Gatlinburg Will Host 50th Annual Fourth of July Parade

Image credit: Gatlinburg Tourism website.

The first Independence Day celebration in the country will begin at 12:01 on Thursday, July 4, in Gatlinburg. And yes, you can call it Wednesday night if you’re not ready to change the day in your mind yet. Even though you won’t be able to see the mountains this late, there’s no better backdrop or location than the Smoky Mountains. The year 2025 marks the 50th Annual Fourth of July Parade for a tourist town that has undergone quite the changes in a half-century. Regardless, it’s the place to be, so let’s get started with the details for this year’s celebration!

This year’s Special Guest and featured Grand Marshall will be an up-and-coming country musician named Logan Crosby. He hails from Milledgeville, Georgia, and got his big break by appearing on the first season of ABC’s Claim to Fame reality show, where he finished second. This singer-songwriter soulfully blends styles into his own brand of music which he hopes to showcase to a growing audience. I’m going to link to his website and a deeply personal interview he gave for The House magazine.

The House Article: On Tour With Logan Crosby

Website: https://logancrosby.com/

Like the Christmas Parade, the route will be the same. It kicks off at the Baskins Creek Bypass on 321 bearing left down the Parkway, running all the way to light #10 at the national park side of Gatlinburg.

When you experience this event, it’s nearly impossible not to be inspired. This year’s version will be filled with over 100 different entries that run the gamut of what Independence Day in the U.S.A. represents. There will be uber-patriotic floats, country-spanning marching bands, military salutes, honor guards, balloons, performers, and everything that imbues a family-friendly environment.

You can even purchase a special memento from the historic event with your very own glow-in-the-dark Gatlinburg Fourth of July t-shirt. These will be available—with limited supplies—at the Gatlinburg Welcome Center on the Spur for $25.

The next evening on Thursday, July 4, the conclusion of the holiday will begin with the ever-awe-inspiring drone show at 9:50, followed by the obligatory fireworks display at 10 in the evening. The pre-fireworks drone show is simply amazing, as I have witnessed on New Year’s Eve. In this session, there will be between 13 and 18 images shown in a 10-minute span by more than one hundred drones. Incredible is one word to describe it!

This show is free to the public, but guests are recommended to arrive early to prevent delays and get ahead of road closures. Personally, I would advise you to book your hotel pronto. There are rooms available at various downtown hotels in Gatlinburg, but you will pay a higher rate. It may be worth it, though, to avoid the hassle of driving and finding a place to park.

Take it from me, I’ve been a tourist and now a local; being on both sides of the coin has given me the full spectrum on how to handle the busiest Gatlinburg weekends, as it pertains to this particular one especially. I want you to enjoy yourselves. This area is too beautiful to get upset when so many others are trying to have fun just like you are. Please pack your patience… and your happiness!

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