A great way for grandparents and grandchildren together to celebrate the 4th of July is to decorate bikes for a 4th of July bike parade. Fourth of July decorations can be created with very little expense. Visit your local dollar stores for streamers, balloons, garland, flags, and other red, white, and blue patriotic decorations to use in decorating your bikes. (TIP: After the 4th of July, ask parents to shop the holiday clearance aisles to pick up bargain priced 4th of July decorations for next year’s bike parade.) And, of course, be sure to wear as much red, white, and blue patriotic themed clothing. Fourth of July face painting is fun, too. Don’t forget your pets. Wagons, strollers, and scooters can be used, especially for the pets and younger children. Welcome wheelchairs into your 4th of July decorated bike parade so no one is left out.

If your town does not have a 4th of July bike parade, a neighborhood 4th of July bike parade can easily be organized. If you’ll be attending a block party, picnic, or local parade, gather donations of money or 4th of July craft supplies from the other families, buy decorations in quantity and have the children all decorate their bikes and wagons at the same time prior to your parade. Choose a neutral “judge” to award donated prizes…and give everyone who participated  an “Honorable Mention” certificate or prize.

When choosing your parade route, remember to make it kid friendly in length and ease of mobility. Chart the route with red, white, and blue helium balloons along the way. At the end of the parade, award the prizes and have special 4th of July refreshments waiting for the participants.

4th of July Bike Parade Resources:

• Grandparents and Grandchildren: 4th of July Bike Parade
• Pumpkin Petunia: Independence Day Bike Parade
• Fourth of July Crafts: Bike Streamers Decorations
• How to Host a 4th of July Parade
• Organize a 4th of July Bike Parade in Your Neighborhood

Neighborhood 4th of July Bike Parades

If it is too late for you to organize a neighborhood Independence Day Decorated Bike Parade, you may still have time to enjoy watching  one. Besides enjoying the parade and the festivities, you’ll have a lot of good, creative ideas for your next year’s Patriotic Bike Parade. (Suggestion: On a day when the neighborhood kids are bored, get them together to decorate their bikes and make their own parade no matter what day of the year it is, then reward them with refreshments at the end of their parade.)

Here is a listing of some neighborhood decorated bike parades:

• Cactus Bike, Push, Pull, Peddle Bike Parade – Chandler, AZ
• Justin Rudd’s Great American 4th of July Bike Parade – Long Beach, CA
• 4th of July Bike Parade- Moraga, CA
• 4th of July Celebration with Bike Parade – University City, CA
• 4th of July Celebrations with Bike Parades – Frisco and Highlands Ranch, CO
• 4th of July Bike Parade and Block Party – Keystone, CO
• 4th of July Bike Parades- Grayton Beach and Rosemary Beach, FL
• Fourth of July Festival - Hoffman Estates, IL
• 4th of July Family Bike and Pet Parade - Elwood, IN
• Fourth of July Patriotic Bike Parade – Bowling Green, KY
• An American Celebration with Bike Parade – Portsmouth, ME
• Children’s 4th of July Bike Parade - Annapolis, MD
• Hereford 4th of July Parade – Hereford, MD
• 4th of July Bike Parade for Everyone- Kensington, MD
• Bike Decorating Contests and Parades - Barnstable, Falmouth, and Lincoln, MA
• Independence Day Parade- Northville, MI
• Children’s Bike Parade – Rockford, MI
• 4th of July Bike Parade- Collingswood, NJ
• Fourth of July Parade and Bike Parade- Evesham, NJ
• 4th of July Bike Parades (2) – Ocean City, NJ
• 4th of July Children’s Decorated Bike Parade – Summit, NJ
• 4th of July Bike Decorating Contest – Vernon Hills, NJ
• Children’s Bicycle Parade – Amherst, NH
• 4th of July Celebration and Bike Parade – Raleigh, NC
• Decorated Bike Parades- Doylestown, Newtown, and Glenside, PA
• 4th of July Bike Parade- Byrdstown, VA
• 4th of July Children’s Bike Parade – Lexington, VA
• Nelson County 4th of July Children’s Bike Parade- Lovingston, VA
• 4th of July Festival – Auburn, WA
• Decorated Bike Parade – Manson, WA
• 4th of July Bike Decorating Contest – Milton, WI

I’m sure there are many more community 4th of July Decorated Bike Parades throughout our great country. The onces listed here were found on the first 8 Google pages. If you can’t find one near you, Google “4th of July Bike Parades” + “Your State”. Example: 4th of july bike parades + nj

Happy 4th of July to everyone!…As my son-in-law would say, “May the Fourth be with you!”