CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A long-standing highlight of the Freedom Festival will make a move this summer.
The Freedom Festival Parade, typically held in downtown Cedar Rapids or in the Czech Village/New Bohemia District, is moving to Hiawatha. The parade is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, June 27, 2026.
A new event, Stars and Stripes Chalk Fest, will be held after the parade from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Guthridge Park, 704 Emmons St., in Hiawatha.
“We’re excited to partner with the City of Hiawatha to bring the parade to a new location that offers a great route, strong community support, and room to continue growing this tradition,” Freedom Festival Executive Director Brittany Barnhart said in an email.
See photos from last year’s parade
Barnhart noted that as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, organizers have spent the past 43 years growing the festival and creating opportunities for families across Linn County to celebrate together.
“As the Freedom Festival continues to grow, we are working hard to incorporate all of the communities within our footprint,” she wrote. “We are excited to continue partnering not only with Cedar Rapids, but also with surrounding communities to bring fun, exciting, and family-friendly Fourth of July activities throughout the area. Our partnership with Hiawatha this year is a wonderful step in continuing that vision and helping bring festival events into everyone’s backyard.”
The Freedom Festival, now a plus-week-long event, began with a fireworks display in 1984.
This year’s theme is “Party Like It’s 1776!”, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
More: See photos from the 2024 parade
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