Racine 4th Fest returns Saturday with 150-entry parade, bigger crowds expected

RACINE, Wis. (WRJN) – Racine’s 4th Fest returns Saturday with one of the Midwest’s largest Independence Day celebrations, highlighted by a three-hour parade expected to draw bigger crowds for its 90th anniversary.

This year’s theme, “Happy 250 America,” ties into the nation’s semiquincentennial and will be reflected across more than 150 parade entries, organizers said.

The parade begins at 9 a.m., following a pre-parade at 8:30 a.m., and travels a 2.6-mile route from Goold Street south along Main Street. Parade Chair Jake Lovdahl said assembling the lineup is a careful process to ensure variety and pacing.

“We really take our time and make sure that we’re not stacking musical entries on top of each other…so the overall quality of the parade is a great viewing experience,” Lovdahl said.

The event remains one of the oldest continuously operated Fourth of July parades in the country and the largest in the Midwest. It typically takes about three hours for all entries to pass.

4th Fest President Anna Clementi said the celebration continues to evolve, including a now fully online application process for participants and a mix of corporate and nonprofit float entries.

“It doesn’t have to be expensive,” Clementi said. “A lot of nonprofits have been jumping on board.”

The parade will be broadcast live on Channel 24, a partnership organizers say has lasted more than a decade and reaches viewers unable to attend in person. A full version will also be available on YouTube.

Festivities continue with fireworks at 9 p.m. off North Pier, with organizers promising a show “about twice the size” of a typical year.