Oakville Independence Day delivers fun for all ages
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Smiles were the order of the day for an enthusiastic crowd at the Oakville Independence Day Parade, Festival, and Scoot the Route Car Show on Saturday.
Sponsored by the Oakville Chamber of Commerce, the annual July Fourth celebration is the premier event on the Oakville community calendar. It is designed for all day enjoyment for both locals and out of town visitors alike.
The Grand Parade kicked off at 11 a.m., while the car show and Kid Zone ran all day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Live music began at noon by the beer garden hosted by Talkin Cedars. Following the parade, visitors could attend the free Junior Rodeo at the Oakville Regional Event Center.
The parade featured over 40 entries and has been growing in numbers recently. Many local businesses and farms sponsored floats or showcased equipment. Classic cars adorned with U.S. flags and smiling riders highlighted the parade route on U.S. Highway 12. Young boys and girls scrambling for tossed candy from parade entrants, and 72-degree weather and bright sunshine brought out endless smiles on the crowded parade route. One group of kids with grocery bags stuffed with candy were overheard yelling, “This is better than Halloween!”
Roberta Wilkinson, in her seventh year as president of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce said, “It’s gratifying to see the Independence Day Parade get bigger and more popular every year.”
Retiree George Mitchell from Chehalis likes to bring his original1964 Ford Falcon Futura to the annual Scoot the Route Car Show “because I don’t go very far with my car nowadays, and the people are great.” Across the street from the classic cars and live music were over 20 vendors and highlighted artisans’ hand-crafted items as well as local artists.
Adding more kid friendly activities is being emphasized helping to grow the Saturday festivities. The Oakville Community Center, located only one block off the parade route, hosted a Kid Zone that grew busy after the parade. Kiddos enjoyed free face painting, a bounce house and inflatable water slide to cool off.
Tara Groninger, president of the community center, also used the event to fundraise for the center and food bank with $2 snow cones and other inexpensive treats.
Groninger remarked, “once the parade is over it gives the kids something else fun to do, so we expect this to grow every year.”
Many of the festival attendees moseyed over to the Oakville Regional Event Center for the Junior Rodeo. The National Junior Rodeo Association coincides its event annually with Oakville’s Fourth of July celebration with 100 plus competitors from ages 2 to 18. It was free to attend and had food and crafts vendors as well. It ran all weekend and showcased events from bull/steer riding to barrel racing for its fans and supporters.
If you or someone you know would like to participate in next year’s Oakville Independence Day Parade, Festival or Scoot the Route Car Show please contact the Oakville Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
