Celebrating Independence with floats and cars
Published 1:30 am Monday, June 29, 2026
“Food, family, fun – that’s what we’re doing today,” announced Robbie Shank, the MC for the Oakville Independence Day Parade, to the parade watchers lining both sides of U.S. Highway 12.
On Saturday, the Oakville Independence Day Parade and Scoot the Route Car Show brought the community and visitors to Oakville for this annual event. And even the intermittent showers and sprinkles didn’t dissuade people from coming out.
As president of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce, this is Roberta Wilkinson’s sixth year organizing this annual event.
“It came together very well,” she said.
There were more vendors this year than previous years, to which Wilkinson said the response to their vendor calls “tends to grow each year.”
Organizing this event isn’t just borne by the Chamber.
“The city has been instrumental,” Wilkinson said, adding that the public works crew “spiffed everything to make sure Oakville was looking its best.”
Before the parade, Grays Harbor Fire District 1 served a pancake breakfast at their station. After the parade, there was a car show and vendors to visit.
New this year was a twist contest that was Mark Hagerdorn’s idea, and a video is available on the Oakville community’s Facebook page — https://www.facebook.com/OakvilleCoC.
Parade Awards
Floats
1st) Oakville Independence Day Royalty Court
2nd) Chehalis Tribal Royalty
Groups and Clubs
1st) Grays Harbor Fire District #1
2nd) Elma Youth Cheer & Dance
Business and Commercial
1st) First Student
2nd) Farmers Insurance Rochester
Vehicles
1st) Rich Hendricks ‘55 Crown Victoria
2nd) Cliff Miller ‘39 Little Blue Chevrolet Truck
Miscellaneous
1st) Grays Harbor Mounted Posse Rodeo Court
2nd) Oakville Regional Event Center
Judge’s Choice
Holy Lamb Organics
