With developers closing in on the 1906 Cheek-Spruill House, the two experienced preservationists founded the Dunwoody Preservation Trust, a 501(c)(3), with seed money from the Dunwoody Homeowners Association.

Since then, the trust has saved some of Dunwoody’s most iconic historic properties– including the Cheek-Spruill House, the beloved white “farmhouse” at the corner of Mt. Vernon and Chamblee

Dunwoody Roads –and played an integral role in the years-long renovation of the Donaldson-Bannister Farm at Chamblee Dunwoody and Vermack Roads. The DPT is also the driving force behind one of Dunwoody’s favorite annual events, Lemonade Days, which began in response to the 1998 tornado.

PARADE & FESTIVAL

PARTICIPANTS

Dunwoody Woman’s Club

This year’s parade wouldn’t exist without them. The Dunwoody Woman’s Club started the Fourth of July Parade in 1976 as part of the nation’s Bicentennial. Five decades later, that idea has grown into the largest Independence Day parade in Georgia– and on this 50th anniversary, we’re proud to celebrate the club that began it all.

Veterans

In this 250th year of American independence, no tradition feels more fitting. Driving near the front, the Classic Glass Corvette Club returns with its fleet of Corvettes, proudly carrying local veterans along the route– a salute to the men and women who served, and one of the most meaningful moments of the

Dunwoody High School Wildcat Band

We’ve got that Wildcat Pride! Our hometown students hit the street as the Dunwoody High School Wildcat Band returns to bring its signature sound and community spirit to the route.

Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps

A parade favorite– and, in the eyes of many, the standout act of the entire day. One of the most revered drum and bugle corps in the country, Spirit of Atlanta brings more than 150 musicians and

performers, pairing world-class sound with proud Southern heritage while continually pushing the boundaries of artistic innovation.

Dunwoody Precision Lawn Chair Drill Team

A hometown favorite is back! Founded in 2021, this all-volunteer brigade marches with aluminum folding chairs, performing synchronized routines, chants, and signature moves. This group took first place in the “Spirit” category at the 2024 parade.

Stayin’ Alive Crew

Proving age is limitless! This high-energy, over-50s dance crew gets crowds on their feet with routines spanning hip hop, jazz, line dancing, and parade favorites. Founded in 2018, the all-women crew has performed across Georgia and the Southeast – including a 2019 Georgia Has Talent win – and brings its infectious, funloving spirit to the route.

Rush Union Soccer

With the FIFA World Cup coming to Atlanta this summer, soccer is having its moment – and no club represents the sport in Dunwoody like Rush Union Soccer. A parade regular that marches with us every year, Rush Union plays at Brook Run Park through a public-private partnership with the City of Dunwoody, bringing its young players and families out to celebrate.

Dunwoody High School Wildcats Football

Led by Coach Matt Schmitz, the Dunwoody High School Wildcat football team carries the giant American flag down the route – the source of what might be the most iconic, most-photographed image of the entire parade.

Thomas Eye Group

Home to what may be the best giveaway in the parade: Thomas Eye Group returns with their famous eyeball stress relievers. The squishy eyeballs were a huge hit in years past and are making their comeback along the route this year.

Discover Dunwoody Trolley

The city’s destination marketing organization rolls through in the Discover Dunwoody Trolley – this year handing out small soccer balls in a nod to the World Cup spirit.

Bike Walk Dunwoody

The all-volunteer group dedicated to making it safer and easier to walk and bike around town– for fun, fitness, and getting around – rolls and strolls down the route.

DeKalb County Fire Rescue

Bringing more vehicles to the parade than ever before! With a fire engine, a tiller ladder truck, a heavy rescue unit, response motorcycles, and command vehicles, this is the largest DeKalb County presence the parade has ever had – a rolling thank-you to the crews who keep our community safe.

Check out our photo gallery and a list of the winners at this year’s parade.

PLATINUM SPONSOR:

IHG HOTELS & RESORTS

This year’s parade is proud to welcome IHG Hotels & Resorts as a Platinum Sponsor. One of the world’s leading hospitality companies - with 21 brands including Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, InterContinental, and Kimpton – IHG has run its entire Americas business right here in Dunwoody for more than 30 years from its headquarters at Three Ravinia Drive.

Ravinia is one of Dunwoody’s most recognizable business addresses – the landmark office towers tucked off I-285 at Ashford Dunwoody Road, in the heart of the Perimeter. From that home base, IHG

DONATIONS

isn’t just a global brand passing through; it’s a Dunwoody neighbor, woven into the same community that fills Mt. Vernon Road every Fourth of July. That hometown connection makes IHG’s support especially meaningful.

As one of Dunwoody’s major corporate citizens, IHG’s Platinum sponsorship helps the all-volunteer parade bring in the marching bands, costumed characters, and festival features that make the Fourth of July special for the thousands of families who line the route each year.

Atlanta Lions Club & Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation – Eyeglasses collection: Bring your used eyeglasses to the parade for recycling at the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation! The Lions International Youth Ambassadors and their host families will march with the Atlanta Lions Club and the Lighthouse Eye Clinic van. Look for the colorful flags of the world as the students parade with their national flags and carry eyeglass collection boxes.

The Community Assistance Center and National Charity League Dunwoody Chapter will partner to collect food donations along the parade route.

ELECTED OFFICIALS & SPECIAL GUESTS

DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch and members of the city council

DeKalb County District 1 Commissioner Robert Patrick Interim DeKalb School Superintendent Dr. Norman Sauce Dunwoody High School Principal Tom Bass Sarv Dharavane – Dunwoody’s homegrown speller recently finished third at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May – for the second straight year.